Nisei
Nisei refers to the second generation of Japanese Americans, specifically those born in the United States to Japanese immigrant parents, known as Issei. The term gained prominence for the generation born primarily between 1905 and the early 1930s, just before World War II. While Nisei were American citizens by birth, their parents often faced significant discrimination and barriers to citizenship. This discrimination intensified during World War II, particularly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, leading to the internment of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans, many of whom were Nisei. Despite this, many Nisei served honorably in the U.S. military, notably in the 442nd Infantry Regimental Combat Unit, which became the most decorated unit in American military history. The Nisei navigated a complex cultural landscape, blending American customs with their Japanese heritage. After the war, they faced the challenge of rebuilding their lives, having lost homes and businesses due to internment. Today, the Nisei legacy is recognized as a testament to resilience and contribution in the face of adversity.
Nisei
Nisei is a word used to refer to the first generation of a Japanese family born in America, also known as second-generation Japanese. The immigrants themselves are known as Issei. The term was also used for a time to refer to all Japanese Americans. It has since come to be used specifically to refer to the generation born just before World War II. Many Nisei were interred in camps during the war as fear of the Japanese spread after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. By the end of the war, many Nisei had served in the military with honor, helping to win several key battles.
Background
The word Nisei comes from the name of the Japanese written character for the number two. Likewise, Issei is the name of the character for one. In each case, the name refers to the generation's number.
The first large wave of Issei came to America between 1885 and 1924. Many came to the American Northwest to work on the railroads after bans on Chinese immigrants were put in place. Others went to Hawaii, where workers were needed for the sugarcane fields. In addition to working on railroads and in fields, many Issei became farmers or businesspeople.
Most of the initial group of immigrants were men, some of whom left their wives and families back in Japan. Around 1908, an agreement was reached between the Japanese and American governments that provided for the wives and girlfriends of the Japanese immigrants to join them in America. Some of the men managed to return home to Japan to marry and then brought their new wives back with them to America. The Japanese faced struggles and discrimination, and many wanted to return home. However, as they put down roots and began to have families, many decided to remain, though some would send their first-born sons back to Japan to be educated there.
Those in the generation known as the Nisei were born shortly after their parents established themselves in America. Generally, most were born beginning in 1905 in Hawaii and between 1915 and 1935 on the US mainland. There was a gap between these first-generation Americans and the next wave of children born to Japanese immigrants because of bans on Japanese immigration in 1924, which were not lifted until after World War II. At that point, the Japanese immigrants were usually known as Shin-Issei instead of Issei. The prefix shin- means "new."
Overview
The Nisei were the first generation with Japanese ancestry born on American soil from the first significant wave of Japanese immigration. The Nisei were American citizens because they had been born in America. Nevertheless, many of their parents were not citizens and most would not be allowed to become citizens until after 1952, when some of the World War II–era concerns regarding the Japanese had eased.
While many of the Issei generation continued in the ways of their homeland, many of the Nisei Americanized. They attended schools taught in English, played baseball, and began to enjoy the foods and customs common to Americans. However, the food they ate at home, the holidays they celebrated, and the way they worshipped was more similar to what their parents had experienced back in Japan. Many of the Japanese families lived in clusters of homes or in apartments close to one another, which helped to provide support and shielded them from some of the discrimination they faced.
Discrimination against Japanese Americans reached a high point after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Immediately, anyone of Japanese descent was under suspicion, even American-born children who had never set foot in Japan. Within ten weeks of the Pearl Harbor attack, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt classified the Japanese immigrants and their children as "enemy aliens." He issued an executive order that sent 120,000 Japanese Americans to one of ten internment camps in seven states. Many of those sent to internment camps were American citizens.
Largely, the conditions in the camps were crowded and unsanitary. Japanese Americans faced discrimination and even cruelty from those who oversaw them. Some were given permission to work on the nearby farms, growing sugar beets and other crops. This provided them with income and respite from the camp and offered desperately needed help to the farmers whose workers were off fighting in the war. Others at the camps helped with road construction projects.
Some of the Nisei raised legal challenges to their internment. They claimed it violated their constitutional rights as citizens. Unfortunately, most of the protestors ended up incarcerated in regular prisons as a result.
Other Nisei enlisted in the US military once the ban on Japanese American soldiers was lifted in 1943. Many served in the 442nd Infantry Regimental Combat Unit, which was made up entirely of Japanese American soldiers. More than 800 of the 4,500 men who served in the 442nd died during a single rescue effort in France, one of the eight major campaigns in which they took part. The unit earned more than 18,000 medals, including 9,500 hundred Purple Hearts. They became the most decorated unit in American military history.
The soldiers of the 442nd were not the only Nisei who made an impact in the war effort though. Thirty-three thousand Nisei served in the American military during the war, with many serving as interpreters. Some of them became part of a unit known as Merrill's Marauders, led by Brigadier General Frank Merrill. Officially known as the 5307th Composite Unit, Merrill's special forces unit included fourteen Nisei known for their linguistic skills. These men translated maps and messages intercepted from the Japanese and helped with interrogations of prisoners. They are credited with helping to shorten the war in Asia.
After the war, the Nisei and their families were freed from the camps and allowed to return to their lives. But many people had lost their homes and businesses, and there was no help for them to reestablish themselves. Some chose to stay in the areas near where they had been interned, working in the fields where they worked during the war. Others moved to different areas of the country, including the big cities in the East and the Midwest, to restart their lives.
Bibliography
Boba, Eleanor. "World War II Internment of Japanese Americans in Washington." History Link, 20 May 2024, www.historylink.org/File/22995. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
"A Brief History of Japanese American Relocation During World War II." National Parks Service, www.nps.gov/articles/historyinternment.htm. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
Clasen, Jonnie Melillo. "'Expendable' WWII Merrill's Marauders Survive into Their 100s." US Army News and Information, 25 Aug. 2016, www.army.mil/article/173880/expendable‗wwii‗merrills‗marauders‗survive‗into‗their‗100s. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
"Going for Broke: The 442 Regimental Combat Team." The National WWII Museum, 24 Sept. 2020, www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/442nd-regimental-combat-team. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
"History." Japanese American National Museum, www.janm.org/exhibits/texturedlives/history. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
Hoffman, Michel. "Japanese-Americans: Life after the War and Internment." Japan Times, 19 Aug. 2012, www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2012/08/19/books/book-reviews/japanese-americans-life-after-the-war-and-internment. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.