Introduction

History of Peruvian Japanese

Peru's Motivations for Internment

America's Reasons

Legal Reasons Behind Internment

Conclusion

Sources

Museum
Home

 

After the War

After the war ended, the major problem facing the American government was what to do with the Peruvian Japanese. The Peruvian government did not want the Japanese to be returned and the American government did not necessarily want them either. The American government was unsure of what to do with the internees. At first, the American government made plans for many of the Japanese to be sent to Japan, but many of the Peruvian Japanese did not want to go to Japan. Attorney Wayne M. Collins protected many of the Peruvian Japanese from being deported to Japan or sent back to Peru if that was not what they wanted. Many of the families were eventually shipped to towns across America where arrangements were made with companies in the towns so that the Japanese would work for them. A major concentration of Peruvian Japanese went to Seabrook Farms in Bridgeton, NJ. This was the town where my family was located after the war and is the town that my grandmother still resides today.

Receiving Reparations

In the 1980's, when congress was negotiating reparations for the Japanese Americans who had been interned, congress was not considering giving reparations for the Peruvian Japanese internees. The Peruvian Japanese in America felt that this was unfair, because they had suffered the same injustice as the Japanese Americans. The Peruvian Japanese argued with congress that they should also receive reparations, which is the reason why my grandfather told the testimonial of his experience before congress. In the end, the Japanese Americans received a reparation of $20,000 and the Peruvian Japanese received a reparation of $5,000.

Closing Thoughts

The events that occured to the Peruvian Japanese during World War II are stories often overlooked when remembering the war. My goal of the website is to educate people of the injustices on the part of the American and Peruvian governments. In order for history to not repeat itself, people must be educated on the mistakes of the past. The internment of the Peruvian Japanese and the American Japanese was a major mistake in our history that should never occur again.

Japanese Internee in his barricks
(teachpol.tcnj.edu/amer_pol_hist/fi/00000178.htm)

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This exhibit and museum were created during an introductory seminar on the Asia-Pacific War, taught at Wake Forest University during the spring semester 2002.