The first Christmas after the camps: resettlement in 1946

Vol. 23, No. 24, December 21, 1946. 44 pages. View this issue

Resettlement was the subject of this 44-page holiday issue, the first Christmas since the War Relocation Authority closed its camps. Dillon S. Myer wrote about the first post-WRA Christmas, and a series of city and region surveys followed: Togo Tanaka on Chicago, Bill Hosokawa on Denver, A. T. Hansen on the Santa Clara Valley, Elmer R. Smith on Utah, and Frank Miyamoto on Seattle. Ralph G. Martin told how the anti-Nisei signs came down in Hood River, Oregon. Saburo Kido reported on JACL’s recovery and the defeat of Proposition 15 in California.

Hawaii got its own coverage, with pieces by Mineo Katagiri, John Reinecke and Lawrence Nakatsuka on Nisei veterans, labor unions and the 1946 elections. Lt. Col. Virgil R. Miller sent a Christmas greeting to the men of the 442nd, and Frank Moritsugu described the situation of Japanese Canadians. Toshio Mori’s short story “My Countryman” and a Christmas tale by Sachi L. Wada appeared too. Holiday greetings from chapters and businesses fill 29 pages.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• The First Post-WRA Christmas, by Dillon S. Myer, page 2. Former WRA director Dillon S. Myer reflects on the first Christmas since 1941 that Japanese Americans can observe outside relocation centers, noting encouraging signs like the defeat of Proposition 15 in California. He also discusses remaining problems including housing shortages, difficulty returning to farming, and the unfinished business of the evacuation claims bill and Issei naturalization legislation.
• Angels Are Singing: Child Learns of Death and Heroism in Foreign Foxholes, by Sachi L. Wada, page 13. A Christmas tale about a war widow and her young son on Christmas Eve, as she tells him a story about tin soldiers to help him understand his father’s death in combat. The narrative blends wartime loss with the themes of Christmas and childhood innocence.
• Carriers of Prejudice, by Aubrey E. Haan, page 22. Aubrey Haan analyzes how words and phrases perpetuate racial prejudice, examining how derogatory terms and stereotypes become embedded in language and block genuine communication between groups. The piece warns that such linguistic carriers of prejudice can lead to breakdowns in world understanding and contribute to conflict.
• Open Letter to the Nisei, by Fred Fertig, page 35. This exchange of letters explores the tensions faced by Japanese Americans who pursue interracial integration, with a woman named Betty describing criticism she receives from both Nisei who feel abandoned and Caucasian friends who feel she isn’t selling integration effectively enough. Fred Fertig responds by discussing the costs white liberals must pay for genuine commitment to racial equality and encourages continued efforts toward brotherhood.
• The Christmas Season, by P.C. Staff, page 42. This editorial reflects on the significance of the first postwar Christmas for Nisei who served in combat or spent previous holidays in relocation centers, emphasizing the universal message of peace and goodwill beyond religious boundaries. The piece warns that in the atomic age, humanity must incorporate the Christmas spirit into daily life as more than a seasonal sentiment.
• The Job Ahead, by P.C. Staff, page 42. This editorial assesses 1946’s progress in reducing organized prejudice against Japanese Americans while identifying ongoing challenges including housing discrimination, the Alien Land Law, and discriminatory immigration and naturalization laws. It calls for continued advocacy for evacuation claims legislation and repeal of the alien land law following the decisive defeat of Proposition 15.
• From the Frying Pan: Reflections on the Christmas Season, by Bill Hosokawa, page 42. Bill Hosokawa shares personal reflections on Christmas traditions with his young children, recalling childhood Christmas memories including a disappointing gyroscope top substitute and an awkward children’s choir performance. He muses on the universal appeal of Christmas cards from old friends and the nostalgia created by frequent moves during the postwar years.
• Tomorrow’s Heirs: On Nicollet, by Sachi L. Wada, page 44. In this holiday column, Sachi Wada describes the Christmas atmosphere on Minneapolis’s Nicollet Avenue, including an encounter with a disabled street vendor that evokes charitable feelings. She reflects on Christmas as a unifying experience across all people and writes a heartfelt letter to Santa expressing wishes for inner peace and successful outcomes for everyone’s dreams.

