English & Literature

On pages 109-123 of “They Called Us Enemy" by George Takei summarize the story in this chunk. What happened? Describe the setting and place/time

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In January of 1943, the detainees at Camp Rohwer were expected to fill out a loyalty questionnaire, in which they were asked to “forswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, to any foreign government, power, or organization” (114). The surveys were mandatory for all interned men and women over the age of 17. There were other questions as well, including one in which the respondent was to indicate whether or not they would be willing to serve in the United States Army. Many detainees found these questions appalling for a number of reasons, particularly as, prior to this, men of Japanese descent attempting to enlist were forbidden from serving, designated “4-C: Enemy Aliens” (111). Japanese American men already serving in the military at the time of Pearl Harbor were dismissed. Both Takekuma and Fumiko refused to answer either of these questions in the affirmative, taking a stand against the unethical and immoral ways they were being treated.

In this section, George tells the story of the Army's 442nd Regiment, made up of Japanese American soldiers. On October 26, 1944, the 442nd rescued a battalion that had been trapped behind German lines in Eastern France. 800 men from this regiment were killed in the process, and another 42 were sent to POW camps. In 1946, the 442nd were given the Distinguished Service Cross by President Truman, and in 2000, they received the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Clinton. George was present at the ceremony, and he also worked with one of the men honored, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, on the founding of the Japanese American National Museum.

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