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During WW II after the Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor Hawaii the Philippines and other locations and
the United States declared war there was another war that started. Japanese Americans
were considered potential enemy agents major threats to be isolated whether they
were long-term residents called Issei or even American-born of Japanese descent called Nisei
who were second generation Japanese Americans. Special concentration camps called internment
or relocation camps were established to segregate them from the rest of society in several states.
They were stripped of their rights as citizens their property and businesses were confiscated
and their lives were turned upside down but there were many who still loved the United States and
would do all they could to prove their loyalty. These men would become Legends to friend and
foe alike. Who were the nisei? How were they treated during World War II? How did they perform in combat?
What did other Americans think of them but also what did the enemy think of them? Hello I'm Colin Heaton former soldier Marine Corps scout sniper history professor historian and book author and
we will answer these questions and other issues on this segment of Forgotten History [Music]
Japanese immigrants were long-time residents in the United States mainly
in Hawaii and along the west coast of California Oregon and Washington state.
They had integrated into American society even more so than other Asian immigrants
such as the Chinese. They were educated entrepreneurial and quite successful.
Like many other ethnic groups many Japanese Americans still held on to their religious
and social customs although they navigated the business world and local commerce seamlessly.
After the war started with Japan the government under President Franklin D. Roosevelt took the
incredible action of signing Executive Order 9066 rounding up over 100,000 Japanese Americans for
special treatment something we normally ascribe to Nazi Germany and its treatment of the Jews and
other undesirables. Racial prejudice extended to many ethnic groups in the USA and the Nisei were
no exception as they would learn even when serving their country. However many barriers were thrown up
at them yet despite this many decided to enlist in the military. Many became interpreters and served
with the Army and Marines in the Pacific where their native language skills would help in the war
effort. One of these men was Private Warren Tsuneishi who translated crucial Japanese operational orders
and documents. Japanese language soldiers working for intelligence worked in secret for obvious
security reasons. Tsuneishi earned a Bronze Star for his contributions at Leyte and Okinawa but many others
would find themselves in Europe entering combat alongside fellow Americans who sometimes did not
trust them or have faith in them. They were deemed much like black soldiers considered not really
up to the task of fighting. They would prove all of their critics very wrong. The Nisei were allowed
to enlist but like their fellow black Americans they were placed in segregated units. One of these
was the 442nd Regimental Combat Team which was activated on February 1 1943 and recruitment began.
The unit was finally formed on March 23 1943. Hawaiian Born Nisei made up roughly two-thirds
of the regiment with the remaining third composed of Nisei from the mainland United States.
The motto of the unit was Go For Broke because they felt that they had nothing to lose.
The 442nd RCT consisted of several units such as the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion the
232nd Combat Engineer Company the 206th Army Ground Forces Band an anti-tank company,
a canon company, service company and a medical detachment along with three infantry battalions.
From May 1943 to April 1944 the men of the 442nd trained for combat where they learned to fight
as a team and were highly rated. Over time many of these men would be sent to Europe as replacements
for the 100th Infantry Battalion, another Nisei unit already fighting overseas and creating its
own impressive track record. Training for the 442nd was completed in April and on April 22nd
1944 the unit left Camp Shelby in Mississippi on their journey to Europe for their first overseas
assignment. They arrived in Italy in June 1944 where they began to fight alongside the 100th
against Germans encamped across the country who were protecting the Gustav Line and these soldiers
were some of Germany's best and most combat experienced. By August the 100th was absorbed into
the 442nd due to casualties and with all the units serving under the motto "Go For Broke," In September
1944 the 442nd participated in the invasion of Southern France successfully liberating French
cities from Nazi occupation. The unit went on to fight with the 92nd Infantry Division a segregated
African-American unit in driving German forces out of Northern Italy. Such battles as Anzio and
Monte Casino became legendary for the brutality and tenacity of both forces .Against the odds the
men of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team did Go For Broke. Despite
the years of suspicion propaganda and racism that prevailed at home these Nisei men fought just as
did the African Americans of the segregated Tuskegee Airmen and other military units
with great courage. They fought against incredible odds for their country and they fought heroically
leaving behind a record that is still untouched today. P.erhaps the best example of any fighting man
is what their enemy thinks of them The Germans against two the 442nd fought against in Italy
and France found them to be determined and very aggressive soldiers. In fact German Lieutenant
Colonel Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte commanding the 6th Parachute Regiment in
Italy had his assessment and after five years of being a paratrooper at war it's worth noting,
quote: "We rarely captured these men, they were cunning, very well trained and disciplined. You
could hear most American soldiers coming down a road a kilometer away they made so much noise.
But these Japanese you never even knew they were there until they were right next to you. Then it
was too late," end quote. So impressed was he with their achievements in Italy the commander of the U.S
Fifth Army Lieutenant General Mark Clark wanted to have more of these men recruited and dispersed
throughout the Army integrating them into the general military population, but that suggestion
died a very quick death. The Nisei were still second-class citizens. In September 1944 the 442nd
was reassigned to the 36th division of the Seventh Army in France under General John E Dalhquist and
the Nisei were used as cannon fodder. In late October 1944 the 141st Texas Regiment of the 36th division
was cut off by Germans in the Vosgez Mountains after liberating the town of Bifontaine with
great casualties. The 442nd was returned to the front lines by General Dahlquist in an attempt to
save the 141st later known as The Lost Battalion the heavily outnumbered Nisei soldiers were sent
to fight the very seasoned Germans and the 442nd suffered heavy casualties but so did the Germans.
In some cases 442nd soldiers attempted suicide charges to take higher positions from the Germans.
After finally rescuing the approximately 200 Texas soldiers who have been cut off the Nisei soldiers
has suffered about 800 casualties. Fred show Shiosaki a member of the 442nd who fought in that battle
described the event simply "as Americans rescuing Americans." As the American public was introduced to
their exploits attitudes slowly began to change as their heroism became well known. Some of the
luminaries who stood out and made all Americans proud were the 21 Medal of Honor recipients. The
unit totaling about 18,000 men earned over four thousand Purple Hearts four thousand Bronze
Stars 560 Silver Stars 21 Medals of Honor and seven Presidential Unit Citations, an unheard of
record. Additionally the 100th garnished their own impressive record prior to their absorption into
the 442nd with similar exploits. No other regiment has covered itself as so much glory in the United
States' military history. In 2010 various groups and advocates including the National Veterans
Network were successful in obtaining Congressional passage of the Bill S1055 awarding all members
of the 100th and 442nd along with the military intelligence service the Congressional Gold Medal
for their heroic service in WW II but the men of the 442nd did not stop serving after the war. Many
went on to remain in the military, some serving in Korea, while others went into business and politics.
Medal of Honor recipient Daniel Inouye an officer in the 442nd from Hawaii played a part in making
Hawaii the 50th state of the United States. When Hawaii became a state in 1959 Inouye was its
first representative to Congress. In 1963 he became a U.S senator and he served in that capacity until
he died in 2012. For many Nisei veterans U.S President Ronald Reagan signing of the Civil
Liberties Act of 1988 was a sign that their efforts and sacrifices during World War II had
been recognized. The legislation was an official apology to the Japanese Americans who had been
placed in internment camps during World War II and lost their property. It also provided reparation
payments to the surviving internees or their heirs. The legacy of the Nisei who fought in World War II
should be honored and remembered. They were amazing young men fighting for a nation that did not trust
them in an army that did not always respect them and against an enemy who found them a most worthy
adversary. We hope you enjoyed this segment of Forgotten History. Please click like and subscribe
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