When Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes duringWorld War II, they were given as little as ten days to prepare forthe move, and could only take what they could carry to theinternment camps. Children did not have much room for toys orspecial objects from home.

Mary Tsukamoto was one of the Japanese Americans who wasforced to leave her home during the war. This is what she saidabout packing up and moving to the camp.

“...I started to gather rice,small sacks of rice and…andcollected the packages ofdehydrated soup and jelloand things that were light, sothat they wouldn’t be such aheavy baggage for us tocarry because they said youcould only take what youcould carry. And we knewwe had to take blankets andsheets and bedding andthings as well as some ofour clothes.”

Leaving THINGS BEHINDLife in a WWII Japanese Internment Camp :

Introduction

Two children help their father carry their suitcases

to an internment camp.Dorothea Lange; Courtesy of the National Archives.

WhWhaat Dt D o Yo Yoou Tu T hihi nnkk ??Answer the questions on the next page to express how you feel.

2. Look at the picture to the right. How do youthink the children feel? Why?

3. Look at the trunk pictured below. Think about the objects you have in yourhouse. How many things would �t inside that trunk? How would you decide what to bring?

1. What decisions did Mary have to make when she was packing up to go to the internmentcamp? Why?

What Do You ThinkA Few Things to Think About

Two children sit on their suitcases that they arebringing with them to the internment camp.Charles A. Mace; Courtesy of the National Archives.

A trunk used by a Japanese American to bring their

belongings to an internment camp.Courtesy of M itsuo and Toshiko Iino

Copyright © 2002 Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Mary Tsukamoto interview copyright © 2001 Smithsonian Institution.

Leaving Things Behind

4. If you were forced to move with your family to an internment camp, what personalbelongings would you take with you?

5. In the suitcase below, draw the special things you would take to the camp. Why wouldyou bring those things?