How The Japanese Interment Led To Victory Gardens

Did you know that the government’s Victory Gardens from World War II, where families were urged to grow their own food, was spurred by the interment of Japanese Americans? From The OC Register: “…[T]he San Francisco Museum…says Japanese truck farmers in California were responsible for a $40 million a year industry in fruits and vegetables. By March, 200,000 acres had been confiscated, sold off or given away to “non-Japanese” farmers mostly from Dust Bowl regions. Those farmers weren’t nearly as efficient or experienced at growing crops in California. Food and labor shortages followed…Although Japanese internment wasn’t mentioned in the report, a photo caption stated that the evacuation of the Japanese farmers resulted in shortages.” I had no idea of this affect but it only makes sense. Hopefully more people will understand how the internment camps had an impact on American society as a whole.