*** World War II Pacific naval campaigns -- Pearl Harbor








Pearl Harbor: Hawaiian Population

Pearl Harbor Japanese populastion
Figure 1.--Hawaiia at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack had a nostly Asian/Pacific population, Japanese, Filipino, and native Hawaiian. The largst single ethnic group was Japanese descened from immigrants arriving mostly in the 19th centurybefore the United States annexed the Islands. A large majority were U.S. citizens. Unlike the Japanese Americans on the Pacific coast, they were not interned during the War. This little Honolulu girl was caught in the middle of the attack. "All That the Japs Left Her of Her Doll: Little Toshie Oda, 2 years old, clutches all that the Japanese left of her once-pretty doll, after the firey armada and bombed and machine-gunned Honolulu, Dec. 7." The photograph is dated December 26, 1941.

Hawaii today is the only American state in which the largest segment of the population is of Asian origins. The Asian portion of the population has declined in recent years, but primarily because of inter-mariage. Nearly a quarter of the Hawaiian population now has ancestry including two or more ethnic origins. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, the single most important ethnic group was Japanese, about a third of the population. These were the ancestors of the substantial emigration from Japan during the period of the Hawaiian Kingdom during the 19th century before the Islands wee annexed by the United States. The first Japanese in Hawaii are believed to have arrived aboard a damaged ship (1806). It was somewhat controversial at the time, primarily on the part of the new Japanese Meiji monarchy. The Imperial Government was concerned that the emogration if so many Japanese laborors to Hawaiia would lower the image of the Japanese nation around the world. The Imperial Goverment for a time actually banned futher emigration (1869-85). King David Kalākaua visited Japan to arrange for an end to the ban and a royal marriage for one of his daughters. In the background was a desire to establish international connections to balance growing American power. The United States helped negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War (1905-06). As part of the extensive diplomatic contacts, American and Japanese diplomats also negotiated a series of notes, collectively known as the Gentlemen's Agreement (1906-07). This was never legislted, but became Government policy. The result was to stop the further immigration of Japanese workers. The Japanese Government agreed to control emigration from Japan. The agreement did not legally ban Japanese immigration, as the Chinese Exclusion Act had done, but in practical terms Japanese emigration ended. But there was already a substantial Japanese population in Hawaii and California. In Califormnia it was a small percentage, in Hawaii the Japanese had become the largest ethnic group on the island. . It is at this time that Fiipinos began to become an important part of the Hawaiian populaton. The Philippines at the time was an American Commonwealth which continued to be the case until after World War II. As a result, of the Japanese emigration to Hawaii, the large Japanese population on Hawaii was of concern to American military commanders as Japan and America moved toward war. The disposition of American aircraft when the Japanese struck was more aimed at preventing sabotage than repulsing a Japanese attack. Even though Hawaiia was under real threat of invasion, the Japanese on the islands were never interned vlike the Japanese on the mainland where there was much less of a threat.

Hawaiian Population

Hawaii today is the only American state in which the largest segment of the population is of Asian origins. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack some 460,000 people lived on the Hawaiian islands. The single most important ethnic group was Japanese, about a third of the population. This was some 160,000 poople and all concentrted on the tiny Hawiian Islands. This was larger than the 120,000 japanese on the Pacific coast of the mainland. The Asian portion of the population has declined in recent years, primarily because of inter-mariage. Nearly a quarter of the Hawaiian population now has ancestry including two or more ethnic origins. Yhe Hawaiian Islnd were unique in that it was he only targeted territory that had a substantial Japanese ethnic population. This was in shrp contrast to the Germans which had ethnic communities thrioughout Eastern Euriopoe, even the Soviet Union.

Hawaiian Kingdom

These were the ancestors of the substantial emigration from Japan during the period of the Hawaiian Kingdom during the 19th century before the Islands wee annexed by the United States. The first Japanese in Hawaii are believed to have arrived aboard a damaged ship (1806). It was somewhat controversial at the time, primarily on the part of the new Japanese Meiji monarchy. The Imperial Government was concerned that the emogration if so many Japanese laborors to Hawaiia would lower the image of the Japanese nation around the world. The Imperial Goverment for a time actually banned futher emigration (1869-85). King David Kalākaua visited Japan to arrange for an end to the ban and a royal marriage for one of his daughters. In the background was a desire to establish international connections to balance growing American power.

