The Salem Witch Hunt And The Internment Of Japanese-Americans During World War II

The Salem Witch Hunt and the Internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II

The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller, which is based on the events of the

Salem Witch Trials. In the play, a girl accuses innocent people of witch craft, and many people

died because of the misunderstanding that it was all a lie. There are many historical events that

are similar to the Salem Witch Trials, such as the internment of Japanese-Americans during

WWII. In this event, Japanese-Americans were put into internment camps, which were solitary

camps made to separate these people from the rest of the U.S. The bombing of Pearl Harbor by

Japan caused the distrust of Japanese-Americans similar to those accused of witch craft in the

Salem Witch

The Salem Witch Trials “were fueled by residents’ suspicions of and resentment

toward their neighbors, as well as their fear of outsiders” (Salem). Just like refugees that came to

Salem were disliked, Japanese-American citizens were also unwanted in the U.S. “The press and

interest groups further spread fear and prejudice that denied the constitutional rights of Japanese-

Americans” (Internment). “In 1940, many Japanese-Americans lived in the U.S. on the West

Coast. Many could not own land, be naturalized as citizens, or vote. President Roosevelt was

pressured to remove persons of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast. In 1942, he signed an

Executive order which forced all Japanese-Americans to evacuate the West Coast” (Relocation).

Because Americans didn’t want Japanese-American citizens in the U.S., the government

separated them so that the people of the U.S. would feel safe in their own country.

In Salem, many residents were uncertain about particular people because “several

centuries ago, many practicing Christians had a strong belief that the Devil could give certain

people known as witches the power to harm others in return for their loyalty” (Blumberg).

Therefore, these particular people were considered threatening. During WWII,

Many Americans also believed that Japan had resident spies living on the coast and

feared that Japanese-Americans would aid their racial brothers” (Internment). After Japan

bombed Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Government removed a possible threat inside the borders of the

U.S. by relocating citizens of the same ancestry to Japan.

The accusations that went on during the Salem Witch Trials were discovered to be a lie.

Because of the innocent deaths, the family members of the victims got reimbursed. “In January

1697, the Massachusetts General Court declared a day of fasting for the tragedy of the Salem

Witch Trials. The damage to the community lingered, however, even after Massachusetts Colony

passed legislation restoring the good names of the condemned, and provided financial restitution

to their heirs in 1711” (Salem). “The colony admitted the trials were a mistake and compensated

the families of those convicted” (Blumberg). Just as many lives were ruined in the Salem Witch

Trials, so were the lives of many Japanese-Americans. The internment of