Facing the Mountain: An Inspiring Story of Japanese American Patriots in World War II

Facing the Mountain: An Inspiring Story of Japanese American Patriots in World War IIby Daniel James Brown is an enthralling in-depth chronicle of war-time America and the valor of American Japanese in battlefields across Europe.Facing the Mountain tells the story of American Japanese, both first-generation and their children, and the important part they played in World War II. The story follows fouryoung Japanese men and their parents before, during, and after the war years.Since Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Japanese Americans in Hawaii and the American mainland had been persecuted: Buddhist temples ordered closed, Japanese-language school and community Japanese newspapers shut down, bank accounts frozen, fishermen banned from fishing, children barred from parks, turned away at theaters, shops refused service, long-time employees fired, business licenses rescinded.Almost all Issei—first-generation Japanese men—were forced from their homes, taken without charges, with no spare clothes, without explanations of where they were going. Offspring of Issei, called Nisei, were shunned. Nearly three-fourths of the Hawaii Territorial Guard were Japanese and they were immediately dismissed because of their race. The boys were stunned, heart-broken that they were not trusted, not seen as American.Japanese Americans in Hawaii and mainland America were rounded up with little notice, given orders to take only what they could carry, and were placed in internment camps. More than 100,000 people lived behind barbed wire in America in crowded, noisy, unsanitary conditions. Many of the camps had scant bathroom facilities–in some cases only a bucket for a toilet. Yet the detainees made do and constantly strove to make improvements.In December, 1941, America entered World War II in Europe against Germany’s aggression toward Italy and France. Men were being drafted into the Army by the thousands. The army called for fifteen hundred Nisei volunteers from Hawaii. Nearly ten thousand turned out. The young men who served in the U.S. Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team were later recognized for their valor in battle. Composed of soldiers of Japanese ancestry, the 442nd became one of the most decorated military units in U.S. history.I lived and worked in Hawaii from 1955 to 1957. Honolulu Savings & Loan employed about 25 people comprised of six Haoles (white people) one Chinese and the rest Japanese. On Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, December 7, 1955, I dreaded going to work, thinking it was going to be a day filled with tension, maybe even bitterness. But I found the Japanese I worked with to be very forth-coming with their stories, told without bitterness or rancor. Some talked about their fathers being torn away from their families; some of the men had served in the military. One of the men served as interpreter on a U.S. Navy ship, the only Japanese aboard. I asked what that was like. “Very lonely, no one trusted me.” But he said it with a smile and with no judgement toward me. It was a day I’ll never forget.As I read Facing the Mountain, I was again impressed with Japanese American involvement in World War II, their bravery and dedication to America’s commitment to freedom. It is a well-documented book, told with openness and honesty. I highly recommend it.

