Didn't consider herself Japanese American
...considered her self an American - period.
...was a graduate of UCLA in southern California - Pre Med.
...Was born on the 4th of July. 1916 in Los Angeles, California - a true patriot -- never denying her alleigance to her country.
AND YET...
She was labeled a traitor, had her citizenship revoked, and spent 9 years in prison.
HER CRIME?
Being a woman who NEVER existed.
SHE...is my next musical!
Now that BACK IN THE WORLD is in the reading/workshop stages, I am turning my attention to a young woman who has haunted my life for 15 years.
Her name is Iva Toguri and if you know anything about the history of the war in the Pacific during World War II, you know her as Tokyo Rose...the sultry voiced, Japanese temptress who broadcast anti-American propaganda for radio Tokyo.
PROBLEM...Iva's voice was about as sexy as a wet mop, and THERE NEVER WAS a Tokyo Rose. Of the thirty Japanese, English speaking women who broadcast for radio Tokyo, NONE of them went by the name Tokyo Rose. AND, when interviewed, NOT ONE of those women knew who Tokyo Rose was.
Stay tuned, because as the lyrics of the opening song say,
"THERE AREN’T MANY LEFT WHO REMEMBER HER,
AND MOST LIKELY NONE OF YOU KNOW,
THE FASCINATING STORY,
OF A GIRL NAMED IVA TOGURI,
A true patriot,
turned into the traitorous myth,
that history called Tokyo Rose.
Thank you for reading my blog - Loren
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