Highlights from the Go For Broke Member’s Preview

Gallery 1 On November 10, 2013, JANM held a Members Preview Reception for the exhibition, Go For Broke: Japanese American Soldiers Fighting on Two Fronts.

The exhibition chronicles the history of Japanese American Nisei soldiers from the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Military Intelligence Service who served during World War II to prove their loyalty to the nation that had disowned them.

Aratani Central Hall 2The Aratani Central Hall was packed for the reception and program with enthusiastic members and special guests. This preview included an informal gallery walkthrough given by curator, Eric Saul.

The program started with America the Beautiful performed by Keiko Kawashima; a welcome by Helen H. Ota, External Relations Officer at JANM; and a special keynote by Eric Saul.

It was a very intimate exhibition preview—it allowed guests to reflect on history, and to appreciate the efforts of Japanese American Nisei veterans before, during and even after World War II.

Check out these photos from the member’s preview!

Photo Credits: Tsuneo Takasugi, Richard Murakami, and Richard Watanabe. 

Go For Broke: Japanese American Soldiers Fighting on Two Fronts is on view at JANM through March 2, 2014. For more details, visit: janm.org/goforbroke

The Military Intelligence Service in Occupied Japan on Saturday, December 7th

Nisei civilians and soldiers work in the translation and scanning sections, responsible for the translation of all Japanese documents which was vital to the success of the occupation.
Nisei civilians and soldiers worked in the translation and scanning sections, responsible for the translation of all Japanese documents which was vital to the success of the occupation. Photo: National Archives.

 

On Saturday, December 7th at 2pm author, professor, and M.I.S. veteran Edwin Nakasone will moderate a discussion with fellow veterans Bruce Kaji and Hitoshi Sameshima about their roles in the rebuilding of Japan after the end of World War II.

The M.I.S., or the Military Intelligence Service, was a United States military unit mostly comprised of Japanese American Nisei who provided translation, interpretation, and interrogation services in the Pacific during World War II.

This program is presented by JANM and the Go For Broke National Education Center. It is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Go For Broke: Japanese American Soldiers Fighting on Two Fronts (on view through March 2, 2014).

Don’t miss this FREE and exciting opportunity to learn more about the M.I.S. from the veterans themselves!

*****

Tateuchi Public Program Series
The Military Intelligence Service (M.I.S.) in Occupied Japan
Saturday, December 7, 2013 • 2PM
Tateuchi Democracy Forum

FREE EVENT

This public program is part of the Tateuchi Public Program Series. Organized in partnership between the Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi Foundation and the Japanese American National Museum to develop presentations that explore the connections between Japan and the United States in the context of politics, art, music, and culture. For more information please visit: janm.org/events/tateuchi

Save the Date: Go for Broke!

JANM-GoForBroke-img746_ltr
Young Nisei soldier who entered the Army before the war and his mother pose in their strawberry field in Northern California shortly before incarceration.
Image credit: National Archives

The Nisei soldiers who fought in World War II embodied a particular set of values, passed down from generation to generation. Giri—sense of duty. Gambare—perseverance. And of course, go for broke—give it your all.

When Go for Broke: Japanese American Soldiers Fighting on Two Fronts opens on November 12, 2014, look deeper into the lives of these Nisei who gave their all.

Go For Broke chronicles the resilience and bravery of these young men both on and off the battlefield. Japanese American soldiers fought in eight brutal campaigns across Europe, receiving thousands of medals for heroism even while suffering an astronomical casualty rate. Thousands more joined the Military Intelligence Service and operated throughout the Pacific Theater as language and intelligence specialists. Yet their battles were not finished when the war ended. The Nisei veterans returned to fight pervasive racism back home—and proved just as successful in this arena. With their help, hundreds of anti-Asian laws were struck down.

First displayed at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York, Go For Broke shows how instrumental these soldiers were in the Japanese American fight for justice both overseas and at home. The photographs in this exhibition are supplemented by a special Guide by Cell audio tour, with narration by curator Eric Saul and Nisei veterans.

*****

To celebrate the opening of this exhibition, we invite all JANM Members for a special preview of the exhibition before it opens to the public.

Member Preview
Sunday, November 10th • 2-4PM
Members are invited to join us for an exclusive preview of Go For Broke with curator Eric Saul. To RSVP, contact specialevents@janm.org or 213.625-0414 ext. 2222 by Wednesday, November 6.

*****

Join us also for this special public program on December 7th presented in partnership with the Go For Broke National Educational Center:

The Military Intelligence Service (M.I.S.) in Occupied Japan
Saturday, December 7th • 2PM

M.I.S. veterans, Edwin Nakasone, Bruce Kaji, and Hitoshi Sameshima, will discuss their roles in the rebuilding of Japan after the end of World War II. The MIS was a US military unit mostly comprised of Japanese American Nisei who provided translation, interpretation, and interrogation services during World War II. Presented as part of the Tateuchi Public Program Series.