“Water Spouting”

Waikiki was “one of those interesting landscapes which the eye of a meditative mind could long contemplate with new felt pleasure and move slowly over without wishing to quit its various and picturesque beauties” (83-84).

The Book

One of the most recognizable beaches in the world, Waikiki, also has a unique place in Hawaiian history and culture. Waikiki: 100 BC to 1900 AD – An Untold Story, by George S. Kanahele, relies on oral histories, historical sources, and natural and scientific evidence to recreate the people, place, and culture for the reader.

The first Polynesians arrived on the island of Oahu roughly 1800 years ago. They first landed at what is now Bellows Field, on the eastern side of the island, eventually making their way to Waikiki (Hawaiian for “water spouting”). These early settlers were self-sustaining family units who fished and farmed taro (a root vegetable). Author Kanahele recreates community life based on what is known about Hawaiian culture: the labor-intensive taro farming, the use of plants to create tools and clothing, and the integral role the gods played in daily life. Once the population grew, the need for chiefs arose. The chiefs loomed large over the history and culture of Hawaii, eventually leading to the royal lineage.

In 1400, King Maʻilikūkahi moved his capitol to Waikiki. He divided the land of Oahu into districts and had it surveyed. The region prospered under him and he was respected by all his subjects. The next 400 years were marked by both effective and ineffective chiefs. In 1795, the battle of Nuʻuanu unified the Hawaiian Islands under King Kamehameha I, who built his capitol and residence in Waikiki. Just one year later, Kona and Lahaina joined Waikiki as the shared capitols of the kingdom. The capitol permanently moved to Honolulu in 1809, because its harbor could better accommodate ships of all sizes.

The population of Waikiki quickly declined, due to wars among the people, disease brought by Europeans, and the loss of capitol city status, and the taro fields and buildings fell into disrepair. Waikiki soon was seen as a traditional rural community, compared to the city of Honolulu. However, by the 1860s, an improved road in between the cities elevated Waikiki to a seaside resort. The first primitive bathhouse opened in 1881 and the first beachside hotel in 1888, the start of commercial hospitality.

Waikiki: 100 BC to 1900 AD – An Untold Story balances legends, natural science, cultural practices, and history to create an engaging narrative. The chapters begin with an introductory paragraph and are divided into short, topical sections. Black and white photos and maps are interspersed throughout. While helpful, they are often not related to the chapter they are located in. Kanahele goes into more detail for some components, like taro farming, to provide more context to the reader. In some respects, Waikiki feels more like a book about Oahu or Hawaiian culture and how that impacts Waikiki.

The Place

Today, Waikiki is very different from the community of taro farmers and fishermen and it’s come a long way since the first primitive bathhouse opened. Hotels, restaurants, and shops line the shore and the beaches are crowded with vacationers.

When my family visited, we only had a few minutes to walk along the sand and take in the views of Diamond Head and the Pacific Ocean. We were on Fort DeRussy Beach, which is under the jurisdiction of the US Army. The beach and park are open to the public. Towards the edge of the park is a pier that juts out into the Pacific Ocean; it provides great views of Waikiki at the end.

*For additional locations see these blog posts:

    Island Fortress (Dec. 5, 2023)

    V-J Day (Aug. 17, 2021)

    Mistakes and Surprises at the Pacific Fleet (Oct. 29, 2019)

    The Last Hawaiian Monarch (March 12, 2019)

    United the Islands (Oct. 2, 2018)

    A Day that Will Live in Infamy (June 26, 2018)

“Island Fortress”

“The island of Oahu offered the best natural port in the Hawaiian Islands and once the US Navy committed to establishing a major base there, the Army was assigned and enthusiastically undertook the mission to defend this against all known threats” (4).

The Book

When most people hear “Pearl Harbor” their immediate reaction is to think of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, which caught the US Army and Navy by surprise. What people don’t realize is the amount of thought and work that went into fortifying the island of Oahu from a naval and amphibious landing attack, not an attack from the air. Defenses of Pearl Harbor and Oahu 1907-50 introduces the reader to that fortification process.

