And Justice for All: An Oral History of the Japanese American Detention Camps

by John Tateishi, Roger Daniels (Foreword)

At the outbreak of World War II, more than 115,000 Japanese American civilians living on the West Coast of the United States were rounded up and sent to desolate "relocation" camps, where most spent the duration of the war. In this poignant and bitter yet inspiring oral history, John Tateishi allows thirty Japanese Americans, victims of this trauma, to speak for themselves. "And Justice for All" captures the personal feelings and experiences of the only group of American citizens ever to be confined in concentration camps in the United States. In this new edition of the book, which was originally published in 1984, an Afterword by the author brings up to date the lives of those he interviewed.

"At last the silent speak: the Nisei who were concentratedly camped during World War II. In the overflowing of grievance, so long muted, the victims themselves tell us what it was really like. This is the Book of Humiliations as well as Revelations. We have the long needed reminder, in chapter and verse, of our nation's most shameful episode."--Studs Terkel

"These moving personal recollections capture the plight of those who were victims of the most disgraceful episode in American history--the internment in concentration camps of Americans of Japanese descent during World War II."--Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr.

"Eloquent and poignant, "And Justice for All" brings to life the tragedy of the Japanese American internment for generations to come."--Senator Daniel K. Inouye

Genres: History, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

John Tateishi is the former redress director of the Japanese American Citizens League and was a key figure in the campaign for reparations for the Internment of Japanese Americans.

Reviews

[Madeline Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book covers the real story of the Japanese American detention camps after World War Two, the one your history books didn't include. The story your grandparents may or may not deny if you ask them honestly. When we study past American tragedies, we can employ an eagle eye by criticizing the actions of the people in power, sympathizing with the victims, and finally thanking the heavens we don't see that kind of thing in modern life. But that isn't quite enough, that strips a little of the human element, right? The people in power frequently act by dehumanizing the groups they marginalize. The "victims" themselves don't ask you to put that complex on them, in fact they might prefer to be called survivors. And come on, you really think we're done "othering" people in American society? Wake up.

I'm a firm advocate that anthologies are one of the best ways to discard your own bias and step into someone else's shoes, to steal Harper Lee's famous phrase. Tateishi's transcribed oral history of the experiences of Japanese American individuals in internment camps will change the way you view American history. When studying any type of revisionist history, you see the outside perspective, otherwise known as the perspective of the "other." But there's something about reading through a person's oral history, in first person, that directly submerges you into the history itself whether or not you're ready to be slapped with the truth. This work walks you through the lives of 30 Japanese Americans who survived internment camps, and lived changed lives afterwards. This is a must read!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important history of interred Japanese Americans during WWII and the range of perspectives on internment, military service, and postwar reparations.

[Tony Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful recounting of one of our nation's greatest horrors by the very people who lived it.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book. I feel the author did a wonderful job with the information he collected. I heard family stories about the detention camps from a close friend of mine. The stories I was told were raw and emotional. And because I heard these stories I expected too much from this book.

Writing the book almost 40 years later may or may not have been a problem.
Had the book been written in the sixties or early seventies would that have made a difference?

Would there have been more emotional interviews? Would the participants have been more able or willing to talk or would they ever be able to divulge their feelings in public about such an unconscionable act against them?

Regardless, this is a very good read--particularly if you never heard about these actions in American history.

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Tateishi, 1984

The book is basically a transcribing of oral testimony about the lives of people in the internment camps and in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in France and Italy. The introduction of the book goes into the history of the movement for and establishment of the camps.

It's always good to have books like this one that make the events that happened more personal by having people who actually went through the internment and other things that happened be the ones who tell the story. The stories cover pretty much the full range of the experiences including various troubles at the camps, lack of adequate medical facilities, etc. It's not a pretty picture because it wasn't a pretty time, to say the least.

A very interesting, very personal sort of book.

[Glenn Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is good, many short stories some of them intersected. I remember reading another book in HS but is was one persons account. this one is able to give a brief but truthful account that happened. WWII was a war of many concentrations camps, pretty sure every country in the war had them.

[Jenna Nishimura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so grateful to have come across this collection of oral histories. I am researching this period of American history so having these rich words and vivid experiences of those who endured such hardship is an invaluable resource.

[Arnpoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far one of the best books about the Japanese-American internment of WWII! It is filled with personal stories of the Japanese Americans who were imprisoned during that part if our history.