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This blog is dedicated to the presence of the 100th/442nd on the battlefields of France and Italy in WW2.
Italy honours Nisei with Piazza
A small village in Italy is still remembering the Nisei soldiers who liberated them 80 years ago. Community ties In recent years, awareness steadily grew that the Nisei soldiers fought not only in the Vosges but also in Italy. For decades, the story of the 100th/442nd RCT in Europe was associated primarily with their dramatic…
The 100th Bn in the Spotlight
The 100th Bn is getting a lot of attention at the moment. They are the subject of a dedicated documentary that will come out this year. In addition, a dedicated itinerary maps their story. The September tour highlights their arrival in the European theatre of war. The 100th Bn’s early campaign in Italy Italy’s role…
Women in War
Women in war are rarely the center of attention in traditional narratives. For generations, the spotlight has fallen on the men in uniform—the ones marching, fighting, commanding, and appearing in history books. With a few well-known exceptions, women were cast as supporting characters in wartime, relegated to the “home front” or rendered invisible altogether. Women…
To resist or not to resist
The Hardest Choice “To resist or not?”—it’s a question that has followed humanity through every age. Some approach it with fiery conviction, insisting resistance is always a duty. Others counsel patience, compromise, or submission. But the truth is more complicated. It is easy to speak boldly about resistance when the risks are hypothetical. It is…
Missing
“Missing” applies both to the one who disappeared as well as the one who is now feeling the loss of that person. Stumbling over the Missing In cities across Europe, tiny brass plates glint beneath our feet. These are Stolpersteine or “stumbling stones”. Small memorials set into sidewalks in front of the last voluntarily chosen…
V-E Day sees 80th Anniversary
V-E Day, signifying the end of World War II in Europe, was a joy-filled day 80 years ago. The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day should be equally joyous. After all, 80 years without war on the continent is cause for celebration. 80th Anniversary of V-E Day While countries across Europe are celebrating extensively,…
Deleting History
Deleting history or why preserving WWII stories still matters has suddenly become a very acute question. Standing in Berlin’s Bebelplatz, site of the infamous Nazi book burnings in 1933, feeling the weight of history is inescapable. The square, with its haunting memorial of empty bookshelves, is a stark reminder of the dangers of erasing the…
A year in review of Nisei Legacy Tours
“A year in review” is traditionally how we approach a new year. It makes us look back at what happened over the past year and encourages us to have a look ahead at things to come. As we close out 2024, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and growing interest…
Building a Nisei Trail in Europe
Footfall on the Nisei Trail has been quite heavy this year! August always brings a little lull in the touring season. The peaking summer temperatures, looming back-to-school vibes, local businesses closed, … all add to that temporary interruption of tours. It doesn’t mean it’s time off for us though. On the contrary! It provides much…
80th anniversary battlefield tours
80th anniversary battlefield tours are certainly inspiring many of you to join a trip to Europe. 80th anniversary inspires more people to connect Battlefield tours can take on many different forms, depending on who the audience is. For our tour guests, they serve as a bridge between the past and the present. They allow people…
Heroes of the Vosges
Heroes of the Vosges is an exciting new project that is underway in Bruyeres. A museum that will preserve the legacy of the Nisei soldiers of the 100th/442nd RCT. Alongside, the men and women of the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) will see their contributions highlighted. New museum Efforts are underway to create a…
Issei at Vimy Ridge in WW1
Issei were fighting at Vimy Ridge in World War 1 with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Among them were a number of American residents… A route to citizenship During the First World War, Japan allied itself with the Entente Cordiale, an agreement between the UK and France. Safeguarding the sea lanes in the West Pacific and Indian…
Veterans at WW2 commemorations
Veterans traditionally play a central role in WW2 commemorations. Veterans as living testimonies WW2 was a momentous event and remembrance services are important to honour the sacrifices made and the lives lost. They will be the centre of attention during the events highlighting the 80th anniversary of many key battles and turning points in 1944.…
80th Anniversary – The 100th lands in Italy
September 2023 will mark the 80th anniversary of the “original” 100th Bn landing on the beaches around Salerno, Italy. Shipping out The men of the Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion left the islands for the mainland in June of 1942. Upon arrival in California, they were renamed the 100th Infantry Battalion. Not assigned to a larger…
ABMC celebrates 100th anniversary
The ABMC (American Battle Monuments Commission) celebrates its 100th anniversary throughout this year. History March 4, 2023 officially marked a century of caring for fallen American soldiers around the world. It was on this day that President Harding signed legislation that established the organisation. Originally the ABMC was created to construct monuments to the Great…
Does history repeat itself?
The first month of 2023 is history already! Time just flies by these days… Times change In the past, January and February tended to be a time of relative quiet to recuperate and spend some time putting all the New Year’s resolutions into practice. After all, you promised yourself to do better with self-care… Not…
What a difference a year makes
What a difference with last December! Looking back… A year ago, we had come to the end of two years of on/off travel restrictions. And just when it looked like things were finally picking up again, Omicron and war in Ukraine threw us another curve ball. The forced stay-at-home period did bring some advantages though.…
We will remember them…
“We will remember them…” The pledge concludes the poem For the Fallen. November is definitely the month dedicated to the memory of those who are no longer with us. All Saints Day and Day of the Dead on November 1st, Remembrance Day or Veterans Day on the 11th, and various other national occasions for remembrance…
Bringing family history to life
Curious about where you come from or which exciting parts of the world play a part in your family history? Tracing ancestry Genealogy inspired travel and ancestry tracing trips have long been a popular way to give special meaning to overseas visits. Especially among communities that saw mass migration from the “old” to the “new”…
Dedicated tours for Nisei families launched with first trip
The first dedicated tour for Nisei families and friends since the pandemic “officially” launched Nisei Legacy Tours. “This trip has been in the making for a long time and it better not disappoint!” I thought. I was sitting in the hotel lobby, waiting for the group to gather. The “regulars” didn’t worry me so much.…
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