Military Service and Social Participation of Japanese-American Korean War Soldiers: From Gender and Ethnic Perspectives

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16670
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Gender
• Research Institution: Fisheries Research and Education Agency (2017-2018); Ochanomizu University (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Daimaruya Miyuki 国立研究開発法人水産研究・教育機構, 水産大学校, 講師 (40755394)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ジェンダー / エスニシティ / 日系アメリカ人 / 二世兵士 / 朝鮮戦争 / 再定住 / 日系人強制立ち退き・収容問題

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This paper discussed Nisei Japanese-Americans who served in the Korean War from gender and ethnic perspectives. It revealed changes in Nisei’s social status before and after their military service. I researched Californian cases through Japanese-American ethnic newspapers, interviews with veterans, and analysis of the construction processes for war memorials in both the United States and Korea. The paper showed that the military experiences of Nisei facilitated their social integration and provided them opportunities to build their fundamental lives in the 1950s, such as accessing higher education or getting a decent job. The background of the drastic changes in Nisei’s social states interacted with the Cold War racial policy. The paper suggested that Nisei Korean War soldiers could be classified as a case of racial integration during the early Cold War era, in contrast with other ethnic groups who were excluded in the same racial rhetoric.

Free Research Field

ジェンダー研究、アメリカ史、アメリカ研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、次の2点である。第一に冷戦初期の合衆国国内における人種、エスニシティおよびジェンダー政策を基に、当時のエスニック・マイノリティの従軍状況がいかに変化したかについて1950年代における朝鮮戦争期の二世兵士の考察を通して提示することができた。第二に第二次世界大戦期に日系人強制立ち退き・収容を経験した西海岸の日系人たちは、大戦後、いかにして社会参入を果たしたのかの過程を、朝鮮戦争期の従軍者に焦点を当て示すことができた。1950年代の日系二世における従軍問題という、大戦後の日系人研究の新たな課題を提示した。