The Service of Japanese Americans

Japanese Americans (Nisei) greatly contributed to the allied victory. Approximately 22,000 Japanese Americans fought for the US military in World War II against Japan (James C. McNaughton 3). Many Nisei understood Japanese, a complicated language of the enemy foreign to non-Japanese speaking Americans. Nisei serving the US military helped translate and decode intercepted messages. The Nisei Military Intelligence Soldiers were groups of ten-twenty Nisei men that fought in the army corps and various divisions against Japan. Nisei translators intercepted communications from Japan and translated them into English, encouraged the enemy to surrender, and interrogated Japanese prisoners of war. They obtained, classified, and interpreted tons of documents and radio messages in Japanese including the enemies strategies (Presidio Army Museum).

A message was intercepted and translated by the Nisei predicting the date and location of the arrival of Admiral Yamato, and the US military successfully attacked the planes. Information on Japan's defensive strategy for the Phillipenes was translated by Nisei, allowing the Allied forces to counter attack Japan's defensive strategy. Again, Nisei intercepted Japan's Z-Plan for defending the Marianas Islands and again, successfully counter attacked their defense. Finally, Nisei informed the Allies of Japan's genius defensive strategy for Okinawa. In their defense plan, Japan had predicted the US's strategy and the location of the arrival of the US military. A map that depicted the complex terrain was also intercepted. As Major General Charles Willoughby stated, "The Nisei saved countless Allied lives and shortened the war by two years" (Presidio Army Museum).