Incarceration & Redress

• The Day the Signs Came Down: Hood River Tears Down Its Anti-Nisei Stickers, by Ralph G. Martin of the New Republic, page 3. This article chronicles the dramatic story of Hood River, Oregon, where American Legion members removed Nisei soldiers’ names from an honor roll, sparking a national controversy and local boycott against returning Japanese American families. Over time, through courage of individuals like Rev. Burgoyne and economic pressure, the anti-Nisei signs eventually came down as the community’s hostility gradually subsided after the war’s end.
• The Japanese Canadians: Christmas, 1946, by Frank Moritsugu, page 33. Frank Moritsugu details the harsher treatment of Japanese Canadians compared to Japanese Americans, including forced deportation orders upheld by the Privy Council and compulsory relocation policies. The article describes ongoing efforts by the Japanese Canadian Committee for Democracy to seek property compensation and end wartime restrictions that still remain in place.

In-Depth

• They Talk of Going Back to California, But They Have Put Roots Deeply Down in Chicago, by Togo Tanaka, page 4. Togo Tanaka examines the paradox of Chicago’s 20,000 Nisei resettlers who talk constantly about returning to the West Coast while simultaneously investing millions of dollars in businesses, homes, and community institutions in Chicago. He draws parallels to how California Issei once talked of returning to Japan but never did, suggesting Chicago’s Japanese American population is unlikely to significantly diminish despite the talk of going back.
• A Survey of Denver Resettlement, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Bill Hosokawa provides an extensive survey of Denver’s Japanese American community, which grew from 300 in 1940 to a peak of 5,000 in 1944-45 before settling to about 3,000 in 1946. The article profiles successful businesses along Larimer Street, discusses housing and employment patterns, and concludes that Denver residents are at a more advanced stage of assimilation than they were in their pre-evacuation coastal homes.
• Back Home in California’s Santa Clara Valley, by A. T. Hansen, page 10. Anthropologist A. T. Hansen provides a detailed sociological analysis of Japanese American resettlement in Santa Clara Valley, documenting economic recovery patterns, community organization efforts through JACL, and the reasons for the valley’s notably positive public relations record. He explores historical factors including crop specialization, long-term land leases, and deliberate public relations efforts that contributed to smoother resettlement than in many other California communities.
• Nisei Resettlement in Utah: Over a Third of Utah’s Nisei Population Has Left the State, by Elmer R. Smith, page 11. Elmer R. Smith examines the wartime growth and postwar decline of Utah’s Japanese American population, which peaked near 10,000 before dropping as evacuees returned to the West Coast. The article explores economic, social, and emotional factors driving the exodus, predicting the resettler population could fall below 3,000 by 1948.
• Short Story: My Countryman, by Toshio Mori, page 17. This short story portrays the life and death of Slim, a Mexican farmworker and friend of the narrator, who refuses medical treatment due to fear and poverty until it’s too late. The story explores themes of poverty, friendship, and the inadequate healthcare available to the poor through the lens of the narrator’s relationship with his deceased Mexican neighbor.
• Main Street and Home Again: Story of Resettlement in the Seattle Area, by Frank Miyamoto, page 26. Frank Miyamoto analyzes the resettlement of Seattle’s Japanese American community, noting that about two-thirds of the prewar population has returned despite ongoing housing shortages and employment barriers, particularly union exclusion from industrial jobs. The piece examines the slow pace of community organization efforts and the challenges of balancing integration with maintaining ethnic community bonds.

National

• 1946: Year of Resettlement, by P.C. Staff, page 9. This overview piece describes 1946 as a pivotal year of movement for Japanese Americans, as the WRA closed relocation centers and thousands relocated to new communities across the country or returned to the West Coast. It highlights individual stories including GIs returning from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team’s triumphant return to New York harbor and families settling into new permanent homes.
• Japanese Americans Return to Hawaiian Political Life, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 34. Lawrence Nakatsuka reports on the unprecedented political resurgence of Japanese Americans in Hawaii’s 1946 elections, with twelve Nisei winning territorial and county offices after years of self-imposed political withdrawal during the war. The article highlights historic firsts including the first Nisei senator from Oahu and first Nisei supervisor on the Honolulu board.
• Four Japanese Americans Die in Crash of Army Transport At Airfield Near Osaka, by P.C. Staff, page 41. Four Nisei soldiers were among 22 occupation personnel killed when a U.S. Army transport crashed near Osaka, Japan on December 10, including former California newspaperman Tech. Sgt. Tomomasa Yamazaki. The victims were identified by the War Department and included soldiers serving in intelligence and public relations roles with occupation forces.

