imprisonment was a huge setback in their struggles to participate in American politics (Christgau 88). On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked and devastated Pearl Harbor. Authorized by a blanket presidential warrant, the United States Attorney General Francis Biddle directed the FBI to arrest a predetermined number of “enemy aliens” classified as “dangerous”. Among the list of foreigners to be arrested, the Japanese held a place (Daniels 35). By the end of that day, 737 Japanese are in federal custody (Daniels 37).December 8th, the United States declared war on Japan. On December 11th, 1941, there are now 1,370 Japanese classified as “dangerous” are detained by the FBI (Daniels 41).By February 4, 1942, The US Army defined twelve “restricted areas. These “enemies” must observe a curfew (9 p.m.- 6 a.m.), and are allowed only to travel to and from their workplace. Also, they are forbidden to travel any further than 5 miles from their place of residence (Daniels 44). On February 16 that same year, the California Immigration Committee urges that all Japanese be removed from the Pacific Coast and any other areas designated vital by the US government. There are more arrests of Japanese and they total 2,192 (Daniels 44). On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066. This order gives the Secretary of War the authorization to establish military areas “from which all or any persons may be excluded as deemed necessary or desirable.” (Daniels 46). Then on March 18, 1942, President Roosevelt again issues another Executive Order, number 9102, creating the War Relocation Authority (WRA). Milton S. Eisenhower is named the first director and charged with the task of implementing a program of orderly evacuation of the designated persons from the restricted military areas (Daniels 47-48). On February 3, 1943, the WRA begins administering a loyalty question...
