Hawaii Under Army Rule
1955.
This is one of the very few books that examines life under military rule in Hawaii during World War II. It is filled with very interesting information but, more importantly, it contains various official documents of the time such as security orders relating to “enemy aliens, “ various official proclamations, and quotations from various individuals. This also examines the legal processes that were used during the time of military rule.
One very helpful thing the author does is start right off with a chronology of events. This helps put everything into perspective right off.
Apparently the government of Hawaii was making preparations for being attacked as early as September of 1941.
The original concept would have had the rule of the islands kept under civilian control, but that's not the way things worked out.
When push came to shove, the order was issued, but power was also given to the military.
A military governor is established. FDR was notified of what was going on, in general, and he gave the military governor his full support. It turned out, though, that the government of Hawaii had been pressured by the military to turn over control, and had given in.
The end result.
Criminal law was going to come under the control of the military.
The military also physically took over from the civilian government.
Military orders had an effect on many aspects of civilian life.
The military pretty much effectively neutralized civilian courts.
An example of what general military orders could cover, including dogs.
How this related to dogs. This also happens to show just how minute the control by the military was.
Military tribunals tried civilians. There was also no appeal from sentences established by provost courts.
The kinds of rulings the provost courts made. They also had jurisdiction on crimes committed before they were actually established. The military courts could even have someone executed.
Military rule ran from December 7, 1941 to October 24, 1944.
The author holds that the military rule was not really justified. He also notes that the military was particularly concerned about crimes of prostitution.
Examinations were carried out about the reach of military power in Hawaii.
Civilian authority was mostly restored, though, before the end of military rule.
This is quite an amazing statement.
The military government had its own public relations unit, and didn't want anything in the press making it look bad. (This is very, very close to what the Japanese militaristic government had done to its media.)
The author also quotes some papers that stated that the sentences handled out by the military courts were much harsher than those handed out by the former civilian courts.
The press was censored in Hawaii. This was not the same as on the mainland, where the press had been asked to be self-restrained.
The easiest way to censor the press was to control their access to paper and ink. Cross the military government and you might not have anything to print the news on.
In writing about the provost court sentences, the author says that, for a while, people could be forced to donate blood if found guilty. This was eventually stopped.
The military ran the blackout stricter than did the British. Interestingly enough, Army and Navy posts and the waterfront were not subject to the blackouts.
In 1946 the Supreme Court ruled on what had happened and basically stated the military was in the wrong in assuming the powers they did in Hawaii.
One possible reason the Army continued to hold power in Hawaii well after the actual need to do so was passed.
Actual proclamations in Hawaii.
More proclamations.
Rules to control “enemy aliens” who were really the Issei and Nisei who were in Hawaii.
A security order.
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