A DESTINY BETWEEN TWO WORLDS by Jacques L. Fuqua Jr –
ISBN: 978-1-78279-892-7
(Paperback) £9.99 $16.95,
EISBN: 978-1-78279-893-4
(eBook) £2.99 $4.99
Description
As Munekazu awoke that fateful morning in October 1944, dawn offered no inkling that his life, or the lives of hundreds of thousands of other Okinawans, would be profoundly changed—forever. The American enemy’s bombs that rained down and exploded throughout the city that day razed seventy-five percent of Naha, the capital, and killed nearly 1,000 of its residents. No one, however, realized that this was but a prelude to the devastation that would follow only six months later with the U.S invasion of Okinawa, leading to the near obliteration of the island’s culture and society. Munekazu and other islanders would realize only too late that they were helplessly caught between two giant samurai fighting to the death—Japan and America—and Okinawa’s destiny lay somewhere in between.
There is a dearth of literature on Okinawa in the Pacific War years, and this book goes a long way toward filling that void. By situating history in a cultural context, it fills a particular need as a resource for educators who teach about Japan and the Pacific War. In my work as an East Asia outreach programming director, I would place this book on my recommended reading list for Japanese history. It should also be of great interest to US military and civilian personnel who live and work in Okinawa. Dr. Anne Prescott, Director, Five College Center for East Asian Studies, Smith College
The Author
Jacques L. Fuqua, Jr. has spent the better part of his adult life associated with East Asia, particularly Japan and Korea. He lived and worked in the region for eleven years involved in international security negotiations as a U.S. Army officer and continues to travel to the region regularly as a university administrator. He is presently posted as Executive Director, Global Programs, Texas A&M University (Commerce campus).
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