America's Japanese Hostages - (Praeger Studies on Ethnic and National Identities in Politic) by Thomas Connell (Hardcover)

About the Book

Connell uncovers a little known World War II top secret program. The United States demanded that Latin American governments deport--or allow the United States to take--anyone of Japanese ancestry and place them in camps in Texas and New Mexico. The plan was to trade them for American civilians held by the Japanese.

Although Peru was the most enthusiastic participant in this program, expelling nearly 5,000 Peruvian citizens of Japanese ancestry, other Latin American countries participated as well. Connell traces the reasons for prejudice and discrimination, the specific programs, and the post-war efforts of those held in American relocation camps to secure restitution. Through the wide use of oral interviews as well as documents, Connell shows the very human side of this effort, which in many ways parallels the discrimination Americans of Japanese ancestry faced during the war. This book provides a thorough and intriguing story of interest to general readers as well as scholars, students, and other researchers involved with World War II and Latin American history.

Book Synopsis

Connell uncovers a little known World War II top secret program. The United States demanded that Latin American governments deport--or allow the United States to take--anyone of Japanese ancestry and place them in camps in Texas and New Mexico. The plan was to trade them for American civilians held by the Japanese.

Although Peru was the most enthusiastic participant in this program, expelling nearly 5,000 Peruvian citizens of Japanese ancestry, other Latin American countries participated as well. Connell traces the reasons for prejudice and discrimination, the specific programs, and the post-war efforts of those held in American relocation camps to secure restitution. Through the wide use of oral interviews as well as documents, Connell shows the very human side of this effort, which in many ways parallels the discrimination Americans of Japanese ancestry faced during the war. This book provides a thorough and intriguing story of interest to general readers as well as scholars, students, and other researchers involved with World War II and Latin American history.

Review Quotes

?Connell deals with a little known but important matter regarding US policy during WW II. Rapid Japanese expansion early in the war placed many US citizens, especially those having "non-official" status, in vulnerable positions....Connell's account effectively discusses divisions between the State and Justice Departments, the devious actions of Embassy personnel like John Emmerson, and the experiences of Peruvian Japanese victims like Seiichi Higashide. Descriptions of life at the Crystal City and Kenedy camps in Texas, as well as an analysis of the environment that remaining inmates confronted at the end of the war, are especially interesting.... a nice companion to works on the treatment of Japanese Americans during the war years. Recommended. Graduate students and researchers.?-Choice

"Connell deals with a little known but important matter regarding US policy during WW II. Rapid Japanese expansion early in the war placed many US citizens, especially those having "non-official" status, in vulnerable positions....Connell's account effectively discusses divisions between the State and Justice Departments, the devious actions of Embassy personnel like John Emmerson, and the experiences of Peruvian Japanese victims like Seiichi Higashide. Descriptions of life at the Crystal City and Kenedy camps in Texas, as well as an analysis of the environment that remaining inmates confronted at the end of the war, are especially interesting.... a nice companion to works on the treatment of Japanese Americans during the war years. Recommended. Graduate students and researchers."-Choice

About the Author

THOMAS CONNELL is Vice President of Interlink Consulting Services, Inc.