Text 13683, 85 rader
Skriven 2008-03-29 09:36:37 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
     Kommentar till en text av Roy Witt
Ärende: Re: Interned Germans, Italians and Japanese
===================================================
RW> "Dec. 7, 1941 Japan bombs Pearl Harbor.  Pursuant to the Alien Enemy Act
RW> of 1798, Roosevelt issued identical Presidential Proclamations 2525, 2526
RW> and 2527 branding German, Italian and Japanese nationals as enemy aliens,
RW> authorizing internment and travel and property ownership restrictions.  A
RW> blanket presidential warrant authorized U.S. Attorney General Francis
RW> Biddle to have the FBI arrest a large number of "dangerous enemy aliens"
RW> based on the CDI. Hundreds of German aliens were arrested by the end of
RW> the day.  The FBI raids many homes and hundreds more are detained before
RW> war even declared on Germany."
 
That is remarkable.
 
According to what I read the first wave attacked at 07.48am, that means 12.48pm
in Washington DC. Right? Or did I miss one?
 
There was no CNN ... no Fox ... ;-) ...
 
With the speed and quality of communications of that era there must have been
clear cut plans ready to execute because I cannot think that a chain of command
still 'asleep' at 12.48pm would be organised well enough by day's end to do
anything at all.
 
So there must have been a pre-conceived plan that could be set in motion.
 
Rounding up of Germans and Italians had already started long before that, half
a year or more before Pearl Harbor even.
 
In Montana, near the town of Missoula, there is a place called "Fort Missoula".
An old location from the Indian wars but which during WW2 was used as a
detention center. It had mainly Italian but also German and Japanese detainees.
 
The Italians and Germans were mostly crews from civilian vessels in US ports,
at sea within reach of the Coast Guard or in the Panama Canal. The Japanese
were Japanese Americans but were not held there longer than a year.
 
Especially the Italians were resourceful as there was a complete crew of a
detained luxury liner Conte Biancamano... kitchen staff, doctor, dentist,
entertainment staff (singers, actors), a full orchestra ... and they organised
themselves to make the very best of it.
 
There hardly was any unrest. They worked and made the camp a home. There were
no escape attempts, nowere to go to of course and eventually they mingled with
local life. They started to work for the forrest service and local businesses,
a lot of work as well in aggriculture and they were paid decent wages.
 
They were allowed to leave camp with a pass to work, to visit people, to go to
the cinema. They themselves put up musical performances and classical concerts
which were attended by the people from Missoula. On July 4th they eventually
even participated in the parade.
 
Missoulians came to see their doctors, their dentist. They performed surgeries,
delivered babies, ...
 
The money they could use to buy stuff for themselves and most was put on
savings acoounts so that after the war they could fund their travel to Italy.
Those that went back had earned so much money, they actually returned rich ...
judging by the standards of those days.
 
Many of the sailors had adapted to the life style during their internment and
settled down in Montana. Interactions with the local girls was a factor as
well. Alberto Benedetti wrote an interesting book about it which, of course, I
have in my library.
 
They called the Flathead valley and adjoining Missoula with its surrounding
mountains "Bella Vista" ... the beautiful view.
 
Several of the detainees who returned to Italy were shocked by the difference
in quality of life between US/Montana/Missoula and war-ravaged Italy. They
returned and settled in Montana and Idaho.
 
Short interesting reading via this link:
 
   http://www.missoulian.com/specials/salute/Salute3-fort.html
 
The "Missoulian" is the local newspaper.
 
If there is a demand, I can publish my photos of last year's visit to Fort
Missoula. Not much remains though.
 
Take care,
 
 \%/@rd

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 * Origin: Many Glacier -o=O=o- Preserve - Protect - Conserve (2:292/854)