In this Book
- Memories of War: Micronesians in the Pacific War
- Book
- 2008
- Published by: University of Hawai'i Press
summary
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.
Table of Contents
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- Island Names
- pp. ix-x
- Introduction
- pp. 1-5
- Part I. Backgrounds
- Chapter 1. “Micronesia”
- pp. 9-19
- Part II. Micronesian Understandings of the Pacific War
- Chapter 3. The Meaning of War
- pp. 39-43
- Chapter 4. The Shock of War
- pp. 44-71
- Chapter 5. Hardship and Suffering
- pp. 72-87
- Chapter 6. Combat Experiences
- pp. 88-100
- Part III. Micronesian Vantage Points
- Chapter 7. “It Was Not Our War”
- pp. 103-117
- Chapter 8. The Typhoon of War
- pp. 118-126
- Chapter 9. Questions of Loyalty
- pp. 127-151
- Part IV. Cultural Themes in Micronesian Wartime Narratives
- Chapter 11. Some Micronesian Preoccupations
- pp. 169-185
- Chapter 12. Greetings and Farewells
- pp. 186-215
- Part V. Conclusions
- Chapter 14. “The Great Airplane”
- pp. 228-239
- References
- pp. 257-265
Additional Information
ISBN
9780824863586
Related ISBN(s)
9780824831301, 9780824859039
MARC Record
OCLC
257467550
Launched on MUSE
2012-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No