Facing the Mountain

 
Fred and the men near him dropped and began to crawl forward on their bellies as streams of machine gun fire poured from the windows of nearby farmhouses and machine-gun nests hidden behind stone garden walls. But returning the fire, lobbing mortars at the buildings, firing bazookas, and throwing hand grenades, K Company kept moving forward, assaulting each machine-gun nest in turn, concentrating their fire on it until it was silenced, then moving on to the next.
 
On the outskirts of town, they came across a wide bend in a road. Sergeant George Iwamoto, squad leader and one of Fred s closest friends a kotonk through and through, a kindred spirit from the east- ern side of Washington State raised his hand to pause his men and get their attention. He didn t like the looks of the place. He wanted them out of there as quickly as possible. He stood up, started waving his hands, bellowing, Come on, you guys, come on! urging them to cross the road quickly. Fred hunched over and ran for it. He made it across. They all did except one. Just as Iwamoto began to follow the last of his men across, a shell landed right behind him, hurling him forward a dozen feet, shattering his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. Seeing his friend there, sprawled out on the road in the rain, bloodied, desperately trying to crawl forward, dragging his legs, helpless, Fred felt suddenly and overwhelmingly sick to his stomach. For a moment, he closed his eyes and slumped against a stone wall. Like everyone else, he wanted to turn and run from this place, from the horror. Like everyone else, he didn t. A medic dragged Iwamoto off the road. The rest of them got up
and moved on.
 
At the entrance to the town itself, they faced a barricade a road- block built of enormous logs, timbers, and boulders that the Germans had chained together and intertw

Adam Makos, author of A Higher Call
 
"Daniel James Brown has a way of wrapping himself around a big and complicated subject with such subtlety and grace that we don t at first realize how fast the pages are turning, or how much fascinating material we've absorbed. In Facing the Mountain, all the skills of this master storyteller are once again on display, as he surely leads us to the emotional heart of a fraught and sprawling World War II story most of us knew nothing about." Hampton Sides, NYT bestselling author of Ghost Soldiers and On Desperate Ground

The loyal and often heroic service of Japanese American soldiers is one of history s most inspiring responses to bigotry and oppression.  Daniel James Brown brilliantly pairs these events in an epic of courage and resistance. David Laskin, author of The Long Way Home

  Facing the Mountain proves that the savagery of war isn t restricted to foreign battlefields. Many went to war - those who remained incarcerated endured the wrath of their fellow countrymen.  It is said that to be an American we should strive to live life worthy of the sacrifices of those who came before us. Our bearing with each other is dependent on it.
Lt Col Michael J. Yaguchi, USAF (ret), Commander, Nisei Veterans Committee
 
"Daniel James Brown has done it again.  HIs rich, nuanced recreation of the dark years when thousands of our fellow citizens were incarcerated because of their ancestry is a must-read contribution to the history of the 20th century. It s also uplifting. I'll never look at the World War II story in the same light." Timothy Egan, author of The Worst Hard Time
 
A must-read. You will not be able to put it down. Scott Oki, former VP Microsoft, Founder, Densho
 
Facing the Mountain arrives at the perfect time, to remind us of the true meaning of patriotism. In Daniel James Brown s gifted hands, these overlooked American heroes are getting the glory they deserve. Read this book and know their stories. Mitchell Zuckoff, author of Lost in Shangri-La

Daniel James Brown brings to life the gripping true story of Japanese Americans whose steely heroism fought Nazism abroad and racism at home.  Bound by Japanese values of filial piety, giri (social obligation) and gaman (endurance) and forged in the crucible of brutal combat, the soldiers served the very country that locked their families in American concentration camps for no crime other than looking like the enemy while camp resisters fought for justice denied. Lori L. Matsukawa, News anchor, KING TV, Seattle
 
This book s breadth and depth are unparalleled as it poignantly traces the Japanese American thread in the rich fabric of America.  We meet compelling individuals, witness war's horrors and celebrate moments of triumph of the human spirit.  The author vividly describes communities confronting prejudice with resilience and patriotism, surviving and ultimately having the opportunity to thrive. Terry Shima, T/4, 442nd Regimental Combat Team

Riveting. Facing the Mountain is a book that is as much about the present as it is about the past. In it are vital lessons about courage, truth, justice, and an abiding love of country. Drawing on impeccable historic research, the narrative movingly shines the light of history on prejudice and discrimination and the unfinished struggle for a more just future. Ann Burroughs, President & CEO,  Japanese American National Museum

Brown chronicles in this this bravura account the experiences of Japanese American soldiers and their families during WWII. . . . The result is an illuminating and spirited portrait of courage under fire. Publishers Weekly, starred review
 
A deep and richly detailed examination of indelible decisions and events that tarnished the legacy of America's role in WWII, the internment of Japanese Americans. . . . A compelling and impressively redefining work on an often over-simplified and always consequential subject. . . . This should also be read by all who are pondering the true meaning of patriotism. Booklist, starred review