The Army's Final Report on "Japanese Evacuation from the West Coast"
1943
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This report was written by Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt. As the commanding general of the Western Defense Command and the Fourth Army, DeWitt oversaw and orchestrated the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese-Americans in the United States during World War II.
The report provides a favorable overview of the "evacuation program" and explains the rationale and logistics from the Army's point of view. When it was submitted, it caused disagreement with the War Department over the characterization of the reasoning for the program, and a revised report was issued. Later a footnote was inserted because the Justice Department took issue with allegations about supposed Japanese-American espionage that were found to be untrue.
The document was filed as Exhibit B in the case of United States v. Korematsu, which was a criminal action brought against Japanese-American Fred Korematsu for resisting relocation and internment as an enemy alien during World War II. His conviction in 1942 was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 1944. In 1983, however, Korematsu succeeded in winning a court order that vacated and recognized the injustice of the original conviction, and in the process, the injustice of the World War II Japanese internment program.
The first four pages are shown. See the entire document in the National Archives Catalog.
The report provides a favorable overview of the "evacuation program" and explains the rationale and logistics from the Army's point of view. When it was submitted, it caused disagreement with the War Department over the characterization of the reasoning for the program, and a revised report was issued. Later a footnote was inserted because the Justice Department took issue with allegations about supposed Japanese-American espionage that were found to be untrue.
The document was filed as Exhibit B in the case of United States v. Korematsu, which was a criminal action brought against Japanese-American Fred Korematsu for resisting relocation and internment as an enemy alien during World War II. His conviction in 1942 was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 1944. In 1983, however, Korematsu succeeded in winning a court order that vacated and recognized the injustice of the original conviction, and in the process, the injustice of the World War II Japanese internment program.
The first four pages are shown. See the entire document in the National Archives Catalog.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 296055
Full Citation: Final Report: Japanese Evacuation from the West Coast; 1943; United States v. Korematsu; Criminal Case Files, ca. 1851 - 1986; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at San Francisco, San Bruno, CA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/report-japanese-evacuation-west-coast, September 25, 2023]Activities that use this document
- Japanese American Incarceration During World War II
Created by the National Archives Education Team
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