I knew about the horrors of the camps. The pain and trauma. What I didn’t know is here. But that is just the beginning. There is much more to learn and confront. As usual, Rachel and her team bring something hard hitting and painful about who we’ve been and how woefully we have fallen short of remembering lessons that we were supposed to have learned many decades ago. We have not. Here again, we are committing the same atrocities. First, I was horrified at what I didn’t know and outraged at the lengths to which some would go to satisfy their racist beliefs. Then I was crying with remorse because nothing can make up for it. Now, I’m sobbing with shame and anger that, once again, we have those in power who shame us all in the name of “loving our country and protecting” it. What broke me, however, were the words of a survivor who believed that would never happen here again. And yet here we are.

As California native, learned this history - albeit too briefly - via public school systems in 1960s-1980s. Went to school with people whose parents experienced this, and my mother told stories at home of losing classmates in Los Angeles who were interred. Wake up people: history is repeating itself!

I thought I knew everything I wanted to know about the Japanese internment and delayed listening to this. I was absolutely wrong. I didn’t even know about Ralph Carr in my very own state. This podcast series is one of the best I have heard. Debt of gratitude for this!

This is such a fascinating and in depth look at the terrible internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Fantastic pod. Well done Rachel. Fascinating and of course so timely.

I am a fan of Rachel Maddow and have enjoyed some of her other podcasts, but this one is in a category of its own. As is often said, history does not repeat but it does rhyme. The rhythm of the past is not doomed to repeat in the present and knowing that past more intimately through stories such as those told in “Burn Order” can help us break the rhymes that eventually turn into the drumroll of regret. There is, perhaps, no time in our lives where our actions are better poised or more needed to prevent a future of regret.

Thank you, Rachel

This was an amazing podcast and should be a must listen for everyone especially now.

Thank you. I know how hard it is to cull thru so much info yet present it so coherently. Awesome.

Tough subject, but every American needs to hear this. Thank you, Rachel!

I appreciate Rachel bringing light to this subject to her audience. This was only 80+ years ago in our history. Despite this injustice, the Japanese Americans did not display their bitterness and carry a chip on their shoulder moving forward. They became and remained honorable and respectful citizens in their communities.

After listening to Burn Order I just have to say, as a 64 year old retired teacher and student of history, that I cried at the end. This lesson could not have come at a better time. Thank you all that played apart in its telling.

This is a compelling true crime story that demands us to stand up to the crimes of today

As with everything Rachel does… amazing! I knew some of this history but nowhere near this much detail. Listening to this podcast was painful but necessary. Thank you for the much needed insight into this chapter in our history. It couldn’t come at a more important time. Apparently we need to learn this horrendous lesson again. But THIS time we are fighting for our neighbors!

So grateful to Rachel Maddow for continuing to shed light on these dark days in our history. It is critically important for our citizens to understand the truth about how we got here. These forces have always existed here, our current and future citizens will need to further codify protections and norms and remain vigilant of the rise of racist anti democratic ideology

Will be binging BURN ORDER this week. I am still celebrating your ( Rachel’s) most recent interview/discussion with Stephen Colbert. The Russian policies on White House Letterhead is enraging and a continuation of Trump’s intentional self enrichment with zero care for our Declaration of Independence, Constitutional and Bill of Rights’ American ideals. We must stop the rampant and untethered continuous criming (Rachel’s word) of the Trump dictatorship and cult. Or we are doomed to lose our Democracy of equal rights under law. Thank you for your Maddowian efforts, AGAIN. Rachel you are our global Herculean heroine. Wishing we were actual friends, Kimberly Ruth

This podcast series was truly phenomenal. I don’t normally listen to historical podcasts like this, but as a Japanese American, the history of internment and incarceration has been of personal interest for a long time. This series taught me a lot of new things I had never heard before. It was thoroughly researched and I enjoyed the medium. The pacing was excellent and I was captivated to keep listening the entire time. What an important lesson to keep sharing, especially today. This was powerful.

