Similarities Between Anne Frank And Japanese Internment

To be in hiding for years, to be shut off from the world: these were the lives of those living during the Holocaust -- or Japanese internment. Anne Frank was young girl who lived during the time of the Holocaust and Nazi invasion. Jeanne Wakatsuki was an internee who lived during the internment of Japanese-Americans. Both suffered during their times of captivity, and shared their experiences to the world. Though the two have differences, their experiences yield many similarities. To begin with, Anne Frank started her life in hiding at thirteen in the Secret Annex in Amsterdam, Netherlands. There, she and others could not speak loudly, wear shoes, or use the washroom during the day(Goodrich and Hackett). They could never afford to step outside for fear of being caught, and were cut off from the outside world. During her life in hiding, however, Anne remained optimistic and hopeful, writing in her diary, “Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart “(Frank). After being found

She and her family were free to walk, were provided food, and lived in a community with other Japanese-Americans. However, the living conditions were harsh, with worn-out buildings and little resources. The Japanese were not allowed to leave Manzanar or go beyond the gates. During her internment, Jeanne was too young to understand what was truly going on at the time. Her book, “Farewell to Manzanar,” states, “I couldn’t understand it. I remember clinging to her legs, wondering why everyone was crying “(Houston and Houston). In 1945, Manzanar was shut down, forcing anyone who remained there to leave. After she and her family left the camp, Jeanne did not return for another thirty years (Houston and Houston). Then, she and her husband set out on the journey of writing “Farewell to Manzanar,” illustrating how life in internment was from the