General DeWitt's Report Hirabayashi v. United States (1987)

lt gen john dewitt

lieutenant general john l. dewitt, commanding general of western defense command responsible issuing curfew orders , exclusion orders upon japanese american civilians on united states west coast. thus, justice department’s case before supreme court depended upon orders being issued on basis of military urgency instead of racial prejudice.

on june 5, 1943, general dewitt issued document entitled final report: japanese evacuation west coast 1942. in document, dewitt explains orders justified because there threat highly sensitive installations many japanese americans resided , time of essence. furthermore, dewitt explained there not method determine loyalties of citizens japanese ancestry. document released before supreme court’s decision, , consistent justice department’s position before court. however, unbeknown hirabayashi’s attorneys, there earlier version of dewitt’s “final report” not consistent justice department’s position before court.

in 1978, aiko herzig-yoshinaga, japanese american confined internment camps during world war ii, moved washington, d.c. , accepted research position examined documents had been made available public in national archives on restrictions placed upon japanese americans. few years research, passed modern military section of national archives , noticed copy of dewitt’s “final report” on desk of archivist; and, upon examining it, recognized wording different of published version.

the report herzig-yoshinaga discovered first version of dewitt’s “final report”. in version, clear key language had been changed in final version purpose of maintaining consistency justice department’s position before supreme court. additional documents recovered, , altogether, these documents provided true purpose restrictions. in dewitt’s first version, wrote exclusion orders necessary , continue duration of war because,

“it impossible establish identity of loyal , disloyal degree of safety. not there insufficient time in make such determination; matter of facing realities positive determination not made, exact separation of `sheep goats unfeasible.

dewitt’s position determined despite conflicting evidence brought attention. on january 14, 1943, major general allen w. gullion, provost marshal general, engaged in following phone conversation dewitt whether possible determine loyalty of japanese americans:

dewitt: don t see how can determine loyalty of jap interrogation ... or investigation.
gullion: ve got questionnaire navy—some psychologist on there in navy sold them.
dewitt: there isn t such thing loyal japanese , impossible determine loyalty investigation—it can t done ...

additionally, on april 13, 1943, dewitt made provided statement san francisco news, indicating prejudice dominated thinking saying, makes no difference whether japanese theoretically citizen ... jap jap.