December 23, 2024
“American [but] Second Class” | Japanese-American US Soldier Don Shimazu | USC Shoah Foundation

“American [but] Second Class” | Japanese-American US Soldier Don Shimazu | USC Shoah Foundation

Author: USC Shoah Foundation via YouTube
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“American [but] Second Class” | Japanese-American US Soldier Don Shimazu | USC Shoah Foundation

“We were American citizens, but […] we became aware that we were a little bit second class…”

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. The Order sanctioned the removal of all persons considered a threat to American national security to “relocation centers”, resulting in the incarceration of Japanese-Americans.

In 1943, Japanese-American Don Shimazu joined the US Army to prove his loyalty to the United States. Despite his heroic service, Don continued to experience discrimination as a Japanese-American. In his testimony, Don discusses the complexities of being Japanese-American while Japan and America were at war, and his family’s reaction to his voluntary involvement.

You can watch Don’s full testimony at https://youtu.be/hVJUwYsWqjk

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