There is no justification for war, in my opinion. War separate people, from loved ones, change people's destiny, sacrifice people's lives including survived ones. My father was one of them. He survived the war, released in Singapore, came back to Japan. But, he was quite sick for almost entire life of his. He was a smart man, but he could not use his intelligence in his work or for his life. All because he was sick. All because the war made him sick.For the people who immigrated in the US before World War II, the situation must have been even more complicated. Teijiro thought that he could never be able to come back to US once returned back to Japan partly due to war, even either side wins. He would not be admitted to reenter into US because he was an illegal immigrant. He must have driven crazy from thinking all about this. But he decided to go back to Japan. Upon his decision, he did what most of Japanese would never have done. He asked all the members of his family including his 3 daughters if they hoped to stay in US or go back to Japan with him.
As a result, 2 older daughters decided to stay in US. Teijiro, his wife, and young Fujie had gone back to Japan. This interested me a lot. If Teijiro, as majority of Japanese house hold husbands, has asked, or ordered entire family to go back to Japan, they would have. And, then there might not have been a way for Fujie to return back to US.Picture: Japan Town, San Francisco. Street Names are written both in English and Japanese. I do not know other place like this in US.
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Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link
5 comments:
Hi Shaw .. all leaders are enlightened - and I guess Fujie's father was one of those to respect all members of the family and accept their decisions.
As you say it was fortunate for Fujie .. at least that's what I expect to read!
I'm sorry to hear about your father .. unfortunately there are too many people like him .. sick and/or badly affected by war.
Thanks for sharing
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters
Hello Shaw,
It takes a great person to do that and leave the choice up to others. No matter where they come from. Those staying behind did not have it easy. They were rounded up and sent to other places they lost everything for the most part. There was a place in our state that had some of them sent here, it was called Topaz, Utah - not a nice place. You had to beware of all the things that could bite and kill you. Dump you shoes out before putting your foot into it. Hot during the day cold at night.
Do you know about the children that stayed here-what happened to them?
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Hello Hilary,
Everybody has history and story. That was Teijiro;s story and now Fujie's. My father also had his own story. I wish I could hear more about war from him. He never wanted to talk.
Thank you for your comment.
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link
Dan & Deanna,
It was honarable for a father to leave choices to his own family. It could change another family member's destiny.
I heard about Topaz, Utah from my Japanese American friend. I hope I could go visit there some time.
There are many Japanese immigrants who stayed and survived. Interesting is the fact that all my Japanese American friends do not speak Japanese at all. It still carries history.
Thank you for your comment.
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link
Hello Shaw,
There is not much to see in Topaz now. some slabs of cement is all that is left. It was not a fun time for those that were there. There sons still went of to war even with their parent and other family in prison camps here. The sons had a hard time in the military because they were not trusted by others in the units.If they were lucky they went to fight the Germans. Thank you for telling this wonderful story.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
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