"A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America" by Ronald Takaki

Essay by MarkHensHigh School, 12th gradeA-, July 2006

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Takaki talked about the different minority groups about how they struggled during World War II, and how they contributed in winning this war. Jews, Japanese, Chinese, Mexicans, and African Americans were mainly discussed about how they were treated in American society during that time of the war, and how it integrates with the inequality factors they have faced even though they contributed with patriotism to this land called America.

Takaki talks about Hitler, and the genocide of Jews throughout Europe. With the genocide of Jews he talks briefly about life in the concentrations camps. This racism from Hitler also has an effect of racism in America. Takaki brilliantly showed examples of racism through Hitler and Jews, and he ties in together the racism with Japanese Americans, and how America put them in concentrations camps. Japanese American soldiers contributed their translations skills for the war, yet their people in the west coast were treated as prisoners.

He ties in how Chinese Americans contributions to the war, many of them helped factory planes, and ships yet with their efforts, Chinese quota immigrants were not raised (Takaki Pg 387) unlike Europeans where their immigration quotas were raised (Takaki Pg 375). American Indian soldiers also contributed to the war, they were used as code talker, and American Indians back home bought war bonds to support the war, and throughout the ages after America took this land from them; they were considered heroes after contributing their efforts to the war. Mexican Americans contributed in the war from their harvesting skills, yet they were discriminated in Texas, and forced to live in different districts away from Whites. African Americans joining the military were increasing from both men and women, yet they were still discriminated in everyday society.

Using the 3 Sociological Perspectives, Functionalist - Minorities...