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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.
Micronesians often liken the Pacific War to a typhoon, one that
swept away their former lives and brought dramatic changes to their
understandings of the world and their places in it. Whether they
spent the war in bomb shelters, in sweet potato fields under the
guns of Japanese soldiers, or in their homes on atolls sheltered
from the war, Micronesians who survived those years know that their
peoples passed through a major historical transformation. Yet
Pacific War histories scarcely mention the Islanders across whose
lands and seas the fighting waged. Memories of War sets out to the
fill that historical gap by presenting the missing voices of
Micronesians and by viewing those years from their perspectives.
The focus is on Micronesian remembrances-the ritual commemorations,
features of the landscape, stories, dances, and songs that keep
their memories of the conflict alive. The inclusion of numerous and
extensive interviews and songs is an important feature of this
book, allowing Micronesians to speak for themselves about their
experiences. In addition, they also reveal distinctively
Micronesian cultural memories of war. Memories of War preserves
powerful and poignant memories for Micronesians; it also
demonstrates to students of history and culture the extent to which
cultural practices and values shape the remembrance of personal
experience.
Micronesians often liken the Pacific War to a typhoon, one that
swept away their former lives and brought dramatic changes to their
understandings of the world and their places in it. Yet Pacific War
histories scarcely mention the Islanders across whose lands and
seas the fighting waged.""Memories of War"" sets out to fill that
historical gap by presenting the missing voices of Micronesians and
by viewing those years from their perspectives. The focus is on
Micronesian remembrances - the ritual commemorations, features of
the landscape, stories, dances, and songs that keep their memories
of the conflict alive. The inclusion of numerous and extensive
interviews and songs is an important feature of this book, allowing
Micronesians to speak for themselves about their experiences. In
addition, they also reveal distinctively Micronesian cultural
memories of war.
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