U.S. Marine Corps. Via Zimmerman (1949)
Much of the fighting of the Pacific War took place in areas that had
very limited contact with the modern world. Though technically
nationals of the various colonial powers, the indigenous population
lived much the same way as it had for thousands of years, apart from a
veneer of Christianity acquired from European missionaries, some
limited trade with outsiders, and occasional bartering of labor (such
as on copra plantations) for goods
like cloth or tobacco. Most of these areas had inhospitable climates and terrain or lacked natural resources
that might have attracted greater European interest.
American attitudes of the
day towards "natives" are reflected in
descriptions by contemporary historians, such as that by Samuel
Eliot Morison of the occupation of Majuro
atoll:
Captain V.F. Grant, the atoll commander, took a great interest in the natives, whose ranks had been thinned by the enemy's removal of the young and able-bodied of both sexes to Jaluit. His war diary has a Stevensonian touch: "29 February 1944. King Langlan, Queen and Royal Party were entertained at lunch by Captain Grant." He established a trading post where the Majurians could obtain gaily printed cotton (for their lava-lavas) and black twist tobacco, in return for pandanus-leaf baskets, mats, model canoes and other products of their skill. Thus the souvenir racket which develops wherever American bluejackets set foot was somewhat regulated. The King and Queen even rated a royal salute from Captain Grant's "Majuro Navy", consisting of four LCIs, ten LSTs, a small minesweeper and tug Arapaho.
Modern readers may find Morison's attitude condescending, but it was
quite typical of American attitudes of the day, which combined a sense
of cultural superiority with a distaste for colonialism -- much as was
the case in the Philippines
and in China. The American attitude
was certainly more benign than the Japanese
treatment of indigenous peoples, as hinted at in the previous excerpt.
With few exceptions, the Allies
could count on the support of the indigenous population in most areas
of the Pacific.
Melanesia. The first Allied
offensives of the Pacific War took place in the Solomons and New Guinea, which form the heart
of Melanesia. The indigenous Melanesians are tall and dark-skinned with
distinctive curly or woolly hair, and they speak a bewildering variety
of languages, estimated at over 200 on New Guinea alone. However, these
languages share common features, and most anthropologists believe the
Melanesians share a common descent from inhabitants of Papua (eastern
New Guinea) who settled the area at least 40,000 years ago. Many of the
indigenous peoples of the Solomons had been converted to Christianity
and gave significant assistance to Allied coast watchers and downed airmen. Future president John
F. Kennedy was rescued by Melanesians following the sinking of PT-109.
Solomon Islanders served as guides for tank/infantry
teams on New Georgia.
The New Guinea tribes were less reliably pro-Allied. While
friendly Melanesians provided portage during the Buna campaign, and were particularly
helpful in evacuating the wounded,
the Orokaiva tribe of the Buna area were very hostile to Europeans and
initially sided with the Japanese. (This later changed due to Japanese
mistreatment, particularly of women.)
Micronesia. The Gilbert, Marshall, and Caroline Islands constitute
the heart of Micronesia. The Micronesians are less dark-skinned than
the Melanesians and show more Oriental characteristics, reflecting
their likely descent from ancient Formosans
who migrated to the Philippines and on to what is now Micronesia.
Genetic studies reveal surprisingly little intermarriage with the
Melanesians, and the languages of Micronesia belong to the Austronesian
family rather than the Papuan family. The Micronesians of the Gilberts
and Marshalls were treated harshly by the Japanese and seemed not
unhappy at the arrival of the Allies, although they cannot be said to
have given much active assistance. The Micronesians of the Carolines
had had their standard of living sufficiently raised under the Japanese
mandate that they were reasonably
loyal subjects of the Emperor,
though, again, they cannot be said to have actively opposed the Allies
in those few areas (Palau and
Ulithi) that were occupied by the
Allies during the war.
Polynesia. The Japanese
offensive never reached Polynesia, which is located roughly in the
triangle formed by New Zealand,
Hawaii, and Easter Island. However,
significant number of Polynesians fought as regular soldiers in the
armed forces of New Zealand and the United States. The Polynesians are
thought to have descended from the same Formosan sailors as the
Micronesians, though there are important distinctions in language and
culture.
U.S. Army Center of Military History
Burma. There were numerous
indigenous tribes in Burma when it
was overrun by the Japanese. The Shan tribes of eastern Burma, who had
strong ethnic and cultural ties to Thailand,
were strongly pro-Japanese. By contrast, the Kachin and Naga tribes of
northern Burma sided with the Allies, largely as the result of Japanese
atrocities. The success of the OSS in working with the Kachins was one
of their few real triumphs in the war against Japan.
References
Dunlop (1979)
Gilbert
(2001)
Morison (1951)
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