Japanese War Brides in America - by Miki Crawford & Katie Hayashi & Shizuko Suenaga (Hardcover)

About the Book

Following the end of World War II, 500,000 American troops occupied every prefecture of Japan and interracial marriages occurred. The sudden influx of 50,000 Japanese war brides during 1946-1965 created social tension in the United States, while opening up one of the country's largest cross-cultural integrations. This book reveals the stories of 19 Japanese war brides whose assimilation into American culture forever influenced future generations, depicting love, strength, and perseverance in the face of incredible odds. The Japanese war brides hold a unique place in American history and have been called ambassadors to the United States. For the first time in English these women share their triumphs, sorrows, successes, and identity in a time when their own future was tainted by social segregation.

This oral history focuses mainly on women's lives in the period following World War II and the occupation of Japan. It illuminates the cultural expectations, the situations brought about by the war, and effects of the occupation, and also include quotes from various war brides regarding this time. Chapter interviews are set up in chronological fashion and laid out in the following format: introduction of the war bride, how she met her husband, her initial travels to America, and life thereafter. Where needed, explanations, translations, and background history with references are provided.

Book Synopsis

Following the end of World War II, 500,000 American troops occupied every prefecture of Japan and interracial marriages occurred. The sudden influx of 50,000 Japanese war brides during 1946-1965 created social tension in the United States, while opening up one of the country's largest cross-cultural integrations. This book reveals the stories of 19 Japanese war brides whose assimilation into American culture forever influenced future generations, depicting love, strength, and perseverance in the face of incredible odds. The Japanese war brides hold a unique place in American history and have been called ambassadors to the United States. For the first time in English these women share their triumphs, sorrows, successes, and identity in a time when their own future was tainted by social segregation.

This oral history focuses mainly on women's lives in the period following World War II and the occupation of Japan. It illuminates the cultural expectations, the situations brought about by the war, and effects of the occupation, and also include quotes from various war brides regarding this time. Chapter interviews are set up in chronological fashion and laid out in the following format: introduction of the war bride, how she met her husband, her initial travels to America, and life thereafter. Where needed, explanations, translations, and background history with references are provided.

Review Quotes

"Crawford (communication studies, Ohio U.) et al. compile the stories of 19 Japanese war brides who came to America after World War II from 1946 to 1965. The stories, which are drawn from personal interviews, describe their lives following the war, the occupation of Japan and its effects, their cultural expectations, how they met their husbands, the dynamics of their relationships, and their initial travels to America." --Reference & Research Book News

About the Author

Miki Ward Crawford is an associate professor of communications at Ohio University.

Katie Kaori Hayashi is a Japanese journalist and author whose articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Yomiuri Shimbun, and Asahai Shimbun.

Shizuko Suenaga is a coordinator and lecturer of Japanese studies at Seattle University.