December 7th, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and destroyed the U. Pacific Fleet's battleship force, only hours after Japanese troops began the offensive and mounted a surprise invasion of Hong Kong. By Christmas Day, 1941 Hong Kong had fallen to the Japanese and all 1975 Canadians were either killed or taken prisoner by the Japanese. As news got around the world these events, as well as several others contributed to the fear of the Japanese-Canadians and that Canada itself might be attacked. Therefore, Canadians became both afraid and paranoid of the Japanese-Canadian population in Canada and those living in British Columbia became a special target for public suspicion. Japanese-Canadians were interned by the Canadian government as a result of this, therefore the Canadian government was not justified in the internment of the Japanese.
As the Battle of the Pacific had reached its most critical stages, the general public became suspicious of the Japanese-Canadian population, especially those near the British Columbia Pacific Coast. Japanese-Canadians living in British Columbia became a special target of public suspicion; it was thought to be that if the Japanese attacked Canada, the local residents of Japanese decent might assist them. Some even believed that there were Japanese spies operating a spy ring among the Japanese population. Many Canadians, especially those in British Columbia, feared that Canada would be attacked in this process as they have done so to both Hong Kong and Pearl Harbour. Suspicions were only strengthen by local editorials, gossips, and propaganda. Racism shown towards Japanese-Canadians had began years earlier, however it was most obvious and potent during the time period from 1942 (mid of the war) to 1947 (post war). From this point onward the general public began to constantly pressure the Canadian federal government to intern all Japanese-Canadians as anti-Japanese sentiment grew.
