The typhoon of war : Micronesian experiences of the Pacific war / Lin Poyer, Suzanne Falgout, Laurence Marshall Carucci.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

Poyer, Lin, 1953-

Contributor:

Falgout, Suzanne.

Carucci, Laurence Marshall, 1949-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Micronesia (Federated States).

World War, 1939-1945.

Micronesia--History.

Micronesia.

History.

World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations, American.

Physical Description:

xiii, 493 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Honolulu : University of Hawai'i Press, [2001]

Summary:

World War II was a watershed event for the people of the former Japanese colonies of Micronesia. The Japanese military build-up, the conflict itself, and the American occupation and control of the conquered islands brought rapid and dramatic changes to Micronesian life. Whether they spent the war in caves and bomb shelters, in sweet potato fields under armed Japanese guard, or in their own homes, Micronesians who survived those years recognize that their peoples underwent a major historical transformation. Like a typhoon, the war swept away a former life.

The Typhoon of War combines archival research and oral history culled from more than three hundred Micronesian survivors to offer a comparative history of the war in Micronesia. It is the first book to develop Islander perspectives on a topic still dominated by military histories that all but ignore the effects of wartime operations on indigenous populations. The authors explore the significant cultural meanings of the war for Island peoples, for the events of the war are the foundation on which Micronesians have constructed their modern view of themselves, their societies, and the wider world. Their recollections of those tumultuous years contain a wealth of detail about wartime activities, local conditions, and social change, making this an invaluable reference for anyone interested in twentieth-century Micronesia. Photographs, maps, and a detailed chronology will help readers situate Micronesian experiences within the broader context of the Pacific War.

Contents:

Island names ix

Chapter 1 War in the Japanese Mandated Islands of Micronesia: An Introduction 1

Chapter 2 Before the War: Islander Life in the Japanese Mandate 15

Chapter 3 The First Phase of War Preparations: Springboards for Japanese Expansion 33

Chapter 4 Defensive Preparations: The Japanese Military Takes Charge 73

Chapter 5 The Second Road to Tokyo 117

Chapter 6 Life on the Bypassed Islands 169

Chapter 7 The End of War 230

Chapter 8 Inaugurating American Rule 276

Chapter 9 The Legacy of War 315

Appendix A List of Participants in Oral History Interviews, 1990-1991 357

Appendix B Chronology of World War II in Micronesia (West Longitude Dates) 365.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 433-464) and index.

ISBN:

0824821688

OCLC:

43648726