SEATTLE — The patriotism and courage of the 442nd Infantry Regiment is a story seldom told. In "Facing The Mountain," #1 New York Times bestselling author Daniel James Brown shares personal accounts of the World War II army unit made up almost entirely of second-generation Japanese Americans -- as well as their families in the U.S., who were being forced into internment camps and losing business.
He joins New Day NW to discuss how this book was a passion project for him and what it can teach us amidst the current rise of anti-Asian sentiment throughout the country.
ABOUT THE BOOK: "Facing The Mountain" is an unforgettable chronicle of war-time America and the battlefields of Europe. Based on Daniel James Brown’s extensive interviews with the families of the protagonists as well as deep archival research, it portrays the kaleidoscopic journey of four Japanese-American families and their sons, who volunteered for 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were deployed to France, Germany, and Italy, where they were asked to do the near impossible.
But this is more than a war story. Brown also tells the story of these soldiers’ parents, immigrants who were forced to shutter the businesses, surrender their homes, and submit to life in concentration camps on U.S. soil. Woven throughout is the chronicle of a brave young man, one of a cadre of patriotic resisters who stood up against their government in defense of their own rights. Whether fighting on battlefields or in courtrooms, these were Americans under unprecedented strain, doing what Americans do best–striving, resisting, pushing back, rising up, standing on principle, laying down their lives, and enduring.
Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest 11 AM weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.