A recent public talk at the University of 麻豆传媒 at 惭ā苍辞补 shed light on the decades-long fight for justice by Filipino veterans of World War II and the role of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye in advocating for their rights.
On February 27, Colin Moore, associate professor in the College of Social Sciences, presented “Soldiers of a Forgotten Empire: Filipino Veterans and the Politics of Denial,” exploring how more than 200,000 Filipino veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces were denied promised benefits under the Rescission Act of 1946.
His talk examined the plight of Filipino veterans within the broader context of U.S. imperialism and the Cold War, while tracing Inouye’s decades-long efforts to secure justice. Letters written by veterans to Inouye reveal their frustration, anger and disappointment.
Moore’s work draws from extensive archival research, including visits to the National Archives and Records Administration, the Clinton Presidential Library, and the Daniel K. Inouye Papers housed in Hamilton Library’s .
The presentation was followed by a discussion among in-person and Zoom attendees, many of whom had personal connections to Filipino veterans who struggled to access promised benefits.
Neil Abercrombie, UH Regent and former governor, shared his perspective on advocating for Inouye’s redress legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. are also available to researchers at Hamilton Library.
The hybrid event was organized by the and co-sponsored by UH 惭ā苍辞补 and the Daniel K. Inouye Institute (DKI). Moore’s research is part of the , supported by the Inouye Institute.
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