JAPANESE-AMERICANS IN HAWAIIDuncan Bartok

SALLY NAKAMOTO HAYASHI

Born June 13th, 1923 Third Generation Lived in Hawaii

during World War 2 Worked as a nurse Actually witnessed

the attack on Pearl Harbor

THE JAPANESE IN HAWAII: OKAGE SAMA DE

Written by Dorothy Ochiai Hazama and Jane Okamoto Komeiji

Chronological history of Japanese-Americans previous to, during, and after World War 2

Discusses Japanese determination and perseverance

Oral histories, picture albums, photographs, and personal accounts

SALLY VS. THE BOOK

Leading up to and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, most Japanese-Americans struggled to endure the hardships and discrimination and find acceptance.

On the other hand, Sally felt that she faced very little discrimination in her experiences and found the war to be a key element in shaping who she is today.

SALLY’S FAMILY’S BACKGROUND Reciprocity Treaty of 1876 Immigration ban lifted 1881 Family immigrated to Hawaii in late 19th

century Father’s family came seeking work in sugar

cane fields Mother was born on the Hawaiian plantation

JAPANESE IMMIGRANT EXPECTATIONS

Most immigrants intended to serve three-year contracts and return to Japan

Sally’s mother’s family, however, intended to stay in the U.S.

Moved to rural farming area in Hilo.

Mother married and Sally was born

Father continued working in sugar cane fields

Mother was very resourceful in bartering and was the main provider for the family

All children worked in the summer

Moved to house in Honolulu

WOMEN’S LIFESTYLES IN HAWAII

Most Japanese women trained in Japanese Arts

Goal was to marry into wealthy family when returning to Japan

Sally was removed from the arts Main intention was to raise money for future

in Hawaii

SALLY’S CHILDHOOD Spent most of childhood in Hilo surrounded

by other Japanese Went to Japanese Buddhist Church and

Japanese Language School Name change from Satoe to Sally 1939 Family bought a house in Honolulu and

grew and sold flowers She finished her final year of school in Oahu Separation between white people and

“oriental” people

PEARL HARBOR ATTACK

Sally becomes nursing student at a Japanese hospital

Morning of the attack, she saw fighter jets overhead

Japanese Hospital receives call about attack and immediately converted into military hospital for wounded soldiers

Nursing school dormitory also converted into hospital for military

DECEMBER 7TH EVENTS

7:57 am Japanese Attack 2,335 servicemen died and 3,478 were

injured 3:30 pm Military takes over Hawaiian

Islands Later, habeas corpus is suspended 200

Japanese-Americans are taken into custody

Some were interned and families purged themselves of Japan-related belongings

Sally’s future husband enlists, but negated weeks later b/c of Japanese ancestry

DISCRIMINATION IN HAWAII

Pre-War: fear of growing Japanese population Japanese seemed clannish and did not

intermarry During the war: Restaurants and businesses

refused to serve and hire Japanese-Americans,

Boundaries for Japanese-Americans

“Outside of schools and their jobs, the Japanese kept pretty much to themselves. Because they lived close together, neighbors became extended families in practice” (Hazama 92).

“They had no alternative but to [develop “camaraderie and a real sense of community”] for their homes were often separated only by thin walls which were covered with newspapers to seal cracks. They shared kitchen sinks, stoves, and washing facilities” (Hazama 70).

“The Japanese were thus feared and looked on with suspicion because of their numbers” (Hazama 110).

INTERNMENT Many mainlanders were

interned (West Coast) About only 1% of

Japanese-Americans in Hawaii

Only those believed to be strongly affiliated with Japan such as priests, monks

Even Honolulu Councilmen and State Senators

Noted that they were immediately taken to Sand Island where they were questioned for a few days

HOW SALLY HANDLED IT

“Class and good morals” (Hayashi) Refused to make an issue of the situation Remained in her “section” Continued to live on her normal life Utilized her skills as a nurse to become more

respected “After the war, there were more opportunities

for young people and more jobs were created, and whoever had the education went for a better job” (Hayashi).

SALLY’S POSTWAR EXPERIENCE

Being the only child of five with any education beyond high school, she became a nurse

Later, used her own money to pay for brother’s college education

Moved to Washington D.C. and worked at a hospital there

Eventually, moved to Los Angeles to find work again

Now resides in Seattle.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SALLY’S EXPERIENCE AND THE BOOK

Family Living Style Levels of Discrimination Reactions to Situation

SURPRISES!

Sally’s Reaction to the War and Treatment Her close encounters with the actual Pearl

Harbor attack The many differences between Sally’s

experience and the secondary source Conspiracy Theory

Successes:

-Access to informant

-My secondary source

-Mother remembered a lot of grandma’s past

Difficulties:

-Grandma’s old age

-Differences between her experience and the book

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Is it better to aggressively fight for your rights/beliefs or simply let issues resolve themselves over time?

Is ethnic integration necessarily better if that integration comes along with harsh prejudice and discrimination? Or is it better to be ethnically separated if that means little conflict between ethnicities?