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Today in History: Roosevelt signs order for Japanese American internment

2/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 during World War II, allowing the forced relocation of over 112,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps. This decision, driven by national security concerns following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, affected two-thirds of those displaced, who were U.S. citizens.

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Story summary

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 during World War II, allowing the forced relocation of over 112,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps. This decision, driven by national security concerns following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, affected two-thirds of those displaced, who were U.S. citizens.