Ronald Takaki, in his book A Multicultural History of America in World War II, argues that historians must ensure that those individuals and/or groups that were marginalized in history have been given a voice in major historical events, like the Second World War. Takaki is undoubtedly a revisionist scholar. He claims that certain stories have been methodically ignored and omitted in prevailing histories. In his book, Takaki claims that World War II is an extraordinary event for majority of the American people because it was where the courage and nobility of the American nation were vividly displayed. However, Takaki stresses that even the ordinary American people made sacrifices and earnestly devoted their service to the war effort. Takaki argues that these historical accounts of the war must focus on the contributions and roles played by ordinary American citizens from diverse cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. This paper critically analyzes and reviews Takaki's book. Numerous of these American people committed themselves to the struggle for democracy and freedom despite the racial prejudice and discrimination they were experiencing both at home and in the battlezone. Thus, the revisionist arguments of Takaki center on individual stories: the Navajo communicator ensures that confidential information is transmitted to the homefront by making sure that the Germans would not be able to decode the message, despite enduring hardships in a government settlement; the African-American combatant who courageously goes to war, but confronted racism at home and in the combat zone (Takaki, 2001). These are just some of the war stories that are largely taken for granted in most historical accounts of the Second World War.
The issue of minorities enduring discrimination, abuse, and injustice in the American soil, yet willing to provide their services for the success of the war effort and validate their American citizenship is clearly depicted all through Takaki's work. Being a revisionist historian, Takaki systematically collected and assembled the personal experiences of minority groups from Hawaii, New Mexico, Chicago, and New York, to name a few. He highlighted the large-scale deprivation of equality. The compilation of these individual stories clearly demonstrated the major similarities of injustice and discrimination in the United States. These large variety of individual stories that Takaki draws upon to bolster his argument portray the multicultural forces within the multifaceted American society. Every chapter in Takaki's book discusses a distinctive genealogy of America. The Second World War was a critical moment for the American people in addressing the racial prejudice that prevailed in opposition to the values and protections guaranteed by the Constitution.
More important, though, is the level to which the subjective, unscientific proofs of Takaki defy a core component of historical multiculturalism-- instead of brooding over racial or minority identities in analyzing America's participation in World War II, those documented in the book claimed and affirmed their 'American-ness' so as to contribute to the war's nationalistic efforts as well as to share in its social, political, and economic benefits. Takaki talks about the actual experiences (and sufferings) of Jewish Americans, Italian Americans, German Americans, Asian Americans, Chicanos, Native Americans, and African Americans. In every discourse, he incorporates a conversation on the limitations, degradations, and disgrace individuals encountered at home and in the battlezone with analysis of episodes (race protests), trials, and legal proceedings that shaped the debate over the issue of American identity (Takaki, 2001). In spite of the rejection of Jewish escapees, the existence of concentration camps, abandoned slums, and unjust laws, the largely classified quasi-American individuals fought courageously in the war and continued the fight for citizenship and equality.
Takaki, by means of revisionism, attempted to demonstrate the intricacy of America's national identity and cultural roots, and to encourage a recognition of how the demands and realities created by World War II hastened the dynamics of economic and social equality in America. Nonetheless, even though war paved the way to the advancement of civil rights, it also emphasized blatant, outrageous acts of injustice. Most Americans believe that the U.S. took part in the Second World War to abolish the Holocaust. But what many Americans do not know is that the Holocaust was not the top priority of America and the other Allies. Americans, especially the young generation, hold the belief that the U.S. is a stronghold of equality, freedom, and democracy and that the American nation is a bringer of morality as proven by its intervention in the biggest and most atrocious genocide that have taken place in human history. In the book, Takaki unravels the genuine reality about the relationship between the Jewish and American nation, first talking about the causes of the 19th-century immigration of the Jewish people, and then providing a brief discussion of the discrimination that Jewish Americans experienced during the World War II as the background for the American response to the Holocaust.
Basically, Takaki's book has two major contributions to the prevailing knowledge of the World War II. The first is that the war pushed the psychological and economic value of numerous minority groups in America. The attempts of President Roosevelt to challenge Axis brainwashing, and the demands of the war effort welcomed socially marginalized groups into important, high-paying occupations. Minority combatants and laborers were placed side by side with other ethnic groups and the White people. This newfound freedom, status, and self-worth opened the door for the civil rights movement. The second lesson taught by Takaki is that the fight against the racial hostility of the Nazis unmasked the racial injustices of America. In essence, the participation of America in the Second World War brought to light the ironies of American attitude toward the nation's minority groups. While the U.S. fought against the Holocaust, it imprisoned, held back citizenship, and maltreated Japanese Americans, African Americans, the Jewish people, Koreans, and Native Americans, many of whom were confined in internment camps.
These minority groups went to two wars-- against American injustices and the enemies of the Second World War. Thus, Double Victory reevaluates several of the most disturbing themes of World War II: the failure of the Allies to immediately put an end to the death-camp complex as soon as its presence was verified; America's refusal to accommodate a large number of Jewish immigrants; and, the detainment of hundreds of thousands of Japanese Americans despite absence of proof of their treachery or infidelity (Takaki, 2001). Hence, the key paradox is how the American nation allegedly fought for the emancipation of the oppressed people abroad, but remained blind to its own prejudices and injustices at home. Takaki argues that there is only explanation to all of these occurrences: racial prejudice.
Reference
Takaki, R. (2001). Double victory: a multicultural history of America in World War II. New York: Little Brown.
