Japanese-American Internee Camps

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Pages: 3

World War II was a harsh time for American soldiers and Japanese-American internees. Soldiers were becoming prisoners of war and Japanese-Americans were put into camps, suspected of being spies. People like Louie Zamperini and Miné Okubo were involved in these acts during World War II. Louie was an American soldier, and an Olympic athlete, that was captured by the Japanese and turned into a prisoner of war. However, Miné was a Japanese-American artist that was put into internee camps. While Louie and Miné were being held as prisoners, they were isolated, kept away from society, and dehumanized. Being isolated and dehumanized, Louie and Miné felt invisible. During their times in the camps, they had to overcome challenges found in the camp by letting humanity lead the way. Japanese-American internees and prisoners of war (were made to feel invisible but they tried to resist feeling invisible. …show more content…
Whenever Louie asked for water to quench his thirst, “The guard brought a cup … the guard threw the scalding water in his face”(Hillenbrand 140). Louie felt invisible because the guards ignored Louie and didn’t treat Louie like how Louie treated them. Using Louie as entertainment, he was, “... forced to dance while his guards roared with laughter. Being used as entertainment, Louie felt as if he was invisible because the guards thought of him as entertainment and didn’t think of Louie being a person. When Miné arrived at the assembly center to supposedly “relocate” her, “ ‘... family name was reduced to No. 13660.’(Okubo, 19)... Miné and Toku were referred to by this number, not by their names” (The Life of Miné Okubo). Miné felt dehumanized because they didn’t call Miné by her name but by a number that was given to her. She felt invisible because she felt as if she was worth nothing at all. Louie and Miné felt invisible in internee camps and prisoner