Gunned Down
Kay wrote about the growing pessimism and cynicism of young people in Topaz. She wrote to John on March 6, 1943 after he received leave clearance to go to Seminary in Evanston, Illinois with news:
"The youth of the Intercollegiate Group have become cynical, bitter, apathetic. Product of the Army registration: the question is always 'to fight for what?'...36 who applied for repatriation/ expressed desire to go to Japan were sent to Arkansas. About 500 applied for expatriation/repatriation, some in order to avoid draft."
The killing by an armed guard of a 63 year old man (James Hatsuki Wakasa) who walked too close to the barbed wire fence escalated tensions. Kay wrote about this event in her letter to Tom dated April 14, 1943.
Kay describes the Formal Military Hearing which followed. The atmosphere was markedly different based upon the importation of soldiers from the War in the Pacific. Kay describes detainees allowed on picnic hikes but "they come after us in a jeep and force up at the point of a (I think they call them sub-machine gun becahse they're real big) to ride with them ina jeep back to the Internal Security here...I've seen more little kids not knowing any better just happen to walk in the wrong direction- and I say it's merely desert with not a darn thing around- brought back at the point of a gun stared still- the impresssion such a experience leaves in a small child is really no joke." She hears that the city of Delta despise the MP's, saying they are drunkard menace when they come to town.
A few of them, we are told by the Administrative staff are back from the Wars in the Pacifc- not fit for service and a little excitement thrills them- I know they've made a few remarks about wanting to shoot them Japs down, meaning us...My heart goes out to the two young fellows that were killed by the M.P's at Manzanar- just spectators fatally wounded because the MP's got jittery- their friends and family must hate- for hatred is brewed by just such acts- and we do feel this we are at the mercy of a bunch of morons who do not know any better- and the old story about WHY SHOULD WE BE KEPT IN A PLACE LIKE THIS COMES UP AGAIN.
As an American, I can never shout and condemn Hitler- for we have it here in America. It's sad and I wonder about the future. I can only say I have felt and know-- and the confience of many of these people here must be won back by our U.S. before we can say much more.
"The youth of the Intercollegiate Group have become cynical, bitter, apathetic. Product of the Army registration: the question is always 'to fight for what?'...36 who applied for repatriation/ expressed desire to go to Japan were sent to Arkansas. About 500 applied for expatriation/repatriation, some in order to avoid draft."
The killing by an armed guard of a 63 year old man (James Hatsuki Wakasa) who walked too close to the barbed wire fence escalated tensions. Kay wrote about this event in her letter to Tom dated April 14, 1943.
Kay describes the Formal Military Hearing which followed. The atmosphere was markedly different based upon the importation of soldiers from the War in the Pacific. Kay describes detainees allowed on picnic hikes but "they come after us in a jeep and force up at the point of a (I think they call them sub-machine gun becahse they're real big) to ride with them ina jeep back to the Internal Security here...I've seen more little kids not knowing any better just happen to walk in the wrong direction- and I say it's merely desert with not a darn thing around- brought back at the point of a gun stared still- the impresssion such a experience leaves in a small child is really no joke." She hears that the city of Delta despise the MP's, saying they are drunkard menace when they come to town.
A few of them, we are told by the Administrative staff are back from the Wars in the Pacifc- not fit for service and a little excitement thrills them- I know they've made a few remarks about wanting to shoot them Japs down, meaning us...My heart goes out to the two young fellows that were killed by the M.P's at Manzanar- just spectators fatally wounded because the MP's got jittery- their friends and family must hate- for hatred is brewed by just such acts- and we do feel this we are at the mercy of a bunch of morons who do not know any better- and the old story about WHY SHOULD WE BE KEPT IN A PLACE LIKE THIS COMES UP AGAIN.
As an American, I can never shout and condemn Hitler- for we have it here in America. It's sad and I wonder about the future. I can only say I have felt and know-- and the confience of many of these people here must be won back by our U.S. before we can say much more.
Letter from Kay to Tom. April 14, 1943.
To return to or jump to other exhibits, click on the icons below.
