In this clearly written tale of patriotism and resilience based on archival research and interviews, Henderson (Rescue at Los Banos) sketches the life stories of Japanese Americans who waged a war against racial prejudice at home and fascism abroad by serving as interpreters, translators, and soldiers. Among the 31,000 Nisei (U.S.-born children of Japanese immigrants) who actively participated in World War II, mostly in Europe (see James McCaffrey's Going for Broke), Henderson emphasizes the often forgotten 3000 (including several hundred WACs and Army nurses) who fought in the Pacific Theatre. In spite of FDR issuing a decree that established concentration camps for Japanese Americans, the U.S. still used the Nisei for their language skills. Meanwhile, in Japan, the Nisei were viewed as traitors. Illogical prejudice kept many Nisei from becoming officers, although they figured in iconic units such as Merrill's Marauders in Burma. The reluctance of so many Japanese soldiers to surrender resulted in linguistic talents used more for translating captured documents than in interrogating prisoners. VERDICT Lay readers will appreciate the vignettes on courage, culture, and the intricacies of the Japanese language.--Frederick J. Augustyn Jr.

In the life-and-death struggle of the Pacific War, the U.S. had a crucial secret weapon: thousands of Japanese Americans. Henderson, a journalist who has written more than 20 books, many of them dealing with World War II, brings a great deal of investigative acumen to his latest. He follows the stories of several "nisei--first-generation American citizens born in the United States whose parents were immigrants from Japan"--to give personal depth to the bigger picture. At the end of the book, the author includes a 50-page list of the names of those nisei who served and those who were killed in action. Many of them fought in combat roles while doubling as translators and prisoner interrogators--in one case, a soldier shouted out false orders to the Japanese, resulting in a crucial victory--while others worked as intelligence analysts and codebreakers. "They knew the enemy better than anyone and were highly motivated to defeat them," writes Henderson. The Japanese had entered the war believing that their language was too complex for others to understand, so they often neglected encryption and left crucial documents where they could be captured. In the combat theaters, the nisei quickly gained respect, and even Gen. Douglas MacArthur made a special acknowledgement of their important contributions. The irony is that their families in America continued to languish in internment camps, and even Japanese soldiers in uniform suffered discrimination when on leave. Many of them felt a strong need to prove themselves and their loyalty but worried about encountering relatives or old friends on the battlefield. There were several nisei present for the Japanese surrender, and even after hostilities ceased, they continued to play critical liaison roles. This book is an important step in providing much-needed recognition for these brave Americans. A fascinating piece of history with threads of courage and poignancy, brought to life by an accomplished storyteller. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

This exceptional history documents the crucial part played by Japanese American soldiers and interpreters in the Pacific theater of WWII. According to historian Henderson (Sons and Soldiers), the training and deployment of first-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, was one of the best kept secrets of the war. Many were recruited from internment camps, where their families had been sent by President Roosevelt's controversial executive order. The highest-prized recruits were those, like Purple Heart recipient Kazuo Komoto, who had returned to the U.S. after being sent to Japan by their families for schooling. Henderson notes that the program was strictly classified because Japanese war planners, believing their language "so complex that few Westerners would fully understand it," sent many communications uncoded, giving U.S. forces a crucial advantage. Throughout, Henderson enriches his sweeping overview of the Pacific campaign with intimate profiles of Tom Sakamoto, one of only three Japanese Americans to witness Japan's 1945 surrender aboard the USS Missouri, and other Nisei soldiers who made vital contributions to American victories at Iwo Jima, Leyte, and elsewhere. The result is a stirring tribute to the courage and sacrifice of young men who exemplified "the true definition of patriotism." (Sept.)