Double Victory: A Multicultural History of America in World War II

by Ronald Takaki

A powerful multicultural history of Americans in World War II, from the acclaimed author of  A Different Mirror . 

A history of America in World War II is told through the lives of an ethnically diverse group of ordinary Americans struggling for equality at home and fighting for freedom overseas. Takaki's revealing book shows that there were more struggles -- and more victories -- during WWII than most people ever imagined. 

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, World War II, War, Race, Audiobook

305 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Ronald Toshiyuki Takaki was an American academic, historian, ethnographer and author.

Reviews

[Emily Nicoletta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Double Victory needs to be a required read in schools. I am absolutely shocked and appalled over how little I knew about the true history of WWII. This historic novel highlights the lives of minorities during WWII, dedicating chapters to the experiences faced by Black, Hispanic, Native American, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Jewish Americans. Spoiler alert - the truth is not pretty.

I found Takaki's novel to have as much shock value and eye-opening content as Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. This is the kind of book that helps you completely unlearn the high-level, savior-heavy, whitewashed history we were taught in our school curriculums.

I HIGHLY recommend this novel.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

World War II is perhaps the most remembered war in the United States. This war is recalled by images of white men crawling in trenches and storming at Normandy while their wives and children at home grew their own gardens to support the troops and collected every scrap of useful metal to build airplanes. Takaki’s book reminds readers that there was much, much more happening at home and on the frontlines during World War II.
World War II was fought by the United States in an effort to bring democracy and rights to all. At the same time, each minority group in the United States was being denied basic rights and American hospitality. Takaki brings this to life with personal accounts of events. One account is of an African American veteran who was not allowed to sit down on a bus in the south until his white comrades backed him up. The experiences of African American men and women are brought to life with quotes like “my sister always said that Hitler was the one that got us out of the white folk’s kitchen,” which is a quote by an African American woman commenting on her new opportunity to work outside of domestic service due to vacant factory positions (Takaki 46). This novel is full of specific, telling quotes such as these that depict the unwillingness of America to truly accept other nationalities. Takaki also includes the memories of American born Chinese descendants that had to prove they are not Japanese in order to ensure their safety. He includes accounts from Navajo Indians whose language was used to pass military information. By including personal stories and quotes Takaki has created characters that can be connected to and understood by the reader.
Though this book does not have a “plot” per-se, it clearly follows and explains the hardships of each minority group. Because of the fluency of Takaki’s writing, I did not miss having a plot or feel deprived of a storyline.
The themes in this book are directly related to what is happening in the world today. I think that the gay marriage and gay acceptance debate that is happening now is like the Civil Rights movement, so this book parallels exactly what is going on today. In addition to comparing the book to what is happening today, students are still learning about World War II. This book directly connects to the curriculum in schools all over the country and the world. One cannot truly understand an event or a time period without learning about how the general population felt. This book provides the feelings of the minority population and the general population in relation to minority groups.
Even though the characters in this book are real and have interesting stories, I would only recommend this book to a history enthusiast or a history student looking for more insight into the people behind World War II. This book would be a wonderful accompaniment to classroom lessons on World War II as a mandatory or suggested reading. The personal stories and opinions in this novel are the perfect material to spark a class discussion or help students connect to the time period outside of factual information. This book would also be great for anybody who studies human nature, as it is the account of a pivotal time in history from the perspective of those who lived the events.

[Simon Purdue · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Double Victory Ronald Takaki explores the contradictions presented by the rhetoric of the Second World War in America and challenges the concept of a ‘good war’. While the press and the government spoke of fighting for democracy abroad, in the US race riots, internment, and Jim Crow demonstrated that the battle for democracy was far from over on the home front. Nonetheless Takaki shows that millions of people of color mobilized to fight for and defend a country that subjugated them, all the while fighting for their full rights and dignity as Americans. The fight for ‘four freedoms’ was as relevant in Detroit as it was in Berlin. Using personal records he tells the story of the minority men and women who experienced the war from a variety of different vantage points, ranging from the frontlines to the munitions factory to the internment camp. Takaki’s account offers an ‘eye-level’ view on the war from a previously unexplored perspective- a perspective that illuminates a two-front war in which the stated goals of democracy, equality and tolerance were being fought for both at home and abroad.

