The psychological and emotional reactions of the Japanese Americans during their wartime incarceration were not simply standalone effects of internment but were carried over from their personal experiences in the months prior to their relocation. Within the Japanese American diaspora, however, there existed generational differences in how individuals reacted to pre-internment events such as the attack on Pearl Harbor and the anti-Japanese sentiment that arose from it. To understand the root of these differences, this paper examines the personal accounts of both first-generation (Issei) and second-generation (Nisei) Japanese Americans regarding their time in the United States. Although part of the same diaspora, the Issei and Nisei collectively displayed different psychological responses due to their distinct experiences living in the United States. While the Issei had immigrated to the States in adulthood, endured the hardships of adjusting to a new environment, America was the only home the Nisei had ever known. Consequently, there existed significant and minute differences in the values, worldviews, and even loyalties held by these groups. This paper argues that these distinctions contributed to the differences in how the Issei and Nisei grappled with the pre-internment period; while the Issei generally approached their situation stoically with the intention of quietly enduring their challenges, their children were left to navigate the complex feelings of anger, betrayal, and shame that came with being both Japanese and American.