American Policy

The United States hd been considering the annexation of Hawaiia for soime timr. Presidenst Benjamin Harrison and Grover Cleveland differed on annexation. President Harrisonm sctually moved to annex the Islands, but President Cleveland actually ordered the queen restored to power. The provisional government controlled by the planters abd missionries rejected the order and declared republic. President William MccLinnin waffeled on anexation, but as aesult of the Soanish Anerican War finally supported annexation (1898). At this point Japanrse immigration became an issue. The United States helped negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War (1905-06). As part of the extensive diplomatic contacts, American and Japanese diplomats also negotiated a series of notes, collectively known as the Gentlemen's Agreement (1906-07). This was never legislated, but became Government policy. The result was to stop the further immigration of Japanese workers. The Japanese Government agreed to control emigration from Japan. The agreement did not legally ban Japanese immigration, as the Chinese Exclusion Act had done, but in practical terms Japanese emigration ended. But there was already a substantial Japanese population in Hawaii and California. In Califormnia it was a small percentage, in Hawaii the Japanese had become the largest ethnic group on the island.

The Phillipine Islands

The Philippine Islbnds was also aquired as result of the Spanish American War (1898). Unlike the Hawaiian Islands, the Philippines were not annexed. It is at this time that Fiipinos began to become an important part of the Hawaiian populaton. The Philippines at the time was an American Commonwealth which continued to be the case until after World War II.

Pearl Harbor: Treatment of Jappanese-Americans (December 1941-January 1942)

As a result, of the Japanese emigration to Hawaii, the large Japanese population on Hawaii was of concern to American military commanders as Japan and America moved toward war. The disposition of American aircraft when the Japanese struck was more aimed at preventing sabotage than repulsing a Japanese attack. Even though Hawaiia was under real threat of invasion, the Japanese on the islands were never interned like the Japanese on the mainland where there was much less of a threat. They were exempted from President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 (February 1942). As a result of the Pearl Harbor attack, the U.S. Army instituted martial law including the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. This was not done on the Pacific coast mainland. This gave the Military authorities significant powers over both aliens and citizens. This did not occur on the mainland. But the Jaspnese on Hawaiia were not interned which is suroprising as the real threat was to the Islands and not the Mainland. The fear of a Japanse invasion of Hawaiia was very real. As was the possible internment and relocation of the Japanese population. President Roosevelt appointed the Roberts Commission to determine what caused the Pearl Harbor disaster (December 1941). It was chaired by Supreme Court Jusiced Owen Roberts branded Japanese-Americans as disloyal. Besides investigating the militar respomse, they also addressed the loyalty of Japanese Americans. While testimomy on this was conflicting, the published report only included language condeming Japanese-Americans. This would be a factor leading to internment on the Mainland. It significntly affected public opinion. President Roosevelt and Navy Secretary Frank Knox and were reprtedly prepred the Japanese on Hawaiia the same as on the Mainland. The needed shipping may have been a factor in delying the decision. The impact of shipping off a third of the Islands' workforce may have also been a factor --wokets needed for building Pearl's defenses and huge construction of facilities need for the rapidly expanding Pacific Fleet. Apparently pre-war investigations conducted by Army and FBI officials on the Islands appear to have convinmced the investigsators that they had identified the small number whose loyalty was suspect. Shortly before the Japanese attack, Gen. Walter Short, the Army Commandedr in Hawaiia had stated as long as they were loyal, the Japanese population would not be targetd. Lt. Gen. Delos C. Emmons reaffirmed this appraoch (December 21, 1941). A careful investigation after the attack confirmed there had been no sabotage. Other factors resulted in a totally different policy in Hawaiia. Here Gen. Emmons played a key role.

Midway (June 1942)

The Japanese were back, 6 months after the Pearl Harbor attack. Admiral Yamanoto's war plan was premised on the expectation that thde United states after substabtil defeats would seek a negitited peace. Even after sufferung serious defeats, however, the Americans were showing no interest in negotiating and even bombed Japan--the Doolittle Raid (April 1942). Yamamoto's response was to redouble efforts to destroy the Americam carriers and begin to move toward Hawaiia. He thus planned the Midway battle as a trap for the Ameriacn carriers. Yamamoto saw the Hawaiian non-Japanees population as an impotant potential bargaining chip. Presumably he would have assimilted the Japanese population. Seizing Midway was the first step in invading the Hawaiian Islands. If he had destroyed the American carriers, the Imperial Fleet cold hve isolted the Hawaiian Islands, meaning the United states could noy hve suppled Hawaiia. The Islands were not self suffuicient in food and the situation food deliveries wold have become dire given all the military reinforcements that had been rushed to bolster the defenses. In addition without oil continued pol deliveries, Pearl's naval and air defenses would have been ineddective. In addition, Australia would have been cut off without Pearl anbd the completion of the planned Japanese FS operation.







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Created: 1:50 AM 12/19/2016
Last updated: 9:37 PM 7/17/2022