Pearl Harbor

Under Military Control

As the day continued, it became difficult to tell what was really happening. The fear of the unknown was overwhelming. No one knew if the attacks were over or not. Or if the Japanese would invade the island.

At 3:30 PM, the radios came back online with the announcement that Hawaii was under martial law. Then, they went off the air again so the Japanese couldn’t use the radio signals to find the islands to return for another attack. Martial law meant that the military now controlled everything. The military government could put new laws in place that every person had to obey. Effective immediately, nobody could be outside between 6:30 PM to 6am. Anybody outside had to have a military pass. If somebody was outside without a pass, they could be fined or arrested.

Every night, there’d be blackouts. Windows had to be closed and covered with dark fabric or paper. Streetlights and exterior lights on buildings and businesses had to be off. Cars on the roads had to shield their headlights. This was to ensure it was completely dark at night, in case enemy planes returned. Block wardens patrolled neighborhoods to ensure it was absolutely dark.

Nightly blackouts were difficult and scary. Many islanders were used to cool nightly breezes, and now had to live in a stuffy home with all the windows closed and covered. Many didn’t have electric fans. Things like eating, bathing, and talking with family were unsettling in the dark. It was a scary and uncomfortable situation that went on night after night.

On December 8, 1941, U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt formally declared war on Japan. The U.S. was officially involved in WWII. Life changed for all Americans, and especially for those in Hawaii. School was immediately canceled, and some school buildings were turned into military hospitals. This break wasn’t like a holiday vacation. Although Christmas was near, war loomed over the holiday. The ship that was bringing Christmas trees from the mainland turned around after the attack. Mandatory blackouts meant shops and homes couldn’t put up holiday lights.

The military told businesses when they could open and close. Movie theaters only had two showtimes: noon and 2 PM. Restaurants stopped serving at 4 PM. And more and more military personnel came to Hawaii, resulting in long lines at restaurants, shops, and public transit. Everybody had to plan extra time for normal, everyday activities.

Everybody had to locate public bomb shelters in case of another attack or air raid drill. Sirens would wail to simulate another attack, and everybody ran for shelter. Some to a bomb shelter, others to a bunker. Every civilian had a bunker in their yard, for digging a shelter in the ground was another martial law.

All communication was censored, meaning it was reviewed and sometimes changed. The military took over newspapers, magazines, and radio broadcasts to ensure only approved information was shared. They controlled the telephone company and monitored phone calls. The military was afraid people would accidentally share information with Japan to help them plan another attack. Nobody was allowed to talk about weather, construction, or repairs. Mail was censored, too; every letter going in or out of Hawaii was opened and read.

Everyone over the age of six had to be fingerprinted and carry an identification card. The military ordered citizens to carry a gas mask at all times. The gas masks were large and uncomfortable, and children even had to take them to school. The schools would have drills to see how fast students could put them on.

Military families considered “non-essential,” such as wives and children, were sent to the U.S. mainland. Families and friends were separated without any idea of how long they’d be apart. Nearly 30,000 women and children left the island.

Martial law was put in place to make the islands safer. But the changes were difficult, and served as a constant reminder that Hawaii was an active war zone. The islanders who lived there always kept their eyes on the sky, fearful of more attacks.

Nanea’s Story

Nanea’s curled on the sofa reading when Mom comes in and announces it’s time to get ready for the blackout. She and Mary Lou pull the blankets down over the windows. Nanea goes around the house turning the lights off. The house grows gloomier and gloomier.

When the house is dark, Nanea’s always left with her sad feelings. This’ll be the fifth pitch-black night. The fifth night of staying inside the stuffy, dark house instead of roller skating or playing outside.

It’s also the fifth night without Papa. It’s seemed like years since she sat on the porch with him, listening to the crickets and geckos. They’d sit under the twinkling stars, talking about their dreams, planning fishing trips, and telling jokes. Now, the sky is sharp and lonely.