Answer:
Background: Fred Korematsu, a Japanese American, had refused to comply with the government's order to report for internment during the war, arguing that it violated his constitutional rights. Korematsu was arrested and convicted for his refusal.
Decision: The Supreme Court's decision, in a 6-3 vote, upheld the government's actions, arguing that the internment of Japanese Americans was a military necessity based on national security concerns during the war. The majority opinion, written by Justice Hugo Black, stated that the need to protect against espionage and sabotage by Japanese Americans on the West Coast justified the government's actions.
Public Perception: The Korematsu decision has been widely criticized over the years for its deference to government actions during a time of crisis and its failure to uphold the constitutional rights of Japanese American citizens. In 1983, a U.S. congressional commission found that the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II had not been justified by military necessity but was the result of "race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership." The Korematsu decision has not been overturned but is largely discredited and viewed as a dark chapter in American history.