Iva Toguri D'Aquino was a Japanese American who lived in Los Angeles and traveled to Japan in 1941. After the outbreak of World War II, she remained in Japan, where she eventually found work as a broadcaster for the Japanese radio, notably under the name 'Tokyo Rose.' Her broadcasts, in English, aimed to dishearten American troops by conveying messages of defeat and despair. Although she was attempting to influence the morale of the American military, her identity and activities were politically charged given the era's harsh sentiments toward Japanese individuals. Following Japan's surrender, U.S. authorities arrested Toguri in Yokohama in 1945 based on her suspected role in propaganda efforts during the war.

The arrest spurred a high-profile trial that began in 1949, highlighting the complexities surrounding loyalty and identity in the Japanese American community in the post-war era. The prosecution argued that she had acted treasonously, while her defense maintained that she had merely been trying to survive in a hostile environment. The trial received extensive media coverage, reflecting broader public sentiment about the war and its aftermath. Despite being found guilty on one count of treason, eventually she was sentenced to ten years in prison but was released after serving six years. Toguri's case later gained attention as a symbol of the injustice faced by Japanese Americans during World War II.