YOU SAID:

I remember 1942 like a storm: coming out of nowhere to sweep us all off of our feet. I remember sitting next to a radio, having it run as background noise as I was finishing up my homework from the weekend. That was when the broadcast came on: The naval base of Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese. It was early December; we were dragging ourselves to winter break, just trying to get things done. It put everything to a screeching halt. I was there, just staring at the radio, waiting for some type of answer as the words kept pouring out. My mother and father were out, and I was sure that they heard the news. I was assured when they came home, their faces flushed, anger written all over their faces. It didn’t dawn on me that this would truly turn my life upside down until I went to school the next day. There was no hiding that I was a Japanese American myself. I had the complexion, I had the dark hair. My name was Hideko Suzuki. It was obvious that everyone knew as well, because the way everyone looked at me that day killed something deep inside me. They were blaming me. I hadn’t done anything wrong, and I knew that. Even some of my good friends wouldn’t look at me. My face was the face of the enemy. It didn’t make much sense to me. My great grandparents immigrated here over one hundred years ago. I spoke very little Japanese. We cherished our culture in our household, but we had no ties to the bombing besides our nationality. It frustrated me beyond anything that had ever come in my way before. Two months of getting sideways glances on the street went by when President F.D.R. came and announced that all Japanese Americans were to be rounded up and put into camps for public safety. My parents wept; they had worked so hard to give me a good life, keep me up on my education, have me set up for having a good life for it all to be dismissed and have us sent away, behind barbed wire. I knew it was unfair, but I knew even better that there was nothing I could do about it. I had two bags I could pack everything in. I stuffed as many clothes into those bags as I possibly could. The only space I had left was for my brush and a small pocket journal. There was so much I couldn’t take with me, that I had to leave behind in a house that I might never see again. We were sent to a place called Jerome, in Arkansas. There were fences and watchtowers surrounding the entire place. Guards were standing around every time you turned around, staring us down blankly. It looked a little like a prison to me, and I was scared. The worst part out of all of this had to be the moisture all around us. It floated in the air and clung to our skin, making it harder to breathe. My feet were grabbed by the ground every step I took. My shoes and ankles were caked with mud. It was anything but a pleasant experience. When we first reached the residential ward, the families were sorted into barracks. We put our bags under the bed and sat there, contemplating what was to come. The walls were thin and the cold outside seeped in. Now here I am, writing down the experiences I’ve had here just within the first day of getting here, and waiting for our first meal at camp. I just hope things get a lot better around here really soon. - Hideko

INTO JAPANESE

嵐のような 1942 を覚えている: どこにも私たちの足のすべてから私たちを一掃するから出てくる。 私は週末から宿題を仕上げだったので、バック グラウンド ノイズとして実行して、ラジオ、隣に座って覚えています。放送に来たときだった: 真珠湾の海軍基地は、日本人によって爆撃されていた。12 月の初めだった私たちを引っ張っていました

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: come out of nowhere to purge us from all of our feet. Remember, sitting next to the radio because I was finishing his homework from the weekend, running as a background noise. It was when it came to broadcasting: Pearl Harbor naval base

INTO JAPANESE

1942 年の嵐を覚えている: どこ私たちの足のすべてから私たちを一掃すると出てくる。覚えて、週末から宿題を仕上げていたので、ラジオの隣に座って、バック グラウンド ノイズとして実行されています。放送に来たときだった: 真珠湾海軍基地

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: where comes to wipe us out from all of our feet. Remember, was finishing his homework from the weekend, so sitting next to the radio, is running as a background noise. When it came to broadcasting it was: Naval Base at Pearl Harbor

INTO JAPANESE

1942 年の嵐を覚えている: どこ私たちの足のすべてから私たちを一掃する来る。覚えて、バック グラウンド ノイズとしてラジオ、隣に座っているので、週末から宿題を実行して終了していました。それは放送に来たとき: 真珠湾海軍基地

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: where to purge us from all of our feet come. Remember, sitting next to a radio as background noise, so from the weekend to do your homework, and ended. When it came to broadcasting: Pearl Harbor naval station

INTO JAPANESE

1942 年の嵐を覚えている: ここで私たちの足来るのすべてから私たちを一掃します。覚えておいて、バック グラウンド ノイズ、あなたの宿題をする週末から、終わったとラジオの横に座っています。放送に来たとき: 真珠湾海軍基地

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: here come our feet from all the wipe us out. Over from the background noise, you do your homework, keep in mind that weekend, and sits beside the radio. When it came to broadcasting: Pearl Harbor naval station

INTO JAPANESE

1942 年の嵐を覚えている: ここで私たちの足すべてのワイプから私たち出てくる。バック グラウンド ノイズからあなたの宿題覚えておいてその週末、ラジオの横に座っています。放送に来たとき: 真珠湾海軍基地

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: This wipes all of our feet come out with us. Keep in mind that you do your homework from the background noise, weekend, sits next to the radio. When it came to broadcasting: Pearl Harbor naval station

INTO JAPANESE

1942 年の嵐を覚えている: 私達のフィートのすべては私たちと出てくるこのおしりふき。バック グラウンド ノイズからあなたの宿題を行うことを念頭に保つため週末、ラジオの隣に座っています。放送に来たとき: 真珠湾海軍基地

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: come with us this wipes is all of our feet. Keep in mind that doing your homework from the background noise over the weekend sitting next to the radio. When it came to broadcasting: Pearl Harbor naval station

INTO JAPANESE

1942 年の嵐を覚えている: これを拭く私たちと来るは、すべて私たちの足の。維持念頭にあなたの宿題バック グラウンド ノイズから週末ラジオの隣に座っています。放送に来たとき: 真珠湾海軍基地

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: come with us to wipe all of our feet. Keep in mind from homework background noise for your weekend sitting beside the radio. When it came to broadcasting: Pearl Harbor naval station

INTO JAPANESE

1942 年の嵐を覚えている: すべての私たちの足を拭くために私たちに来る。ラジオのそばに座って、週末の宿題バック グラウンド ノイズから留意してください。放送に来たとき: 真珠湾海軍基地

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: come to us to wipe the feet of all of us. Note from the background noise of the weekend homework, sitting by the radio. When it came to broadcasting: Pearl Harbor naval station

INTO JAPANESE

1942 年の嵐を覚えている: すべての私たちの足を拭くために私たちに来る。ラジオのそばに座って、週末の宿題のバック グラウンド ノイズから注意してください。放送に来たとき: 真珠湾海軍基地

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Remember the storm of 1942: come to us to wipe the feet of all of us. Note from the background noise of the weekend homework, sitting by the radio. When it came to broadcasting: Pearl Harbor naval station