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

譯者: Linda LEUNG 審譯者: Max Chern

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

在第二次世界大戰期間 有很多故事流傳下來

from the tragic to the inspring.

既有悲慘的，也有激勵人心的

But perhaps one of the most heartrending experiences

但是，或許其中最令人心碎的故事之一

was that of the Akune family,

就是阿久根家庭的故事

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

戰爭不僅讓他們互相敵對 同時也抵觸他們對自己身份的認同

Ichiro Akune and his wife Yukiye

阿久根一郎和他的妻子雪屋

immigrated to America from Japan in 1918

在 1918 年，由日本移民到美國

in search of opportunity,

為了追求更好機遇

opening a small grocery store in central California

他們在加州中部開了一家小雜貨店

and raising nine children.

並養育了9個子女

But when Mrs. Akune died in 1933,

然而在1933年，阿久根太太去世了

the children were sent to live with relatives in Japan,

他們的孩子被送回日本與親戚同住

their father following soon after.

而父親則隨後回國

Though the move was a difficult adjustment

雖然因為在美國出生和長大 使孩子難以適應這次大搬家

after having been born and raised in America,

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

但長子哈利與教他日語、日本文化 和價值觀的舅公建立了深厚的感情

who taught him the Japanese language, culture and values.

Nevertheless, as soon as Harry and his brother Ken

儘管如此，哈利和他兄弟阿肯

were old enough to work,

到了可以外出工作的年紀時

they returned to the country they considered home,

他們回到他們認定的家－美國

settling near Los Angeles.

並在洛杉磯附近定居

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

可是，1941年12月7日 發生了珍珠港事件

Now at war with Japan,

隨著向日本開戰

the United States government did not trust the loyalty

美國政府不相信那些

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

與敵國有血緣關係或親戚關係 的市民的忠誠

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

於1942年，約12萬 住在西岸的日裔美國人

were stripped of their civil rights

被褫奪公民權

and forcibly relocated to internment camps,

並被逼遷至拘留營

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

儘管他們大多數 都像哈利和阿肯一樣生於美國

American or dual citizens who had been born in the US

是第二代日裔美國人 或者持有雙重國籍的居民

to Japanese immigrant parents.

有著日本移民的父母

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

那對兄弟不僅只能 非常有限地和日本的親戚聯絡

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

還被監禁在科羅拉多州 一個遙遠的營地裏

But their story took another twist

不過他們的故事出現了另一個轉折--

when recruiters from the US Army's military intelligence service

美軍的陸軍情報局派出徵兵人員

arrived at the camp looking for Japanese-speaking volunteers.

來到這個營地 徵召會說日語的志願者

Despite their treatment by the government,

雖然政府如此對待他們

Harry and Ken jumped at the chance to leave the camp

哈利和阿肯仍急忙抓住 這可以離開營區的機會

and prove their loyalty as American citizens.

向政府證明他們作為美國公民的忠誠

Having been schooled in Japan,

他們曾在日本受過教育

they soon began their service,

很快便能開始他們的工作

translating captured documents,

包括翻譯擄獲的文件

interrogating Japanese soldiers,

審訊日軍

and producing Japanese language propaganda

和製造日文的宣傳

aimed at persuading enemy forces to surrender.

希望藉此說服敵軍投降

The brothers' work was invaluable to the war effort,

那對兄弟對這場戰爭的努力厥功至偉

providing vital strategic information

他們提供極其重要的

about the size and location of Japanese forces.

有關日軍數量和地點的戰略情報

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

但是他們依然受到 部隊同僚的歧視和不信任

Harry recalled an instance

哈利記得有一次

where his combat gear was mysteriously misplaced

在要跳傘到敵方陣地前一刻才發現

just prior to parachuting into enemy territory,

他的戰鬥裝備莫名其妙地不在原本位置

with the white officer reluctant to give him a weapon.

可是那白人軍官卻不太願意給他武器

Nevertheless, both brothers continued to serve loyally

儘管如此，這對兄弟還是盡忠職守

through the end of the war.

直到戰爭結束為止

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

不過哈利和阿肯不是唯一 在太平洋打仗的阿久根兄弟

Unbeknownst to them, two younger brothers,

他們不知道，其中兩個弟弟

the third and fourth of the five Akune boys,

阿久根五兄弟中的三弟和四弟

were serving dutifully in the Imperial Japanese Navy,

同時為日本帝國海軍效命

Saburo in the Naval Airforce,

三郎在海軍航空隊服役

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

而十五歲的四郎則在負責新兵培訓

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

二戰結束後 哈利和阿肯為盟軍佔領軍效力

and were seen as traitors by the locals.

被佔領區的日本人視為叛徒

When all the Akune brothers gathered at a family reunion

直到一次阿久根家族在鹿兒島團聚

in Kagoshima for the first time in a decade,

阿久根兄弟十年來首次聚在一起

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

方才知道兩對兄弟 分別為對立的敵方作戰

Tempers flared and a fight almost broke out

怒火燃起，他們幾乎打了起來

until their father stepped in.

幸好父親居中斡旋

The brothers managed to make peace

兄弟們達成和解

and Saburo and Shiro joined Harry and Ken in California,

而三郎和四郎也跟隨哈利和阿肯到加州

and later fought for the US Army in Korea.

之後也為美軍到韓國作戰

It took until 1988 for the US government

直至1988年

to acknowledge the injustice of its internment camps

美國政府才承認拘留營的不公平行為

and approve reparations payments to survivors.

然後對倖存者予以賠款補償

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

可是對哈利而言，他最大的遺憾卻是

當初沒有鼓起勇氣 向對他教導良多的日本舅公道謝

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

The story of the Akune brothers is many things:

阿久根兄弟的故事包含很多事情：

a family divided by circumstance,

因為時勢被拆散的家庭

the unjust treatment of Japanese Americans,

遭受不公平對待的日裔美國公民

and the personal struggle of reconciling two national identities.

和對於不知順從那一邊國籍的掙扎

But it also reveals a larger story about American history:

然而這故事顯示出 一部分美國歷史的更大層面：

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

移民所面對的壓迫 和他們克服壓迫中顯示的堅忍不拔