The Great California Assembly Center Counting Caper: It's Not as Easy as Counting Koalas (Spoiler Alert: There Are No Koalas)
Ah, California. Land of sunshine, surf, and...mass incarcerations based on ancestry? Yep, that dark spot in history known as Japanese American internment during World War II. Today, we're diving into a question that's perhaps less "fun in the sun" and more "so, how many assembly centers were there exactly?" Buckle up, history buffs (and those who just like counting stuff), because this one gets a little fuzzy.
Why All the Assembly Centers?
First, a quick history refresher. After Executive Order 9066 (a doozy of a document that basically said people of Japanese descent on the West Coast were a threat), folks were forced from their homes. But hey, you can't just dump thousands of people on the street (well, you could, but they didn't). So, the government created these temporary holding facilities called assembly centers. Think of them like creepy summer camps with barbed wire fences and guard towers. Not exactly your typical California dreamin'.
Alright, Alright, How Many Assembly Centers Were There?
Here's where things get interesting. The answer, my friend, is it depends on who you ask.
- The "Official" Tally: If you go by the history books, there were 12 assembly centers in California. Seems straightforward, right? Wrong.
- The "Wait a Minute" Factor: See, some folks argue that a couple of additional facilities functioned basically the same way as assembly centers. So, if we include these, the number bumps up to 15 or even 16. It's like counting jellybeans - some are a little smooshed, some are a different color, but they all kinda fulfill the same sugary destiny.
So, What's the Deal?
Honestly, it boils down to semantics. Were these extra facilities technically assembly centers? Maybe, maybe not. But the important takeaway is that thousands of innocent people were uprooted and detained based on prejudice. That's a fact, and that's what we should remember.
The Moral of the Story?
- Don't judge a koala by its cover (or lack thereof, since they're not even from California).
- History is messy, and counting things can be even messier.
- Most importantly, learn from the past so we don't repeat these kinds of injustices.
Further Exploration: If you're hungry for more info, check out the Densho Encyclopedia (https://encyclopedia.densho.org/Assembly_centers/) for a deep dive into assembly centers.
