Rumors

In 1941, the main source of information was newspapers. There was no "instant" communication or televising of a war. Facts traveled slowly, from person to person, and often, like a game of telephone, the facts were mutilated. You've got to picture a community in fear of being invaded by a ruthless enemy. The telephone lines were down, the radio broadcasts were being censored by the Military Governor, martial law was imposed. There were blackouts, curfews, and rationing. Smoke from fires from Pearl Harbor smoldered for weeks, and the rubble of civilian damage remained for months. Rumors flew.

There were rumors of mass deportation of Japanese to Kahoolawe where they would be left to starve. (Check the article on Kahoolawe at wikipedia. It is an unihabited island which cannot independently support human life.)

Rumors of Japanese being interned on Molokai at the Leprosy Settlement.(If you'd like to read more about the leprosy settlement, read about Kalaupapa. There are several excellent books about the subject including Gavan Daws's HOLY MAN, O.A.Bushnell's MOLOKAI, and D.N. Buckingham's MY NAME IS LOA.)

Rumors of Filipinos sharpening machete in the fields to kill Japanese workers.

Rumors of the water supply of Oahu being poisoned.

Rumor of mass evacuation of all Japanese to concentration camps caused frantic buying of trunks, suitcases and clothing.

Rumors that all the Japanese maids who worked at Pearl Harbor officers’ families were spies.

Rumors that arrows were cut in the cane fields to show the Japanese attack pilots the direction to Pearl Harbor.

Rumors that one of the Japanese pilots shot down during the December 7, 1941 attack was wearing a McKinley High School ring.

All the above were false.

PHOTO: A sake brewery posted both this poster and the one posted on January 12, 2009 to support the anti-rumor campaign.

Mary Dillingham Frear

There are some "snippets" I came across in researching this time in history--stuff that's not important or earth-shattering, but just made me smile. Here's a story about Mrs. Frear, wife of the former Territorial Governor, Willam Frear about their attempt to give blood.

Governor Frear, his wife, and their Japanese maid were in line to give blood, on the morning of December 7, 1941. When a nurse told Frear, age 78, and his wife, age 72, that they were beyond the 50-year-old maximum age to give blood, Mrs. Frear refused to accept that. “It out to be very good blood,” she said, “It has lasted us a long time!” Her blood was accepted.

Women of World War II Hawaii

Christmas, 1941

Christmas of 1941 was supposed to be a boom year for the merchants of Honolulu. The "invasion" of military and civilian defense workers from the mainland caused a lava flow of disposable income into the local economy. It was going to be "the best Christmas ever" according to the business associations.

Lights were strung across Nuuanu Avenue, the ads in the paper offered luxury items, and sailors were buying gifts for loved ones that ranged from "I Love You, Mom" embroidered pillows to fine jewelry.

But with the advent of the war, all the Christmas lights were taken down. All the shops had to close before dusk. The new bikes, dolls, and toys that were ordered for local children from mainland stores, didn't arrive. The gifts were sitting in crates on San Francisco docks because unessential freight was shoved aside to make room for weapons, personnel, and military supplies.


In San Francisco, the first shipload of evacuees from Hawaii landed on Christmas Day. Among them were women who were new widows, and women who had not seen or heard about their husbands since the day of the attack. The ship crossed the ocean in "silent mode" as the crew listened for enemy vessels. And in the mornings, the women rolled bandages and dressings.

PHOTO: Christmas trees were not shipped that year. (There are differing accounts of the reason.) Alterntative Christmas trees were Norfolk Pine trees or artistic renderings of trees.

Women of World War II Hawaii

I resolve

For this new year, 2009 AD, I resolve to relax. I have been trying to write this blog as if it were a book manuscript--well, no more. I'm going to relax about it. I have about two weeks of posts "stored up" for publishing but after that, you will see a change of attitude. I'm going to post in no order.

I have collected hundreds of photos, and since the photos are of more interest than the text (let's be honest) I'm going to post photos as I have them saved on my computer. So, sit back, this is going to be like a family slide show. You may be in 1941 one minute and 1943 the next, you'll go from "hula girls" to trenches dug around elementary schools.

If I don't relax and have fun with this blog, I won't keep it up.

To all a Very Happy New Year. I hope you enjoy health, security, joy and indulge (in moderation of course) in the best of food!