HAWAII'S WAR YEARS 1941-1945

For the record, this is a definitive study of Hawaii from every conceivable angle during the years between Pearl Harbor and V-J Day. Perhaps the most newsworthy angle of the book is the exploration of every type of charge of espionage, sabotage, and other aspects of action against the U.S. In virtually no instance was suspicion justified. The Japanese record in the Hawaiian Island was excellent one, and their acceptance of the breaking up of families, the internment camps (with few exceptions), the loss of livelihood was part of their evidence of loyalty to their adopted country. Here is a detailed story of December 7th, 1941, of the subsequent period of terror; of the too-prolonged martial law; of organization for civilian defense, for internal security. Here, too, is the story of industrial activities, of shifts in production, of the labor situation, the housing situation, of the meaning of Hawaii as a recreation spot for the military, of the intensive training centers for amphibious warfare, and of other facets in this Pacific fortress area. The facts are all here, competently organized and presented. But the almost complete lack of human interest material, of anecdote, of drama and color makes it a rather pedantic piece of research presentation. That this is not inevitable in minutely detailed phases of the war is evidenced by such war histories as those written by Morison and Karig. But anyone in future writing of Hawaii's war years will find this a goldmine of information.