155k views
5 votes
How did nationalism play itself out in the way the Japanese treated POWs and how did Americans treat Japanese American citizens?

User Huy Nghia
by
7.3k points

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

Nationalism influenced the way the Japanese treated POWs and how Americans treated Japanese American citizens during World War II.

Step-by-step explanation:

Nationalism played a role in the way the Japanese treated prisoners of war (POWs) during World War II. The Japanese believed in the superiority of their own race and saw captured soldiers from other countries as less deserving of humane treatment. They subjected POWs to harsh conditions, forced labor, and inhumane treatment. This ideology of nationalism led the Japanese to dehumanize and mistreat POWs.

On the other hand, the treatment of Japanese American citizens by Americans during the war was also influenced by nationalism. The attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan created a sense of fear and prejudice against anyone of Japanese descent. Japanese Americans were viewed as potential security threats and were subjected to mass internment, where they were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in prison camps. This treatment was driven by the belief that their loyalty lay with Japan, rather than the United States.

User James Netherton
by
7.4k points