I had no idea

Stephen Hunter writes another great review (big surprise) of "The Great Raid," which is based on Hampton Sides' amazing book, "Ghost Soldiers."


Check out why Hunter likes "The Great Raid," and then notice what an amazing piece of history he puts in. It's unbelievable.

The best thing about the film is its -- no phrase existing, I'll make up a barbaric neologism -- "World War IIness." That is, both generically and at the level of execution, it has far more to do with '40s movies than with modern ones, which is to its benefit, not its disadvantage. By subcategory, it's what's called a "unit tribute," in which the organizational entity itself is the hero, not the individual members of it. This was a staple of immediate postwar moviemaking, all but gone now save for throwbacks like this one. The best may have been "Go for Broke," the story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, made of Japanese Americans who, despite their parents' incarceration in internment camps, were the most heavily decorated unit in U.S. history. The idea is that the men, somehow, are less important than the traditions and nobility and can-do, mission-oriented spirit of the outfit, and they are heroic to the degree that they submit to its discipline, master its culture, do as it directs and suffer the consequences with utmost humility.

The most heavily decorated unit in U.S. history? Why haven't we heard about them before?



A South Carolina University website says this: "Despite the rampant racism towards Japanese Americans during this period, many volunteers felt that if there was to be any future for Japanese in the United States, they had to demonstrate their loyalty by fighting for their country."

Here are some other websites about the "go for broke" boys.

http://www.goforbroke.org/history/history_historical_veterans_442nd.asp

http://www.katonk.com/442nd/442nd.htm

http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/nisei/index3_442nd.html

http://www.njahs.org/research/442.html