Between the years of 1947 and 1964, over 46,000 “war brides” emigrated to the United States from Japan after marriage to U.S. servicemen. The G.I. Fiancees Act passed by Congress in 1946 allowed servicemen to bring their Japanese wives home and provided an important exception to the overall ban on Japanese immigration imposed by the Johnson-Reed Act from 1924 until 1952.
This series of films serves as a fascinating artifact from this period. Shot by the U.S. Army, the footage features a Japanese wife speaking directly to the camera about her experiences in her new country. Shot at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, the film clearly was intended to be sent back to Japan.