It is possible to state with certainty that the topic of the imprisonment of the Japanese American population during World War II is paid significant attention in the academic literature due to the magnitude of the problem. The issue has been discussed by researchers from various scientific spheres, such as history, politics, social science, and anthropology. However, the book by Tetsuden Kashima, entitled “Judgment Without Trial: Japanese American Imprisonment during World War II,” makes a highly significant contribution to the identified topic.
It is worth mentioning that the author combines a thoroughly academic approach to the topic with a deeply personal motivation (his father was imprisoned) for the investigation of various processes related to the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during the wartime period. However, one of the primary advantages of the book is that it does not focus solely on the wartime period. Instead, the author traces the underlying reasons and preparation processes back to the 1920s.
Employing the newly obtained evidence, Kashima argues that the imprisonment of the Japanese American population was not caused by the wartime hysteria within the American society. Oppositely, this process was planned by various agencies led by political and military leaders decades before the outbreak of the war. Another advantage that should be mentioned is that the book provides a detailed description of the different experiences of Japanese American imprisoners during World War II. For example, the author describes the loyalty questionnaire, which was supposed to segregate “loyal” Japanese Americans from “disloyal” ones (p. 160). As the example of the most severe camp among others, the author states that the Tule Lake segregation center’s inmates “endured a life of terror” (p. 167). It could also be mentioned that Kashima does not only focus on well-known camps that were also described by other scholars, but he also mentions other, less-recognized examples, such as Alaska, Latin America, and Hawai. The author goes into a great number of details, describing the prewar period of rivalry between the FBI and the US Army for the control over the imprisonment of the Japanese American population.
Even though the book is an example of thorough and detailed scientific research, it is possible to mention one of the book’s few disadvantages. It should be stated that the overall purpose of the research, which was implemented successfully by Kashima, makes the book a considerably difficult read for people who are not profoundly familiar with the history of Japanese American imprisonment. Many details that are given in the book are not sufficiently explained for people who are might not be familiar with the topic. Therefore, it would be difficult for some people to appreciate the effort of the author.
In general, it should be mentioned that the book is an outstanding example of historical literature. The author conducted extensive research, employing information from other scholars, but most importantly, from newly obtained records about the wartime period of Japanese American imprisonment as well as the period of secret preparation for the upcoming war with Japan. Even though the book might appear to be confusing or complicated for some readers, it is possible to recommend making an effort to profoundly. investigate it. The reason is that the author provides a renewed, more comprehensive perspective on the Japanese American imprisonment during World War II.
References
Kashima, T. (2004). Judgment without Trial: Japanese American Imprisonment during World War II. University of Washington Press.