Rachel Maddow gifts us a history lesson with a blend of profound sadness and uplifting beauty, taking us on a parallel journey of our nation’s past and present.

I heard about this from my father in Law, who has passed, but was a survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. He served until the end of the war in Hawaii, US Army. When he told us what had taken place because this was also happening in Hawaii I became interested. Finally, in 2017 I took a trip out west and found this site in Wyoming. It is marked as a historical site with pictures inside and stories. What really overwhelmed me was how the camp was set up, no different than the pictures of the camps in Germany with guard towers that had armed guards ready to shoot anyone who approached or attempted to leave. As a protester against the Vietnam War this didn’t surprise me, I know there are hidden dark stories of past practices of former adminstrations, and these prior actions, I believe have encouraged and empowered the current President and put this country in a dark place again.

My aunts husband was born in the Arizona Gila River incarceration Camp. His mother spoke for her husband during the congressional hearings, very interesting family.

It wasn’t until I was an adult traveling up Interstate 395 through a State where I’m a fourth generation native, that I was educated about what our government did to our Japanese citizens during the War. As we stopped at Manzanar National Historic Site to “take a look”, my sister and I were absolutely floored! Both of us educated completely in the California public school system, had never learned anything about this part of our State and National history! Thank you Rachel Maddow for bringing us Burn Order! I challenge other California Natives to teach our younger generations about these atrocities so that this isn’t repeated at a State or National level again, please!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This was outstanding all around, I learned so much about this shameful incident that I had never heard before. It may be true that “History is written by the victors”, but it’s also true that History can be rewritten and set straight when new information comes to light and completely upends the established narrative. Anyone who believes that it could never happen here again should listen to this podcast, you come away with a greater understanding of how a travesty like this is carefully engineered. It’s ultimately a positive and heartbreaking story summed up in this quote, "The arc of history bends toward justice", which it did in this case, albeit too slowly for many to live to see it.

Rachel is gross and feels like she’s Israel first

I knew about the Japanese Prison Camps of the 1940s, but this podcast provided the background and insight that told the very compelling tragedy of what really happened to our fellow Japanese Citizens. I will now and forever refer to these camps as Prison Camps, and not Internment Camps, as I once did! This is why we need to stop the banning of books, and embrace ALL of our history, with all of its warts! Thus, we will be doomed to repeat it, as what seems to be happening in 2025… under the leadership of DJT and his dissasterous administration. Bravo to Rachel and her team for shining a light on these often forgotten crimes against humanity, in a time when our country would love to forget it ever happened!

Thorough, well-researched, devastating stories that deserve our full attention. I learned so much.

I’m very interested in the topic but this is an audio series made by people who a) specialize in a different medium and b) assume listeners have the brains of goldfish. Every. Single. Point. is repeated again and again, no matter how simple. Absolutely maddening approach to storytelling. I couldn’t get all the way through the first episode. I get that padding = ad money but this was egregious.

Everyone in this country must listen to this podcast.

I cried, cheered and learned so much! What a wonderful podcast to teach us what school did not!!

Very informative, so moving. This should all be taught in every school district in the country. Very important history

So long as there exists racism and bigotry in America, there will be those looking for a reason to use it to oppress, marginalize and incarcerate unjustly their victims who look different, worship differently, or speak differently. Anti-Asian exploitation and discrimination existed before Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor gave the racists in the military, government and neighbors their opening. Rachel Maddow does a stellar job reminding us when America’s better Angels succumbed to the dark side, even Earl Warren but not Gov Carr. Great job and a necessary listen in this age of Trump

Burn order is concise and a critical depiction of the events surrounding Japanese incarceration. It pains me so to see it unfolding again with so many cheering it again and yet so many protesting the current atrocities. I’ll remember January 30th from now on.

I sat and listened to the entire story in one evening. As I did so I found myself in tears several times. I have always felt that what our government did to fellow American citizens was so very mean and cruel all because of their nationality. Time cannot change what happened to them but apologies can be made and we can learn from those mistakes. Today though we live in a country that is torn by hatred, fear and violence towards another group of people who have come to this country seeking a better life. Look what is happening to them so I ask is history repeating? Not if we can help it, we can’t let history repeat!!

