I don't believe it is clear that the interment camps were "mistakes". If even 0.01% of those Japanese jailed had a tendency to be enemy agents, jailing them saved untold American lives, and may have cut years from the war.Nonsense. The total number of US citizens of Japanese descent convicted of espionage: zero.
Even Hoover was against internment.
-Eric
The total number of US citizens of Japanese descent convicted of espionage: zero.
--->
Interment worked.
Espionage was not the only concern. Among those who were interned, in addition to Japanese nationals, were 3,500 Japanese-Americans (U.S. citizens) who renounced their U.S. Citizenship and demanded expatriation to Japan, 150 or so known members of the anti-American/pro-Japan Black Dragon Society; and 18,000 expatriates and repatriates who declared allegiance to Japan and rejected allegiance to the U.S.
They used to teach this in high school, but that has now been swept under the rug of Political Correctness. However you slice it, these people were certainly enemies of the U.S. and a significant threat. Internment was certainly controversial, but then again, the U.S. suffered little in the way of sabotage. Back then, we cast a wide net to round up the likely troublemakers. Today, we've convinced ourselves that we have better and more culturally-sensitive methods. Frankly, the jury is still out.