Military Intelligence Service

The first Japanese Americans to serve in the military during World War II were linguists involved in the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS). The MISLS was charged with training soldiers in the Japanese language for intelligence purposes. Japanese Americans served as both instructors and students at the school, which opened on November 1, 1941. The Language School began recruiting instructors and later students directly from concentration camps as early as July 1942. MISLS graduates were assigned in small teams to units fighting in the Pacific and to intelligence centers throughout the Allied command. They translated captured documents, interrogated prisoners of war, wrote propaganda, encouraged Japanese soldiers and civilians to surrender, and monitored radio broadcasts. After the war, they acted as interpreters at the war crime trials and for the occupation government in Japan.

World War II (239)
Military service (3285)
Military Intelligence Service (1177)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
John Aiso, Fort Snelling, Masaji Marumoto, Jack Matsuoka, Military Intelligence Service, Military Intelligence Service Language School, Walter Tsukamoto, Karl Yoneda

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1177 items
Okinawan burial tomb (ddr-densho-179-42)
img Okinawan burial tomb (ddr-densho-179-42)
Sgt. Bob Oda and Sgt. Akira Nakamura spent one night in this family burial tomb during Oct. 9, 1945 Okinawa typhoon.
Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-194)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-194)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Nisei soldier wearing a Japanese military uniform (ddr-densho-179-99)
img Nisei soldier wearing a Japanese military uniform (ddr-densho-179-99)
Sgt. Akira Nakamura wearing the uniform of a Japanese soldier with rifle.
Calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-181)
doc Calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-181)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Japanese military representatives at Peace Treaty Conference (ddr-densho-179-52)
img Japanese military representatives at Peace Treaty Conference (ddr-densho-179-52)
Lt. Comm. Sato, Lt. Col. Nakamizo, Japanese army and navy representatives from Amami gunto for Peace Treaty Conference.
Calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-197)
doc Calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-197)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-187)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-187)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Leaflet X-8 (ddr-densho-179-226)
doc Leaflet X-8 (ddr-densho-179-226)
Leaflet dropped on Okinawa by the U.S. military.
Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-203)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-203)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-189)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-189)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-193)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-193)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-179)
doc Calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-179)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Peace treaty signing (ddr-densho-179-163)
img Peace treaty signing (ddr-densho-179-163)
Left to right: T/3 Tamotsu Matsumoto, T/Sgt. Warren S. Sakuma "Pop", T/3 Robert Oda, T/3 Akira Nakamura.
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