The Akune brothers: Siblings on opposite sides of war - Wendell Oshiro

翻译人员: Jack Qiu 校对人员: Tianchang Luo

There are many stories that can be told about World War II,

有许多可书的二战故事，

from the tragic to the inspring.

既有悲壮也有励志。

But perhaps one of the most heartrending experiences

但或许最荡气回肠的故事之一

was that of the Akune family,

是有关阿久跟家族的故事。

divided by the war against each other and against their own identities.

他们一家被战争所分隔。

Ichiro Akune and his wife Yukiye

阿久跟一郎和他的妻子

immigrated to America from Japan in 1918

于1918年从日本移民至美国

in search of opportunity,

寻找机遇

opening a small grocery store in central California

在加州中部开了一家小杂货店

and raising nine children.

并抚养9个孩子。

But when Mrs. Akune died in 1933,

但是在1933年九跟夫人去世时，

the children were sent to live with relatives in Japan,

孩子们被寄在日本的亲戚家里，

their father following soon after.

很快他们的父亲也回到了日本。

Though the move was a difficult adjustment

尽管这次环境的转变很困难

after having been born and raised in America,

尽管在美国土生土长，

the oldest son, Harry, formed a close bond with his grand uncle,

长子哈利，与他的大伯关系很好。

who taught him the Japanese language, culture and values.

大伯教会了他日语， 日本文化以及价值观念。

Nevertheless, as soon as Harry and his brother Ken

然而，在哈里和他弟弟 肯

were old enough to work,

到了能够工作的年龄，

they returned to the country they considered home,

他们回到了生养他们的国家。

settling near Los Angeles.

在洛杉矶附近安顿下来。

But then, December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor.

但是，在1941年12月7号， 珍珠港事件爆发

Now at war with Japan,

美国与日本开战，

the United States government did not trust the loyalty

美国政府对那些与敌国有血缘关系的

of those citizens who had family or ancestral ties to the enemy country.

美国公民并不信任。

In 1942, about 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast

1942年约有12万美籍日本人 居住在美国西海岸

were stripped of their civil rights

被政府剥夺了他们的公民权利。

and forcibly relocated to internment camps,

被迫转移到囚禁营，

even though most of them, like Harry and Ken, were Nisei,

尽管大部分人与建和哈里一样， 都是第二代日裔美国人。

American or dual citizens who had been born in the US

他们的父母是日本移民

to Japanese immigrant parents.

出生于美国的居民或双重国籍的居民。

The brothers not only had very limited contact with their family in Japan,

两兄弟不仅与他们 在日本的家人联系受限制

but found themselves confined to a camp in a remote part of Colorado.

而且他们发现自己被禁锢在 科罗拉多边远地区的一个集中营里。

But their story took another twist

但他们的命运却峰回路转

when recruiters from the US Army's military intelligence service

当来自美军情报局的征兵处

arrived at the camp looking for Japanese-speaking volunteers.

来到囚禁营里寻找日语志愿者。

Despite their treatment by the government,

尽管美国政府对他们不公对待，

Harry and Ken jumped at the chance to leave the camp

哈利和建抓住机会离开了囚禁营

and prove their loyalty as American citizens.

并证明了他们是美国公民的忠心。

Having been schooled in Japan,

因为在日本接受教育，

they soon began their service,

他们的工作很快上手，

translating captured documents,

进行扣押文件翻译

interrogating Japanese soldiers,

审问日本士兵，

and producing Japanese language propaganda

并制造意在说服敌军投降的

aimed at persuading enemy forces to surrender.

日语宣传口号

The brothers' work was invaluable to the war effort,

两兄弟的工作对战事的贡献无量，

providing vital strategic information

对日军的方位和人数

about the size and location of Japanese forces.

提供了关键的战术信息。

But they still faced discrimination and mistrust from their fellow soldiers.

但是他们仍然受到同伴的歧视和不信任。

Harry recalled an instance

哈里回想起有一回

where his combat gear was mysteriously misplaced

他的搏击装备在 降落在敌军地带前

just prior to parachuting into enemy territory,

被神秘的调换了，

with the white officer reluctant to give him a weapon.

而白人军官不情愿给他一支武器。

Nevertheless, both brothers continued to serve loyally

尽管如此，两兄弟始终 忠诚的为自己的国家服务

through the end of the war.

直到战争结束。

But Harry and Ken were not the only Akune brothers fighting in the Pacific.

但是哈里和建并非阿久跟家族 在太平洋作战的唯一两兄弟。

Unbeknownst to them, two younger brothers,

他们有所不知的是，他们的两个弟弟，

the third and fourth of the five Akune boys,

阿久跟家5兄弟中的 第三第四个儿子，

were serving dutifully in the Imperial Japanese Navy,

正在日本皇家海军服役。

Saburo in the Naval Airforce,

三弟在海军航空兵服役，

and 15-year-old Shiro as an orientation trainer for new recruits.

15岁的四郎为培训师 培训新征入伍的士兵。

When the war ended, Harry and Ken served in the allied occupational forces

战争结束后，哈里和建因为盟军效力

and were seen as traitors by the locals.

而被当地的日本人视为叛徒。

When all the Akune brothers gathered at a family reunion

当阿久跟家的兄弟时隔一载

in Kagoshima for the first time in a decade,

于鹿儿岛再聚一堂的时候，

it was revealed that the two pairs had fought on opposing sides.

两对兄弟在战场上各自为敌。

Tempers flared and a fight almost broke out

火气上升差点大打出手

until their father stepped in.

知道他们的父亲介入。

The brothers managed to make peace

兄弟之间能够和解

and Saburo and Shiro joined Harry and Ken in California,

三郎和四郎与哈里和建一起回到加州，

and later fought for the US Army in Korea.

在后来并肩为在韩国为美军效力。

It took until 1988 for the US government

知道1988年美国政府

to acknowledge the injustice of its internment camps

才承认囚禁营的非正义对待

and approve reparations payments to survivors.

并同意给生还者赔偿。

For Harry, though, his greatest regret was not having the courage

对哈里来说，最大的遗憾就是没有勇气

to thank his Japanese grand uncle who had taught him so much.

感谢培养他的日本大伯。

The story of the Akune brothers is many things:

阿久跟兄弟的故事展现了许多东西：

a family divided by circumstance,

一个家庭被环境分离，

the unjust treatment of Japanese Americans,

对美籍日本人的不公平对待，

and the personal struggle of reconciling two national identities.

以及和解双重国籍的个人奋斗

But it also reveals a larger story about American history:

但它同时揭示了美国历史更大的一面：

the oppression faced by immigrant groups and their perseverance in overcoming it.

外来移民群在美国面对的压迫 以及他们克服种种压迫的毅力。