Community

• When the Nisei Came to the Nation’s Capital, by John Kitasako, page 12. John Kitasako describes how Washington D.C.’s small, scattered Japanese American population of about 350 has successfully integrated into the broader community with minimal discrimination. The piece discusses Nisei success in civil service jobs, the thriving grocery business sector, and how living alongside Washington’s large Black population gave Nisei a sobering perspective on racial discrimination.
• Two Evacuees Found Dead in Illinois Home, by P.C. Staff, page 41. Frank G. Nishida and his wife Risa were found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in their Joliet, Illinois home, with their daughter Edith taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police determined that gas stove burners had exhausted the oxygen in the room where the family was staying.
• California Will Pay Back Wages To Nisei Group, by P.C. Staff, page 41. The California State Board of Control authorized payment of $3,216 in back salary to forty Japanese Americans who were dismissed from civil service jobs following the 1942 evacuation order. The payment covers the period between their dismissal and arrival at evacuation camps.
• Sue Aoki Weds John Kitasako In Washington, by P.C. Staff, page 41. Sue Aoki married John Kitasako, the Pacific Citizen’s Washington columnist, in a double-ring ceremony at First Baptist Church in Washington D.C. Both the bride and groom are employed by the Foreign Broadcast Information Service, with the bride having recently transferred from the Hawaii field office.

Military & Veterans

• A Christmas Greeting to the Men of the 442nd, by Lt. Col. Virgil R. Miller, page 14. The former commander of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team sends a Christmas message to his former soldiers, reflecting on their wartime heroism and calling on them to continue showing courage in peacetime pursuits. Miller references the unit’s famous motto ‘GO FOR BROKE’ and extends holiday wishes to veterans and their families.
• Letter from Japan: Address APO 500, by Mas Horiuchi, page 25. Mas Horiuchi recounts his experiences as a Nisei linguist serving with occupation forces in Japan, including interpreting duties, discovering a ‘Kilroy was here’ sign at a Japanese military headquarters, and humorous encounters teaching English to Japanese students. He also describes searching for a Christmas tree in Japan and observations about cultural changes among Japanese women during the occupation.
• Nisei Veterans in Hawaii, by Mineo Katagiri, page 25. Mineo Katagiri examines the political and social influence of Nisei veterans returning to Hawaii, analyzing their success in the 1946 elections and growing activism in labor unions and education. He identifies both hopeful signs of progressive leadership and concerning weaknesses including fragmented veteran organizations lacking unified direction.
• The Labor Front: Nisei in Hawaii’s Trade Unions, by John Reinecke, page 27. John Reinecke chronicles the rise of labor unions in Hawaii and the significant role Japanese Americans have played in the ILWU’s growth from 900 to 37,000 members. The article details the 1946 sugar strike’s success in breaking down racial barriers among workers and establishing union gains despite propaganda campaigns against the strikers.
• Nisei Veterans: Conclusion – Nemesis or Hope for Hawaiian Society, by Mineo Katagiri, page 29. This continuation piece profiles specific Nisei veteran political candidates including Richard Kageyama and Matsuki Arashiro who won office in Hawaii’s 1946 elections. The article also discusses veterans’ commitment to education and economic equality while identifying the need for unified leadership among divided veteran organizations.
• Washington State Nisei War Veterans Honored at Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 41. More than 1300 people attended a Seattle testimonial dinner honoring Japanese American war veterans from Washington state, featuring 53 candles representing Nisei soldiers killed in action. Major General Paul W. Kendall praised the Nisei soldiers’ exceptional combat record and expressed hope they would continue showing devotion to American citizenship in civilian life.

JACL

• Progress Report: The JACL Marches On, by Saburo Kido, page 17. Saburo Kido chronicles the JACL’s recovery from wartime unpopularity to renewed influence, crediting leaders like Joe Grant Masaoka and regional directors for rebuilding chapters across California and the West Coast. The article highlights the successful campaign against Proposition 15 as the organization’s crowning achievement and predicts JACL could reach 66 chapters by the 1948 national convention.
• Eastern Chapters Hold Key to JACL Growth, by Masao Satow, page 33. Masao Satow explains how the resettlement of Nisei into midwestern and eastern states has expanded JACL into nine new states, potentially providing crucial political support for national legislation given the larger congressional representation in these regions. He emphasizes the need for increased membership and chapter development to capitalize on this geographic expansion for public education efforts.
• Intermountain JACL Delegates Urged to Fight Against Race Discrimination in U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 41. At the Intermountain district JACL convention in Boise, Professor Elmer R. Smith called on delegates to continue fighting racial discrimination in housing, employment, and civil rights despite progress made. The three-day convention included panel discussions on Nisei community integration and concluded with plans to hold the 1947 convention in Idaho Falls.

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