In March 1942 General DeWitt designated the western halves of Washington, Oregon, California, and the southern half of Arizona as Military Area Number One, an area from which Japanese could be removed. A 9:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. curfew was imposed upon Japanese living within Military Area Number One, and Japanese residents were not allowed to travel more than five miles from their homes. They were also ordered to surrender contraband items such as binoculars, cameras, maps, and short wave radios.

Shortly after the travel restrictions were placed upon them, Japanese residents were informed that they were to be removed from Military Area Number One. They were initially encouraged to relocate on their own and as many as three thousand Japanese took advantage of contacts and relatives in the midwest and on the East Coast. For many Japanese, however, the West Coast was the only home...