Manzanar was a town which held an internment camp on Earth during the planet's Second World War, in which the United States of America was in conflict with the Empire of Japan.
Located in the American region of California, Manzanar held Americans of Japanese ancestry who had been forcibly relocated to the camp due to the anti-Japanese sentiment which had spread throughout the country as a result of the war. Over 10,000 Japanese-Americans were interned at Manzanar, despite the fact that they had not done anything wrong.
In 2152, Captain Jonathan Archer noted the parallels between Manzanar and Detention Complex 26, where the Tandarans were holding innocent Suliban against their will. (ENT: "Detained")
From the Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 2, p. 17, "As a boy, George Takei, who played Sulu in the original series, was imprisoned along with his family in the Rohwer War Relocation Center during World War II. Takei has written extensively about his experiences in the prison camp and has actively supported legislation to prevent similar injustices in the future."