Women of Okinawa: Nine Voices from a Garrison Island
Since the last major World War II battle between the United States and Japan was fought on Okinawa, the island has been the staging area for U.S. military operations in Asia. In conversation with Keyso, three generations of Okinawan women here reflect on Okinawa's history and how their lives have been affected by U.S. military presence, which continued after the island reverted to Japanese control in 1972. The older women, whose families perished or were displaced during the conflict, recall the hardships of life before, during, and immediately after the war. Women who grew up during the American occupation discuss living and working on the U.S. bases and the differences in women's roles in Japan, Okinawa, and the United States. The younger women reflect on their identity as Okinawans, an ethnic minority group within Japanese society. A glossary and explanatory notes are provided, but readers wanting more details of Okinawa's geography (including a map of the island) and culture will need to search elsewhere. For larger public and academic libraries.DLucille M. Boone, San Jose P.L., CACopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.