Does any one know why Italians and Germans weren't put in internment camps during WWI but Japanese were?

Question

Im doing a essay for history an thats one of the things we need to add. Does anyone know why Japanese were the only ones put in camp if we were in war with Germany and Italy too?

Answer 1

In the FIRST world War the Japanese were on the side of the Allies. The Japanese Navy even providing warships to defend America's West coast.

If you stupid Yanks were interning Japanese during the First World War, then clearly you didn't know who your real friends were (Nothing new-You are still shooting and bombing friendly forces to this very day).

Answer 2

The best answer is the fact that Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
Germany and Italy did not attack in any manner. War with Germany and Italy came after Pearl Harbor.
I do know that 1 million Italians without papers were picked up. 10,000 were deported.

There were Germans who were incarcerated as spies. My family doctor, two other neighbors.

Answer 3

The Japanese were put in internment camps because Japan attacked us. Germany did not attack us. Italy did not attack us. Also many Japanese were newly immigrated and the US did not know exactly whether they were still being used by the Japanese country.

Answer 4

First, there were some Germans and Italians who were put into interment camps, however, it was a small minority and usually only recent immigrants.
Secondly, it is very debatable that the Japanese were required to go to camps. Order 9066 seemed to indicate they only had to leave the Pacific states, not go to camps.
Finally, the issue was one of racism. The Japanese looked 'different' unlike Italian and German families, therefore they were excluded from the West Coast and sent to camps.

Answer 5

First off, some Italians and Germans were locked up during the war as enemy sympathizers. Next, it would have been a physical impossibility to lock up all Americans of Italian and German anscestry. Further, no one expected Italy or Germany to invade the United States but some did fear that Japan would attack the West Coast.
This seems to me to be a better answer than "racism".

Answer 6

Racism is the prime reason. Japanese did attack Pearl Harbor; however, U.S. Citizen of Japanese descent did not do anything to provoke the imprisonment. Many of those send to internment camps were US citizens not Japanese citizens.

Answer 7

Some Italians and Germans were locked up, but they were few. So many Germans had already fled to the United States to escape Hitler that it would have been impossible to lock them all up. Besides, most had relatives who had been US citizens for years, sometimes for generations.

The Japanese were not only easier to identify, but they tended to marry only within their ethnic group. This made them more suspicious.

Answer 8

First, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. This cause a great deal mistrust that FDR issued executive order 9066.

This order includes U S Citizen of Japanese descent..

Answer 9

Um, Italians and Germans were put in concentration camps....only that not everyone knows this fact.

Answer 10

There had been discrimination against the Japanese and Asians in this country for years. Being htey had a different skin tone than most Americans they were easy to spot and intern. Prior to WWII there had been many anti-Japanese laws passed in this nation; especially California. People were upset at how successful they were in owning adn farming in Southern CA so they made it illegal for them to own land becuase they werent white or black. They were an easy target.