Infamy to Greatness
Yesterday’s headline:
“When hundreds of Japanese planes bombed American service members and civilians on U.S. soil on Dec. 7, 1941 – killing more than 2,400 – America was an "isolated, quiet, withdrawn" nation,” Craig Nelson, "Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness."
This sums up what I was taught about Pearl Harbor, and subsequent generations were taught similar scenarios. As a history teacher I liked to take up alternative views, you know, shake it up so students think for themselves more than merely regurgitating quotes, or relying on just me. “A day that will live in infamy,” said FDR following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
One day, I told students I was going to take the Japanese perspective. Like, “What was a US military base doing on Islands so close to Japan before Hawaii was even a US state?” I asked, noting Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959. Pearl Harbor was 1941. And for dramatic effect I did some research on the US annexation of Hawaii beginning in 1898. I can report- it was Brutal!
Interesting read though; Deposed Monarchs, a ”Bayonet Constitution,” bloody anti-US rebellions, Queen Liliʻuokalani’s lawsuit against the US; Queen Liliʻuokalani imprisonment by the US; replaced by new US leadership in Hawaii.. Sanford Dole.
Delima. Clearly there was more to the story than I had learned in school. Clearly it made more sense. I get so excited when things make sense to me beyond what I thought I knew. Problem is, I usually don’t get to share that excitement reciprocally. People don’t want to hear it. Playing the victim and then the hero feels more encouraging and more honorable than, not? Why teach the bummer stuff?
Consequently, the US went to war, imprisoned thousands of Japanese-Americans, forced Hawaii into statehood, made US business monopolies, like Dole very rich- while indigenous peoples struggle:
“Let me reiterate: Native Hawaiians, the first people to live in Hawaii, currently ‘have the highest poverty rates for individuals and families’ in Hawaii. This is a tragedy and a travesty that those of us in Hawaii who aren’t Native Hawaiian ignore at our peril.” Mauitime, 2016
The Legacy continues. Imperialistic interventions, an inevitable attack, a call to avenge ‘the enemy’, invade, more interventions- repeat.
“Those who do not learn history….”
And that is the crux of my ‘issue’ here. Not that these things happened. I’m more curious than judgie. I wasn’t even born, I just like seeing patterns and piecing facts together. What infuriates me is the lack of teaching in-depth content; the lack of relevant, meaningful lessons. Resorts might look differently to a student tourist. They may be more thoughtful when eating pineapple. Eat it, don’t eat it, is not for me to say, but at least think. What makes me sad is the lack of time I could have had collaborating with other teachers (those interested), creating fantastic lessons. Oy, the time.
“From Infamy to Greatness.” Oh, I know what you mean Craig, but I wonder who is really the infamous here. I wonder who’s definition of ‘greatness’ we might otherwise consider. That is the philosopher talking.
The history teacher/ wanna be lawyer in me has an objection. “America was an ‘isolated, quiet, withdrawn’ nation.” Wrong. It will take more than this puny ‘blog’ and probably longer than your book to explain, but what you are teaching is problematic, flattering, but problematic. Again, no judgment about the past, but if we are intent on not teaching it, we are indeed doomed to repeat it.
https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/hawaii-petition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lili%CA%BBuokalani
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/japanese-american-relocation
https://mauitime.com/news/politics/new-state-report-details-ugly-truths-about-race-in-hawaii/