Initial defense plans were developed in 1901, taking advantage of Oahu’s natural features and focusing on coastal and land attacks. From 1907 to 1938, the Army spent $150 million on defenses. Batteries (gun emplacements) were built at strategic locations along the coast; eventually there would be fifteen. They were typically two stories of reinforced concrete, with large guns on the upper level and smaller guns on the lower level. In addition, both the Army and Navy built airfields and anti-aircraft defenses. After the surprise attack on December 7, 1941, underground facilities were built and naval turrets were adapted for coastal defense. Post-World War II, many of the defense sites were adapted for different uses by the Army and Navy. Most still exist today because they were built to withstand an attack and are too difficult to destroy.

Authors McGovern and Williford do a good job of describing the design and construction of the various defense mechanisms around Oahu. For the most part, the information is easy to follow and doesn’t get too technical. However, this book is definitely more for a niche audience: those interested in military history and defense. The photos and illustrations throughout the book have very clear and detailed captions. There are a handful of computer illustrations that provide a detailed look when a photo isn’t available or descriptive enough. I appreciated these, but sometimes found the captions hard to read (they were often black text on a dark background).

The Place

The US Army Museum of Hawaii is located in Battery Randolph, one of the batteries built to help defend Oahu. Visitors learn about a variety of topics related to the defense of the Hawaiian Islands. I really enjoyed the museum because of this variety. The building itself is unique, made out of reinforced concrete with no windows. Interspersed throughout exhibits are mannequins staged to operate the battery against attackers. Exhibits about Hawaiian warriors defending their island precedes exhibits on the work of the US Army to build up the island’s defense. The impact of World War II on the military, civilian population, and Japanese Americans is explored. Finally, visitors learn about the role Hawaii played during the Vietnam War.

If this is the type of museum you enjoy, I would recommend planning plenty of time. We stopped in, after another tour, and ended up rushing through the last parts. While it doesn’t appear to be a big museum, there is a lot of information packed in. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-5pm and admission is free. It is a part of Fort DeRussy and located in the heart of Waikiki. In fact, the famous beach is just on the other side of the battery.

V-J Day

"At 7:30am, the Japanese boarded the destroyer, which headed out into the enormous bay for the sixteen-mile run to the Missouri. On every side they could see the truly awesome might of the American Navy, which had converged from all parts of the Pacific and now crowded Tokyo Bay” (258).

The Book

What would have happened if the United States hadn’t dropped the atomic bomb? What if the Japanese military had succeeded in overthrowing the government and resisting surrender? We will never know the answers to these questions, but The Fall of Japan by William Craig does explore the final year of the war in the Pacific (fall 1944-fall 1945). In a sense, it can help the reader understand what could have happened.

In fall 1944, as the US began to take back the Pacific, the Imperial Army and Navy grew desperate in military strategy, a forewarning to what an invasion of Japan could bring. New Japanese leadership opened up back-channel diplomacy in secret, wary of the fanatical and extremist members of the military. At the same time, the US developed the atomic bomb and bomber crews began secret training. 

On July 26, 1945, the Potsdam Declaration requested immediate surrender from the Japanese or a promise of complete destruction. As the Japanese leaders deliberated, two atomic bombs were dropped in Japan and the leaders faced a new incentive to surrender. The Emperor broke the stalemate and directed leaders to accept the surrender terms. This decision ignited a coup among military leaders. While it didn’t last long, soldiers did take control of the palace and attacked several government members. The fanatical individuals still harbored ideas of a coup well into the discussions regarding US occupation of Japan. The US occupying force arrived in Japan on August 28 and the surrender documents were signed on September 2. The Fall of Japan closes with the crew of Bock’s Car (the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki) walking through Nagasaki and observing the damage to people and places. 

There is so much packed into this book and it is difficult to summarize all the threads. Brief side stories provide helpful context and an understanding for how history unfolded after the end of World War II. Craig pivots the narrative between Japanese and US perspectives, allowing the reader to feel like they are experiencing the moments: the mission to drop the atomic bombs, the aftermath of bomb in Nagasaki, the attempted coups by the Japanese military, the discussion of occupation, and the surrender on the USS Missouri. These pivots are interspersed with brief biographies of key players and a better sense of Japanese military culture. Quite a bit of time is dedicated to unpacking the struggle between those who wanted to surrender and those who didn’t. While I am not sure how accurate the dialogue is, it does help place the reader in the moment. Overall, the book is easy to read and includes many details and descriptions that were new to me.

