Legacies of World War II

In recent years, the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII has gotten more attention. But most of that attention focuses on the West Coast, California in particular. Emma Ito studied the racism and incarceration that Virginians and other East Coast Japanese Americans faced during the war.

Japanese Americans weren’t the only immigrants persecuted during WWII–many German and Italian immigrants were also sent to incarceration camps and repatriated. John Schmitz’s own family were German Americans who lived for three years in the Crystal City camp.

When you think of archeology what comes to mind? Maybe paper maps and pickaxes in dusty places? Instead imagine precise instruments delicately probing what’s below the surface to prevent destruction to sacred spaces. Richard Freund uses this less invasive archeology to help tell the stories of Jewish resistance in WWII.

There are some well-known violent plots by Germans designed to overthrow the Nazi regime. But what about the quieter acts of resistance? Donald Sunnen studies some of the Germans whose brave, but more conservative resistance saved lives during WWII.