Book SummaryFacing the Mountain, by Daniel James Brown

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Facing the Mountain

The aftermath of World War II, especially the mandatory confinement and harsh conditions endured by Japanese Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor, had a deep impact on their community.

This part of the book explores the profound and widespread consequences that arose from the attack on Pearl Harbor and the ensuing war, particularly in relation to the experiences of Japanese Americans in the continental United States and Hawaii. Brown offers an in-depth narrative describing the surge of discomfort, suspicion, and racial animosity that swept across the nation, transforming the lives of Japanese Americans.

The FBI concentrated its efforts on prominent figures and organizations among the Japanese, resulting in the confinement of numerous individuals for an indefinite period in Hawaii and throughout the mainland United States.

Brown highlights the steps initiated by the U.S. government to identify and potentially neutralize those considered a threat, initiatives that began before the Pearl Harbor assault. The Office of Naval Intelligence, the War Department's Military Intelligence Division, and the FBI were tasked with creating lists of nationals from Japan, Italy, and Germany and evaluating them based on the level of threat they might represent, in accordance with the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

The registry, divided into categories A, B, and C, aimed to enable widespread detentions following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Category A included those aligned with extreme nationalist or fascist beliefs, while Category B was made up of people linked to organizations or bodies with cultural or religious ties that might promote views deemed foreign, such as entities within the Japanese community, Buddhist temples, and Shinto religious locations. Category C encompassed a more diverse array of individuals engaged in trade pertaining to Japan and were viewed with suspicion by their peers. The compilation of these lists, often based on questionable evidence or unfounded suspicions, led to the imprisonment of many individuals who were the first to immigrate from Japan, primarily those who were heads of their families.

The incarceration of their figureheads deeply impacted the community of Japanese Americans, creating uncertainty about their future.

The swift and unexpectedly effective wave of detentions sowed disorder among the Japanese American community. Brown highlights the turmoil that followed the sudden removal of pivotal figures from the community, including religious figures, educators skilled in the Japanese language, business owners, and media personnel, from their established positions in society.

The incarceration of numerous individuals created a void in community leadership, leading to pervasive fear and uncertainty, and forced families to grapple with the unpredictable futures of their incarcerated loved ones and the precariousness of their own forthcoming circumstances. Children had to adjust when their fathers were not present, which caused upheaval across whole communities and disturbed the unity of culture and community. The incarceration signaled the onset of a series of harrowing events that would irrevocably change the lives of Japanese Americans.

Japanese Americans were compelled to move from the West Coast due to the enforcement of Executive Order 9066, which also resulted in the establishment of the War Relocation Authority and defined the area they were prohibited from entering.

Brown narrates how escalating racial strife and growing political pressures led to President Franklin Roosevelt's decision to sign Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. The order granted the war secretary authority to create military areas and allowed for the forced relocation of individuals, ultimately leading to the mandatory evacuation of Japanese Americans from their homes. The order, without explicitly mentioning them, clearly singled out individuals of Japanese descent, altering the status of American citizens to that of "enemy aliens" simply because of their ancestry.

Key individuals played a pivotal role in influencing public opinion and exerting influence on the administration of President Roosevelt. Walter Lippmann, a respected columnist, contended that the lack of subversive activities along the West Coast was a harbinger of...

Facing the Mountain Summary The 442nd Regimental Combat Team's courageous endeavors and the challenges they encountered, particularly in battle situations.

The story recounts the experiences of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, an exclusively Japanese American unit distinguished by its exceptional record of military honors in the history of the United States. The story pays tribute to the extraordinary valor and profound sacrifices made by the Nisei soldiers on the battlefields of Italy and France, highlighting their twin motivations: proving their loyalty to a nation that had incarcerated their families and fighting for the deeply held values they believed in.

The Nisei soldiers possessed a profound commitment to show their loyalty and serve their country, despite their families being subjected to wrongful incarceration.

Brown explores the complex motivations behind the decision of many Nisei, who, although born as American citizens, chose to join the military even as their families were wrongfully incarcerated. The author draws on personal letters, diaries, and dialogues to reveal a range of concerns – a deep dedication to show loyalty to a country that questioned it, a sense of obligation to family, a willingness to back the war effort, and a recognition that their actions could pave the way for Japanese Americans to gain...

Facing the Mountain Summary People of Japanese descent faced discrimination and inequitable conditions during the conflict, and these difficulties continued for them even after the fighting ended.

The story told by Daniel James Brown highlights the courage of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team while also detailing the continuous and disheartening prejudice they encountered during their training and time in service.

The expulsion of Nisei soldiers from the Hawaii Territorial Guard immediately following the assault on Pearl Harbor underscored deep-seated suspicions regarding their loyalty, which faced unjust scrutiny because of their ancestry.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, individuals of Nisei descent, including Kats Miho who had previously been held in high regard, were shamefully expelled from the Hawaii Territorial Guard. In the wake of the assault, men who had been safeguarding essential installations and, similar to Kats, had seen the insignia of the foe on the planes during the explosions, found themselves abruptly disarmed and told that their assistance was no longer required, simply due to their physical traits and last names suggesting a link with the enemy.

The compulsory relocation deeply affected the emotions of the Nisei soldiers, instilling in them feelings of treachery and a steadfast determination to prove their loyalty to their...

Facing the Mountain Summary The lasting impact of the incarceration of Japanese Americans and their subsequent endeavors to obtain civil rights and reintegrate into society.

In his concluding comments, Brown emphasizes the profound effects that the internments had on the individuals who experienced them.

Following the conflict, many families came back to find their existences fundamentally changed, facing animosity in their neighborhoods, and saw their homes and businesses either demolished or taken away.

Upon the end of the internment, families such as Rudy's from Salinas and Seattle, along with Fred's from Spokane, came back to an America that was significantly different than the one they recalled. After coming back, they encountered hostility in their former neighborhoods and discovered that their homes were no longer accessible to them. Daniel James Brown describes the extensive destruction and pillaging, along with the ingrained prejudice that often compelled them to relocate multiple times in search of a new residence or employment possibilities.

The Issei, having been stripped of all their hard-earned possessions, endured a significant mental burden, while the Nisei faced the challenging process of constructing new lives in the face of persistent discrimination.

The author emphasizes the psychological distress endured by the...