Desert Exile
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With the many mistakes made by the American Government over the years, there was no greater mistake than the internment of Japanese Americans during World War Two. This simple act could be looked upon as racism; probably the most widely accepted acts against one's identification in United States history. In Yoshiko Uchida book, Desert Exile, it basically shows the hard times of Japanese Americans and of her friends and family connected before and during their stay in the concentration camps during World War Two.
Internment was explained to the American people as a necessity, but it was mainly caused more by racism than anything else. Even before the war, racism could have been seen towards the Japanese. For instance, when Uchida and her friends, wanted to go to the pool, they had to call first. The reason for them calling was simply to make sure they would be accepted. Another example was when they were not allowed in certain social groups at their school. At one point, Uchida's father searched high and low for someone willing enough to rent to a Japanese family.
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, average Americans became very open to anti-Japanese half-truths, and long-time racists began their transformed enthusiasm...