Defenses Of Pearl Harbor & Oahu 1907-50
by Terrance McGovern /
2003 / English / PDF
8.9 MB Download
At the beginning of the 20th century, the military importance of
the Hawaiian Islands became clear. Oahu in particular was a key
bastion in projecting America's military power in the Pacific. The
island was turned into a military fortress - and yet it also became
the site of one of America's greatest defensive failures, the
Japanese attack of December 7, 1941. By the end of World War II,
the harbor itself was the most heavily defended in the world, and
the island had earned the sobriquet "Fortress Oahu". This title
documents the development of the coastal, air and land defense
systems that served to protect Pearl Harbor and Honolulu from 1907
to 1950, and seeks to understand why these failed at a critical
point.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the military importance of
the Hawaiian Islands became clear. Oahu in particular was a key
bastion in projecting America's military power in the Pacific. The
island was turned into a military fortress - and yet it also became
the site of one of America's greatest defensive failures, the
Japanese attack of December 7, 1941. By the end of World War II,
the harbor itself was the most heavily defended in the world, and
the island had earned the sobriquet "Fortress Oahu". This title
documents the development of the coastal, air and land defense
systems that served to protect Pearl Harbor and Honolulu from 1907
to 1950, and seeks to understand why these failed at a critical
point.