If you like this I definitely do it’s like a great big history lesson but I don’t fall asleep📔. You’ll love this thing I love it thank you so much Rachel as always your my favorite newscaster. Merry Christmas and a happy new year 🎆!🥳And if you didn’t like it you might want to try it again. The background music is not the main problem just listen to it harder and hear the voice of her and her teammates all you have to is LISTEN to her and her message that she’s trying to send! This is best thing ever! Just listen can you promise me that?

The past is here, again. Although I feel hopeful that this sad story will change someone’s heart. History has already answered. At no point in my school age years, this unfortunate historical event was never discussed or mentioned. Please continue looking for stories that shed a light of injustices, wherever they’re found. Gracias.

I’ve been a proud American my entire life because of stories like this. The bravery of these individuals was tear jerking as they faced incredible cruelty. Amazed by them, may they know a million copycats! Inversely, I find the depths people crawl into to justify horrid behavior as fascinating as it is repulsive. And the light of day is what they avoid more than anything. If you’re only ‘way’ is behind the backs of everyone around you. It is not the way and you’re nothing but trifling. May it all turn to ash for all that wish to bring back insipid past beliefs.

During the lecture and panel session in episode 7, Rachel asks what should we be doing now? Take this show on the road, like Bernie Sanders, and go state to state - educate and remind us where we’ve been and where we are today.

Once again, Rachel has brought a searing look into America’s past, hopefully, to inform and motivate Americans to be aware of the dangers of closing our eyes to the injustices being committed by enemies of democracy in the highest offices of this country. She is raising the alarm, as she did in her previous broadcasts, to wake up and see that the powers that want to turn the clock back in America are gaining momentum and we need to be aware, informed, and resist.

…but the incessant, unnecessary background music makes it unlistenable to me.

Fantastic presentation of so many people and perspectives in just 6 episodes! Amazing production! Strong parallels to today’s fascism! A valuable lesson!

Talk about history repeating itself! Rachael and her team compels and inspires readers to see why we absolutely must take action in these difficult times! She is the best storyteller for our times!

Thank you Rachel Maddow & Team! Incredible, riveting, informative, powerful & timely historic story. I’m sick to my stomach, sad, and encouraged all at once after listening to this shameful American crime story. I waited until all 6 episodes were released to listen in one setting. I knew I had better go this route because after listening to Ultra I knew I couldn’t wait to see how the story ends. I was glued to my stereo. I’m encouraged about our future as a nation because although history is repeating itself with different villains I’m confident that in the end WE THE PEOPLE will Win!

A+++

Rachel and her team have crafted yet another incredibly insightful podcast to show us all how apt the words of Santayana are, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. As mentioned in the closing of episode 6, this topic is incredibly relevant today. It shows us how we must always question the actions of our leaders to ensure accountability and legality of our governments actions and to ensure that the constitution is upheld, due process followed, and the rights of all persons are upheld within the United States of America.

Great story telling of our history. As a Japanese-American, we only know one side of the history taught in schools. Thank you for your work on continuing to share our history—the good, the bad and the ugly.

Thank you Rachel and amazing team for another great telling of a tragic American story with lessons for us today. I listened with my 9 year old daughter who kept asking to listen to it in the car! The final episode is tremendously moving - tears streaming down my face - and we felt in the midst of heroes.

Perhaps, for completeness’ sake you should research the term “Go for Broke”!? Gordie in Seattle

Brilliantly written. I learned so much. Thank you.

I stumbled on a biography of a brit named Rutland called “Beverly Hills Spy”, that does a lot towards explaining the overreaction by the national security apparatus. It tells the story about how the government was in possession of all the advance info about the Pearl Harbor attack - and starting with Hoover, dropped the ball due to petty concerns. It’s unbelievable, seen in a modern context, and the documents that tell the whole story have only recently come to light - similar to Burn Order!

Just incredible storytelling and such an important story with relevance to what our government is doing to people today.