locations of the centers
When internees departed the temporary centers, they hoped to find improved living conditions but the government had constructed the Relocation Centers in the most uninhabitable areas possible. One official who inspected all camps wrote, “As we visited one center after another, we became more and more impressed with the ingenuity of the government in finding such uniformly God-forsaken places for the camps.” Many prison camps were built in the desert, with scorching temperatures of 115 degrees. Also, the camps were dirty from the desert’s frequent dust storms. These storms frightened the young prisoners and the abundant dust led to poor health conditions. Other camps were built near wamp land surrounded by forest.
poor living conditions
In addition to isolated locations, the camps continued to be overcrowded, with twenty-five people forced to live in a space meant for four. Privacy was non-existent as one former internee recalled to an interviewer: “How would you like to live in one room with your father and mother, your sisters and brothers all around, your aunts in the next room… all knowing exactly what you do every minute of the time?”
Due to overcrowded conditions, unhealthy and insufficient food, and poor sanitary conditions, illness was rampant within the camps. Dysentery, typhoid, and tuberculosis plagued the camps but there were insufficient health workers to attend to sick prisoners.
Due to overcrowded conditions, unhealthy and insufficient food, and poor sanitary conditions, illness was rampant within the camps. Dysentery, typhoid, and tuberculosis plagued the camps but there were insufficient health workers to attend to sick prisoners.