Being married to a Japanese-American man with family ties to members of the 442nd, I really enjoyed this movie. It shows the racial prejudice and the formation of changing attitudes towards these very brave Japanese-American soldiers. The most decorated military unit in United States history, made completely up of Japanese-American volunteers, they were so eager to prove their patriotism to the rest of America. I was most impressed with the fact that the film featured many of the actual veterans of the 442nd, and included real footage of the men receiving their honors.
The movie begins with the introduction of a Lieutenant Grayson, who gets assigned to be in charge of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Trying to get out of it because of his preconceived prejudices, he steps into this position resentful and angry. Starting with basic training, he makes them feel inferior every chance he gets. Towards the end, he comes to the realization that these men are actually more dedicated soldiers than he is.
Parts of the film were hard to watch. It tells the story of the pain that they endured being separated from their families, the lack of support they had from many of their superiors, and the lack of support they had from the American population in general.
