Order 9066

APM Reports & The Smithsonian

4.8 (650)
DOCUMENTARY
COMPLETE SERIES

Order 9066 chronicles the history of the WWII Japanese American Incarceration through vivid, first-person accounts of those who lived through it. The series explores how this shocking violation of American democracy came to pass, and its legacy in the present.

EPISODE 1

The Roundup

Japanese warplanes bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Hours later, the FBI began rounding up people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast. This episode explores the history of anti-Asian prejudice in the United States that laid the groundwork for an assault on Japanese American communities after Pearl Harbor. Narrated by veteran actor Sab Shimono.

21 min
EPISODE 2

The Order

After Pearl Harbor, pressure grew to forcibly relocate all persons of Japanese ancestry from the Pacific coast. This episode tells the story behind FDR's decision to sign Order 9066, and Japanese Americans recall the painful process of leaving their lives and belongings -- and even their family pets -- behind.

23 min
EPISODE 3

Prison Cities

In the first months of incarceration, Japanese Americans were hit with the humiliating conditions of camp life. The U.S. government denied that people of Japanese ancestry living in the "assembly centers" were prisoners, but the first summer in these camps proved otherwise.

26 min
EPISODE 4

Gaman - Making Do

It was a time to persevere in the face of the unendurable, and to do so with dignity. The Japanese term for that is Gaman.

30 min
EPISODE 5

Fighting for Freedom

More than 33,000 Japanese American men and women served in World War II. They fought as soldiers in Europe, and as translators in the Pacific.

34 min
EPISODE 6

Resistance

The Japanese Americans who protested their incarceration and defied the pressure to prove their patriotism.

36 min
EPISODE 7

Leaving Camp

At the end of 1944, the U.S. government lifted the order barring people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast. Many people freed from camp faced racism and poverty as they tried to rebuild their lives. Some found that leaving camp was even harder than being sent there.

33 min
EPISODE 8

Seeking Redress

Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War Two demand that the federal government take account of their suffering and make reparations.

35 min

See All Season 1 (14)

TRAILER

Order 9066

First episode: Monday, Feb. 19.

S1

•

4 min

4.8

out of 5

650 Ratings

Order 0066

Jun 25

KathyMSB

Excellent presentation on the Japanese incarceration during WWII. This podcast effectively looked at this painful and complex part of American history from the voices of historians and the Japanese who experienced this firsthand. As a sansei, who didn't learn about this in history classes and grew up in a family that didn't talk about their experiences in camp, this was eye-opening. The effects of racism and the incarceration continue to reverberate in the generations following, making these actions and war, in general, much more costly to the human condition than we can begin to imagine. Let us apply this knowledge and learn from it moving forward.
Order 9066

08/17/2023

Sumiko42

This is one of the most important podcast casts to listen to. Learning in detail all that went on during the biggest mistake that the United States made during World War 2 is important to know. With all that’s going on with immigration and racial issues that our past president Trump has caused. We need to learn from our past mistakes. Thank you for making this podcast.
Beautifully Told

02/15/2021

Boutie

Truly powerful history told on a personal level.
That “Camp” was about for JA’s

11/08/2020

Dhhdfsehnicdrutenjiwdhji

Many Japanese American’s who were forcefully removed and incarcerated during WWII do not speak of what was for many a shameful experience. This podcast gives you a glimpse into these Americans’ lives. Tell your kids. And do not forget.

Order 9066 chronicles the history of the WWII Japanese American Incarceration through vivid, first-person accounts of those who lived through it. The series explores how this shocking violation of American democracy came to pass, and its legacy in the present.