This is the latest book by the author of the marvelous THE BOYS IN THE BOAT which is about the unlikely story of working-class rowers who upended the sport's elites to win the 1936 Olympic Gold metal right under Hitler's nose. Here Brown offers up a story featuring several, courageous working-class Japanese soldiers who were part of the 442nd and 522nd Army Battalion helped defeat Hitler’s troops. This they did despite anti-Japanese discrimination/racism/war hysteria and their families being locked up in American concentration camps (Brown makes it a point in his book to make sure the camps are called “concentration camps”). Like BOYS IN THE BOAT, the narrative of this book follows several families whom we meet on the brink of Pearl Harbor. They come from various locations with different family histories. Many are from Hawaii and the West Coast exclusion zone as well as Spokane, Washington. They too needed to learn to live together. For me, the first half of the book was the most interesting as it covers the racism and unconstitutional rounding up the families; interning them without even a single consideration for law or the constitution. (Brown also follows one of the brave resisters who fought the internment in court and prison.) The second half of the book is a detailed account of Japanese American Troops training in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and then fighting as segregated troops (in Italy and France) suffering horrific casualties. Especially fighting their way into the Voges Mountains to rescue the 211 survivors (out of 554) of the Texas Battalion, where the 442nd lost 121 dead and upwards to 800 wounded. K Company alone went into the rescue with 181 men and returned with only 8 unhurt. The 442nd is recognized as the most decorated battalion in WWII. Today, many in our country think it best to whitewash the past and twist our history with nostalgia, using an airbrush. This is not one of those books. I would be surprised if most potential readers do not by now know the awful things that were done to Japanese Americans during the 2nd World War and after. Here Daniel Brown paints a vivid picture taking in the wide breadth of the various Japanese experiences. One example of national iThis is the latest book by the author of the marvelous THE BOYS IN THE BOAT which is about the unlikely story of working-class rowers who upended the sport's elites to win the 1936 Olympic Gold metal right under Hitler's nose. Here Brown offers up a story featuring several, courageous working-class Japanese soldiers who were part of the 442nd and 522nd Army Battalion helped defeat Hitler’s troops. This they did despite anti-Japanese discrimination/racism/war hysteria and their families being locked up in American concentration camps (Brown makes it a point in his book to make sure the camps are called “concentration camps”). Like BOYS IN THE BOAT, the narrative of this book follows several families whom we meet on the brink of Pearl Harbor. They come from various locations with different family histories. Many are from Hawaii and the West Coast exclusion zone as well as Spokane, Washington. They too needed to learn to live together. For me, the first half of the book was the most interesting as it covers the racism and unconstitutional rounding up the families; interning them without even a single consideration for law or the constitution. (Brown also follows one of the brave resisters who fought the internment in court and prison.) The second half of the book is a detailed account of Japanese American Troops training in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and then fighting as segregated troops (in Italy and France) suffering horrific casualties. Especially fighting their way into the Voges Mountains to rescue the 211 survivors (out of 554) of the Texas Battalion, where the 442nd lost 121 dead and upwards to 800 wounded. K Company alone went into the rescue with 181 men and returned with only 8 unhurt. The 442nd is recognized as the most decorated battalion in WWII. Today, many in our country think it best to whitewash the past and twist our history with nostalgia, using an airbrush. This is not one of those books. I would be surprised if most potential readers do not by now know the awful things that were done to Japanese Americans during the 2nd World War and after. Here Daniel Brown paints a vivid picture taking in the wide breadth of the various Japanese experiences. One example of national intolerance was that while training in Mississippi no local families welcomed Japanese American Troops into their homes, but they did invite Nazi German Prisoners of war that were imprisoned close by. And after the war ended many displaced Japanese families and VETs were banned from returning to their homes. So disgraceful! President Truman was so shocked by racist vigilantes that he wrote Eleanor Roosevelt, “These disgraceful actions almost make you believe that a lot of our Americans have a streak of Nazi in them.”This, another book that needs to be taught in US History class and many World History Classes.ntolerance was that while training in Mississippi no local families welcomed Japanese American Troops into their homes, but they did invite Nazi German Prisoners of war that were imprisoned close by. And after the war ended many displaced Japanese families and VETs were banned from returning to their homes. So disgraceful! President Truman was so shocked by racist vigilantes that he wrote Eleanor Roosevelt, “These disgraceful actions almost make you believe that a lot of our Americans have a streak of Nazi in them.”This, another book that needs to be taught in US History class and many World History Classes.

The book was well researched history and read like a novel as it followed several Japanese families from pre-Pearl Harbor, through WW II both home and overseas and upon returning home as decorated veterans. It was not the best time in US history but the Japanese Americans endured the hardships and significantly contributed to maintaining our democracy as part of the greatest generation as many immigrants have throughout our history!

第二次世界大戦の前後の混乱期に、米国社会の中での日系人が、計り知れない苦労を乗り越えて「母国＝米国」への忠誠と家族のために生き抜いた記録。埋もれてしまいがちな普通の市民たちがいかに生きてきたかを知ることができる貴重なドキュメンタリーでした。米国移民としての日本人という立場がどういうものかを考えさせられたと同時に「アメリカ人」としての彼らを取材し記録した作者に感服です。日本語訳が出版されることを願っています、もちろん改めて読むつもりです。

Super author tells a most important story.