The author reveals that the internees who were allowed to remain in the US at the end of the war were required to sign an oath of secrecy regarding their arrest an internment. Those who would not sign were threatened with deportation. Were you aware of this practice?
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@Maryanne_Boundy yes, I’d read about that before. Pretty amazing, isn’t it. I’d like to think that today, the government would be unable to hide such a large-scale operation, but who knows? And, if people knew about something like that, would they dismiss the action as necessary?
I recently read that the 71 military nurses who General McArthur left behind in the Philippines in 1942 as Japanese prisoners had to sign similar secrecy oaths after they were rescued 3+ years later. Our government had decided McArthur was the American hero and did not want to shed bad light on his reputation. The children of these women have now been telling their horrific stories of starvation and deprivation as they continued to perform their jobs.
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I was unaware of the camps for Germans, so the oaths were one more surprise.
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I was unaware that Germans had been interned in the US during WW2 and then shocked that our government required and oath of secrecy in order to be released and stay in the country. It seemed that the requirement was meant to hide something the powers that be thought was shameful. I was angry about the round up and internment and then incensed about the cover up. It reminded me of NDAs which have come under scrutiny lately.
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And yes, I too am afraid of this precedent of round up and internment will be used against NDAs as well as journalists and others who voice different opinions. J Edgar Hoover had watch lists, as did Nixon. I’m sure such lists are being drawn up today especially with use of social media. How and why they will be used remains to be seen.
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I was unaware of Germans being interned un the United States during World War II and even more surprised the U.S. government required those who been interned to sign an oath of secrecy in order to be released and not be deported, Perhaps, the government succeeded in their mission of hiding this part of our history with hope it would never be revealed,
I knew about non-Japanese being interned in camps, but I didn’t remember the oath. In some ways I am not surprised, I think America came to recognize the internment camps were not the America we want to be and they had been set up in fear and misunderstanding. I felt it was the final blow to those that were interned, now they could not tell anyone or they would be deported. Horrible choice, but I have no doubt I would have stayed quiet so I could continue to live my life with my family in the US.
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Maryanne, I had no idea about these nurses being held and signing oaths.
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I, too, was unaware of this disgraceful action by McArthur. I wonder who else in the military and government knew about these brave women. Shame, shame, shame.
Evidently, once rescued the nurses were taken to Australia where they were permed, coiffed, and fed. McArthur returned for a limited photo op giving them medals and an increase in rank. The women were emaciated and in poor health, and while recuperating had to sign silence oaths. Meanwhile, the military brass was determined to make McArthur their hero with his return to the Philippines and didn’t want the ordeal of the nurses to cloud the public’s perception .
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