The Place

When most people visit Hawaii, Pearl Harbor is at the top of their list. What most people (including myself) don’t realize is that, in the same harbor, rests a memorial to the start of America’s involvement in World War II and the ship that witnessed the end of World War II. The Battleship Missouri saw action in the Pacific Theater and witnessed the signing of the Japanese surrender documents. After World War II, the USS Missouri was used during the Korean War and Gulf War before becoming a history museum in Hawaii. 

When I visited, my family spent the morning touring the USS Arizona Memorial and exhibits dedicated to the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the afternoon, we drove over to Ford Island to tour the USS Missouri. This was a great way to experience the significance of these two attractions. We took the general tour that focused on the role of the USS Missouri in World War II. The tours conclusion is at the exact spot where the Japanese officially surrendered to the Allied forces. The location isn’t lost on visitors and one is reminded of the sacrifice made by thousands of men to get to that point. Following the tour, we took our time wandering throughout the decks, seeing what life was like on the “Mighty Mo” and learning more from permanent and temporary exhibits.

Due to COVID, hours are reduced and face coverings are required indoors/recommended outdoors. Tickets can be purchased online and the general tour is included. If a trip to Hawaii isn’t in your near future, virtual tours are available.

Mistakes and Surprises at the Pacific Fleet

“All in all, there was a sense that nothing truly bad could happen under the sun of Oahu, even if the Japanese did show up” (257).

The Book

The lead-up to the attack at Pearl Harbor is one of those times in American history where hindsight becomes twenty-twenty and everyone seems to have an opinion. Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack relies on eye witness accounts, news reports, and research to zero in on what happened. Author Steve Twomey opens with the Army Privates tasked with practicing their radar skills in northern Oahu the morning of December 7, 1941. The narrative choice was interesting because the reader already knows what is coming, but is still kept in suspense. The story then reverts back to February 1941, providing background information, before fast forwarding to the twelve days mentioned in the title.

On November 26, 1941, the Japanese fleet sailed for Pearl Harbor. Thirty ships traveled 3,150 miles in complete radio silence and managed to evade all detection. Meanwhile, in America, there was recognition that war would most likely come with Japan, but it would not be significant. The focus was on helping the Allies fight the Nazis in Europe and on the Atlantic Ocean. Both Navy ships and Army planes were sent to the Allies instead of Pearl Harbor; resulting in an inability to conduct daily searches around Oahu.

While the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise, there were several mistakes and miscues that may have helped the Pacific Fleet prepare. On November 27^th, a war warning was issued, but it didn’t name Pearl Harbor specifically. The Navy and Army weren’t synced in their defense plans, showing a need for one commander over the joint forces. Intelligence codes were not always shared and many Americans underestimated Japan because of racism and feelings of superiority.

Twomey takes a well-known topic, researchers it thoroughly, and sheds new light on it for the reader. One of the ways Twomey helps shed new light is his focus on the key players. The reader is able to get to know who the military leaders were, particularly naval, and their personalities. In addition, the narrative relies on first hand accounts from both significant leaders and everyday people. Finally, there is a seamless flow between descriptions of the people and the locales, building the suspense and drawing the reader into the story.

The Place
The draw for most visitors to Oahu is the USS Arizona Memorial; however, just across the loch is Ford Island and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, which are also rich with history and artifacts. Prior and during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Ford Island was home to Navy aircraft which were targeted by Japanese planes. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is housed in hangers that still have bullet holes in the windows. Inside the museum, visitors will learn about life on Hawaii prior to 1941 and then be immersed in the aviation Battle of the Pacific. The hangers are full of battle tested planes and larger than life maps (on the wall and floor) with special effects.

Ford Island is still an active military base, so visitors must ride the shuttle bus from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and no bags are allowed (for security reasons). Specific tours are available, or you can walk through the museum on your own. There is a General Admission fee. If you aren’t able to visit soon, the film Tora! Tora!Tora! provides a great visual companion to Countdown to Pearl Harbor. My family watched it after returning from our trip to Hawaii.