In 1942, the Japanese military invaded America. They occupied the Aleutian island of Attu for nearly two years. Some of the occupants of the island were killed during the invasion; the rest were removed to an island off Japan and held there for the remainder of the war. This much is fact, although most Americans don't know about it. The War Journal of Lila Ann Smith is a work of fiction. It is, however, based on extensive research and study of this historical event. The author has interviewed several of the survivors of the invasion. Lila Ann Smith is based on a real person, the only Caucasian woman living in Attu at the time of the invasion.