[Joe Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a highly readable history of an uncomfortable aspect of the WWII period. The author focuses on the have-nots, the minorities who have been shut out of having full citizenship. Each chapter is devoted to a minority. The author writes with clarity and also uses the actual words of individuals to describe the conditions and discrimination minorities faced in attempting to be part of the war effort and to obtain fair treatment and equality of opportunity.

The book is not all dark. The book has an uplifting ending. It is in the final chapter where the author explains why this was a transformative period for minorities.

The author’s review of the dropping of the nuclear bombs is a revealing analysis as is the chapter on the Jewish experience. It was interesting to me to find that anti-semitism in the U.S. increased as Jews became more successful, and for a number of reasons some Jewish organizations and leaders supported limitations on the numbers of Jews entering the U.S., at least up until 1942. One reason for this was the fear that increasing Jewish emigrants would fuel anti-semitism.

[Vincent DiGirolamo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent synthesis with fresh discoveries along the way. It’s a history of WWII from below—from the perspective of the many racial and ethnic groups in the United States who fought fascists, bigots, and all who would keep them from realizing true equality. Men, women, and children represented here. The is the kind of history I studied in college and is now under fire, wrongly, for being anti-American and divisive, for engaging in victimization. Quite the contrary. It's about how these people—Japanese Americans, Jews, Italian Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, East Asians, Filipinos, German Americans—endured discrimination and mistreatment but fought for victory abroad and victory—equal rights—at home. The struggle continues.

[Nelda Brangwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the interest in black women who quietly helped America in the book and movie, Hidden Figures, this book published in 2013 deserves a place in a children's collection. I would have liked to have seen more photos, but I imagine they weren't available. These women had courage.

[Alex Liuzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takaki felt revolutionary 30 years ago. Now all of this is much more deeply researched and more eloquently told in other places. Still an important reminder of race dynamics during WWII, but better books exist and much of this was merely a reminder instead of an uncovering.

[HavenM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It offered an entirely different view on World War Two that most people probably don't think that much about.

[Brady Postma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not crying. You're crying.

[Elsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

so many sources needs more analysis but very informative

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource portraying the contribution of multiple ethnicities/minorities to the U.S. war effort in World War II. World War II was the most significant event in the 20th century both on a foreign and domestic level for the United States. With the contribution of African Americans, Asians, Jewish and Europeans in the American military service directly correlates with the coming civil rights movements of the latter portion of the 20th century. During this war, Americans from every corner of the world spilled their blood for this nation and our ideals of human rights. The U.S. military was a diverse conglomerate of men and beliefs; I enjoyed how Takiki portrays the importance of many in the war effort. It was a complicated era and the sacrifices of many would come to the surface in the changing face of domestic policies and civil rights. This book is a good resource to see the contributions of many to the American war effort. It notes the importance of wartime industry, family support and community support for the whole of America

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant study of World War II as experienced by a wide variety of cultural and ethnic minority groups. Takaki clearly shows that the "good war" included much prejudice and injustice at home and in the armed forces, but that the experience of fighting together (and seeing what the extremes of racism did in Europe and Asia) helped Americans learn to better live together, and inspired later struggles for improved civil rights. While generally well-balanced, Takaki is clearly not a military historian. He makes minor errors in fact, and his interpretations of Hiroshima and the failure of the United States to do more to stop the Holocaust, while useful, take insufficient account of both military potentials and limitations. Overall, well worth reading.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great job weaving in the perspectives of many different communities in to the painful and triumphant events associated with WWII. It's wonderful to see how ordinary people sacrificed so much to ensure that members of all minority communities enjoyed all of the rights and priveleges of US citizenship.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading for a summer class (work). Really enjoying his perspective.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Untold stories of WWII. Depicts different cultural groups experiences in the war and how they use it to fight for civil rights at home.

[LA · Rating 4 out of 5]

HIST 8980: Hawes: Thematic Studies, Fall 2005

[Hunter Boyajian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent book. It is definitely enlightening. A very anectodal read, however. My mind tended to wander and I would have to re-read sections again.