Before proceeding, we wish to clarify our use of terminology in discussing the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans. During and after the war, the U.S. government often used euphemisms such as evacuation and relocation to obscure the reality of forcibly removing over 120,000 individuals—most of them U.S. citizens—from their homes and confining them in what were officially called internment camps. In recent decades, scholars, survivors, and advocates have increasingly recognized incarceration and concentration camps as more accurate terms, reflecting the loss of civil liberties and the punitive nature of these sites. This guide and exhibit adopt terminology that aims to honor historical truth, acknowledge evolving language, and respect the lived experiences of those affected.
442nd Regimental Combat Team
A segregated U.S. Army unit of nisei soldiers who fought with distinction in the European theater during World War II in although their families had been forcibly incarcerated back home.
“Assembly Center”
Euphemistic term for temporary detention facilities where Japanese Americans were initially held after being forcibly removed from their homes. Assembly centers were often fairgrounds, racetracks, or other large-scale public venues. In Washington state, the Puyallup State Fairgrounds was known as Camp Harmony. Oregon
Executive Order 9066
The 1942 presidential order signed by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt that authorized the military to designate areas from which designated persons could be excluded. Order 9066 directly led to the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans.
Loyalty Questionnaire
A controversial questionnaire administered to Japanese Americans in the camps to assess their loyalty to the United States. It caused significant division and distress within the community. In particular, question 27 and 28.
Military Intelligence Service (MIS)
A unit of the U.S. Army that utilized the Japanese language skills of nisei soldiers, who played a crucial role in the Pacific theater of World War II.
No-No Boys
A term referring to nisei men who answered "No" to questions 27 (“Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on combat duty, wherever ordered?”) and/or 28 (swearing unqualified allegiance to the U.S. and renouncing allegiance to the Japanese emperor) on the loyalty questionnaire. Resistance resulted in their segregation into separate, harsher, detention camps like the Tule Lake Segregation Center, social stigma within the Japanese-American community, and legal repercussions and delayed post-war release.
“Relocation Center”
Euphemistic term for permanent, remotely located camps where Japanese Americans were forcibly confined for the duration of World War II. These facilities are also referred to variously as detention centers, detention camps, and internment camps.
Resettlement
The process by which Japanese Americans left the camps, often facing significant challenges in rebuilding their lives and returning to their former communities.
Wartime Civil Control Administration (WCCA)
A branch of the U.S. Army that initially oversaw the forced removal and the establishment of assembly centers before the WRA took over.
Gaman (我慢)
A Japanese word—from a Zen Buddhist term—meaning “perseverance,” “longsuffering,” and “stoicism.” Gaman is often associated with the way Japanese-American internees stoically endured the hardships of internment camp life.
Kodomo no tame ni (子供のために)
A Japanese phrase meaning "for the sake of the children," reflecting the sacrifices made by the Issei generation for their American-born children.
Issei (一世)
Literally "first generation." First-generation Japanese immigrants who arrived in the United States before Japanese immigration was barred under the Immigration Act of 1924. Issei were ineligible for citizenship owing to exclusionary laws at the time. Most were middle-aged or older during internment.
Nisei (二世)
Literally "second generation." The children of issei. Nisei were born in the United States and thus held U.S. citizenship. Nisei typically spoke English as a first language. Some nisei used their Japanese linguistic skills in service to the Military Intelligence Service (MIS).
Sansei (三世)
Literally "third generation." The grandchildren of issei.
Yonsei (四世)
Literally "fourth generation." The great-grandchildren of issei.
509-542-4887 library@columbiabasin.edu 2600 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA. 99301