Tag Archives for WWII

Filipino-American WWII veterans renew fight for recognition of military service

New radio piece by my friend Maki Somosot for War News Radio:

It’s been a long, slow struggle for Filipino and Filipino-American veterans who fought for the U.S. during World War II. They are now in their late 80s or 90s, but are still fighting to have their military service be recognized by the U.S. government. War News Radio’s Maki Somosot speaks to a Filipino-American veteran, filmmaker and community activist, about why the fight for equity has lasted for more than six decades.

Filipino and Filipino-American veterans have been repeatedly denied recognition and refused their right to receive full military benefits since WWII ended 65 years ago. Now, they are lobbying for the United States Congress to pass House Resolution 210, or the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act, which will bring them the acknowledgment of service that they have long been waiting for. HR 210 intends to repeal the 1946 Rescission Act, which American President Truman issued at the end of WWII to strip these veterans of all military benefits they were promised at the start of the war.

Unfortunately, I can’t embed PRX pieces on a WordPress.com blog, so go to War News Radio to listen!

Happy Fred Korematsu Day!

Fred Korematsu, center. Photo: the Korematsu family (Flickr/Creative Commons).

Today in California we celebrate Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. The late Korematsu, born in Oakland in 1919, fought against the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and later became a civil rights leader. Fred Korematsu Day is the first official holiday named for an Asian American in the United States. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the holiday into law in September 2010.

Read more about Korematsu’s inspiring story:

Republic of China naval officers at Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College students and alumni – did you know that Chinese naval officers studied English there during World War II? This is something they do not reveal in your average campus tour, and something that I didn’t know about until I looked more closely at the fountain underneath the Wharton Hall staircase last spring. There I found a plaque commemorating this collaboration between Swarthmore and the Republic of China navy:

The plaque reads: “To the Chinese naval officers, whose presence and spirit as students of Swarthmore College have symbolized the bonds of friendship and democracy that unite our two countries, this fountain is affectionately dedicated.”

The aging Swarthmore history website states:

The officers came from all parts of China, and most had already seen active duty. They spent several months at Swarthmore before half departed for MIT to study shipbuilding and half left to study naval administration at the Naval Academy. The intent was for these officers to form the backbone of China’s post-war navy.

Since the Republic of China is back in US news with the re-election of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), I figured it was a good time to post this image. The rise of the People’s Republic of China on the mainland has redefined the US-Republic of China (Taiwan) relationship. How do we maintain these “bonds of friendship and democracy” while building a relationship with a regime that is not so open to the democratic process?