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 (231)
Military service (2806)
Military Intelligence Service (1145)

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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1145 items
Representatives at a negotiation session (ddr-densho-179-88)
img Representatives at a negotiation session (ddr-densho-179-88)
Major General Toshiro Taga, Representative of Lt. General Toshiro Nomi, Japanese Commander of Sakishima Group, making preliminary negotiations for the surrender of the Ryukyus Islands to the Commanding General of Tenth Army. The civilian interpreter is Weri Takamura who once lived in Chicago. Photographer: Lieutenant Strauch.
U.S. soldiers (ddr-densho-179-119)
img U.S. soldiers (ddr-densho-179-119)
T/4 Stanley Ito, Sgt. Warren Sakuma, 1st Lt. John Flagler, 1st Lt. Lawrence Boggs, Sgt. Shigeru Sato, T/3 Harry Okano, T/4 Frank Mizuno, T/3 Osami Yamamoto, Sgt. Tom Matsumoto, Sgt. Bob Oda, 1st Lt. John Flagler, Sgt. Tomotsu Nagao, Sgt. Akira Nakamura.
Painting done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-201)
doc Painting done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-201)
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-179-208)
doc Calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-208)
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-179-216)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-216)
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-179-205)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-205)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Signing of peace treaty (ddr-densho-179-55)
img Signing of peace treaty (ddr-densho-179-55)
Japanese army and navy representatives from Amami and Miyako-shima for the signing of the peace treaty at the 10th Army Headquarters in Okinawa.
Representatives at a negotiation session (ddr-densho-179-87)
img Representatives at a negotiation session (ddr-densho-179-87)
Representatives making preliminary negotiations for the surrender of the Ryukyus Islands to the Commanding General, Tenth Army. 2nd Lieutenant Takaharu Kosaka, who flew the plane, an air force pursuit pilot, and Tech 3rd Robert M. Oda of Kola, Hawaii. Photographer: Lieutenant Strauch.
Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-206)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-206)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Representatives at a negotiation session (ddr-densho-179-85)
img Representatives at a negotiation session (ddr-densho-179-85)
Representatives making preliminary negotiations for the surrender of the Ryukyus Islands to the Commanding General of the Tenth Army. Left to right: Lieutenant Colonel Nakamizo Takashi, who represented Japanese Army commander on Anami, Major General Toshisada Tokada; and Lieutenant Commander Tairo Sato who was a delegate of Rear Admiral Tadao Kato Japanese Naval Commander of Amami …
Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-188)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-188)
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-179-207)
doc Drawing done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-207)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
Painting and calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-180)
doc Painting and calligraphy done by a Japanese prisoner of war (ddr-densho-179-180)
Given to a Nisei soldier with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service who was interrogating Japanese prisoners in Okinawa.
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