On this day, Jan. 19, in 1977, President Gerald Ford pardoned Iva Toguri, who had been convicted of treason for her World War II Japanese propaganda broadcasts as “Tokyo Rose.” Although American GI’s referred to all the women who hosted the radio program as “Tokyo Rose,” the nickname eventually became synonymous with the American-born Toguri after she was charged by federal prosecutors. Toguri, who aired such songs as “My Resistance Is Low,” asserted that she was forced into her role by authorities.
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After a long trial, a San Francisco jury found her guilty of treason. She was sentenced to 10 years.
American POWs she had helped during the war took up her cause to get a pardon. In 1977, Ford granted her clemency on the day before he left office. She died in 2006, at age 90.
— Scott McCabe
