The Train to Crystal City : : Fdr's Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America's Only Family Internment Camp During World War II

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Call Number: Adult Book / Nonfiction / History / United States / General / Russell, Jan Jarboe
On Shelf At: Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / History / United States / General / Russell, Jan Jarboe	4-week checkout	On Shelf

Without trial. New enemies ; Eleanor vs. Franklin ; Strangers in a small Texas town -- Destination: Crystal City. Internment without trial ; A family renunion ; The hot summer of '43 ; "Be patient" ; To be or not to be an American ; Yes-yes, no-no ; A test of faith ; The birds are crying --The equation of exchange. Trade bait ; The false passports ; Under fire ; Into Algeria ; The all-American camp ; Shipped to Japan ; Harrison's second act -- The road home. After the war ; Beyond the barbed wire ; The train from Crystal City.

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Fantastic submitted by jgryniewicz on June 18, 2016, 9:28pm Great book that shows some of the struggles of both German-American and Japanese-American families during WWII. An important piece of history.

The Train to Crystal City submitted by leighsprauer on June 19, 2023, 7:51am The Train to Crystal City is the remarkable history of the internment of people of Japanese and German ancestry at a camp in Crystal City, Texas. As the only camp designed for families, it had perhaps a higher percentage of American citizens interned, since the American families of those deemed a threat 'voluntarily' chose to join their fathers in the camp rather than be separated. It also served as a camp for those awaiting repatriation as exchange prisoners: both Japan and Germany exchanged 'valuable' (i.e., either American citizen or vulnerable POWs) prisoners for American-held prisoners. It was also the site of internment for 'enemy' non-American citizens: Latin-Americans of Japanese or German ancestry were brought from their home countries both because of alleged security risks that they posed, and to serve as exchange prisoners.
I gave this book 3 stars primarily because the topic is interesting and important, and I learned a lot about the process of internment during WWII. Russell has clearly researched extensively, and moreover, does a good job presenting both the personal stories and the historical context. It did not warrant a higher rating primarily because of the writing, which was lackluster at best. If Russell were a bright middle-schooler, I could excuse the simple and uninspired writing, but I can't recommend it.