Celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month 

May 24, 2019

The U.S. Government Publishing Office invites you to celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month by showcasing the achievements and cultural traditions of Asian Americans.

In this blog post, the U.S. Government Bookstore will feature a few curated titles from our Asian resources collection. In this collection, you will find an assortment of publications about foreign policy and international relations.

Here are a few hand-selected titles for your consideration, education, and enjoyment:

Learn about elected Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Congress, serving from 1900–2017 in this free ePub download. You will find biographical profiles as well as photos and key legislation of your elected Asian and Pacific Islander American officials.

The Mayaguez Crisis: Mission Command and Civil-Military Relations. This award-winning title was selected as a featured item for the Notable Government Documents 2018. The Library Journal wrote that the publication is “A fresh look into the 1975 Mayaguez Crisis, during which Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge seized the U.S. container ship, SS Mayaguez. It goes on to say that the author places the conflict into the wider global and historical context of trade, domestic presidential politics, and lingering legacies and frustrations surrounding the Vietnam War. The work includes more than 50 pages of endnotes, making it an excellent research document.”

Indonesia: A Country Study. In this text, you will learn about the geography of Indonesia, as well as the population and communities within its social class and civil society. This text also covers government, politics, employment, income, and the global economy of Indonesia. If you are considering a summer trip to Indonesia or wish to learn about peoples, and government, this publication is for you.

The Asia- Pacific Century: Challenges and Opportunities. This resource presents an expert panel of contributing authors to present their views of China’s growing influence in the region as its economic stability symbolizes a power of strength. The text, illustrated with charts and graphs, highlights Asia’s expansion into global trade while also increasing its military capabilities that may have an impact on future negotiations, especially in the area of nuclear arms and nonproliferation. You will gain some insights about Korean unification and strategic partnerships with India and Russia as a method to strengthen its energy interdependence. One of the recurring themes highlighted in this book is the U.S. Air Force’s evolving role to build positive relationships in efforts to increase diplomacy within the Asia-Pacific region as an alternative approach to meet a geopolitical strategy.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Visit our Retail Store: To buy or order a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up(s).

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publications and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, ProQuest, and more.

Leave a Comment » | Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, Minorities | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Family, Patriotism & Sacrifice

May 4, 2016

May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and May 8th is the 71st anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day).  If there ever was a good opportunity to talk about a Japanese-American family’s experience during World War II, it would be right now, in this blog post. The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) and author Matthew Elms retell the saga of three brothers who nobly fought alongside one another in World War II.

052-088-00001-1When the Akimotos Went to War: An Untold Story of Family, Patriotism and Sacrifice During World War II

Hardworking and California-bred, brothers Victor, Johnny, and Ted Akimoto grew up with the sparkle of the American dream in their eyes. Then the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor happened. It got under their skin and into their heads. One by one, they joined the fight.

Victor, the eldest brother and first to enlist, reported to duty in frosty Fort Warren, Wyoming. He eschewed anti-Japanese hysteria and sent cheering letters to his devoted family. Despite stacked odds, Victor was eventually promoted to infantryman. Younger brothers Johnny and Ted soon joined him in the 100th Infantry Battalion, a mostly first generation Japanese-American, or Nisei, unit.

Victor (left) and Johnny Akimoto (right) at camp Shelby, 1943 (Akimoto Family Collection)

Victor (left) and Johnny Akimoto (right) at camp Shelby, 1943 (Akimoto Family Collection)

The Akimoto clan battled two enemies: the Axis Powers and racial tension. Suspicion of Japanese-Americans grew. When the government froze the family bank accounts, they lived off remittances from their soldier-sons. Then they were forcibly confined to internment camps around the country. The family was split up but not beaten. They remained resolute in the hope that if men like their Victor, Johnny, and Ted “could serve bravely in the armed forces, then perhaps America would finally move beyond seeing people of Asian descent as a different people, a different race, and just see them as patriotic Americans.”

Ted Akimoto, c. 1945 (Akimoto Family Collection)

Ted Akimoto, c. 1945 (Akimoto Family Collection)

On the fields of Europe and in military camps, three brothers gave themselves to “the greatest cause a man can give his life for,” as Victor wrote in a letter to his family. While their family sat in internment camps, the brothers ducked the whoosh of artillery. Pinned in by Germans on all sides, they steered their G.I. brethren to safety. In the face of crushing loss, as Ted wrote, “no matter what the cost, we have to make this world a better place.”

The Akimotos lived out the belief that there is no more important role than citizen, no more important act than service.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

 Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Our guest blogger is Chelsea Milko, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

Leave a Comment » | Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, World War II | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

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