What was the compensation for the Japanese internment?

During World War II, Japanese-Americans who lived in cities on the west coast were forced to relocate to internment camps that were mainly located away from the west coast. Executive order 9066 required the Japanese-Americans to relocate. The government claimed that the Japanese-Americans posed a threat to our military effort. The government was concerned the Japanese would aid Japan or would sabotage our war effort. Thus, these people were forced to sell their homes and their businesses because they were going to be relocated.

Part of the anti-Japanese sentiment dealt with prejudice toward the Japanese-Americans. Some Americans were jealous of the economic success many Japanese-Americans experienced. These Americans feared the Japanese-Americans were taking away economic opportunities from them.

LifeIt was very difficult to live in the internment camps. The Japanese-Americans weren’t free to do the things they normally could do. The camps were very crowded, and disease was an issue. Some Japanese-Americans died in the camps.

The United States government formally apologized to the Japanese-Americans in the late 1980s. In 1988, every surviving Japanese-American that was forced to relocate was awarded $20,000. While this amount wasn’t enough to make up for the suffering, hardship, and loss the Japanese-Americans experienced during World War II, the government formally recognized its error by awarding this financial compensation to those who were still alive.