Okinawa: The History of an Island People [Paperback]

George Kerr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000

Few people can point to Okinawa on a map, yet this tiny island sitting between China and Japan was and continues to be one of the most crucial Asian nerve centers in all U.S. strategic defense. Ninety percent of all U.S. military forces in Japan are located on Okinawa, one of the Ryukyu Islands, and it was through these troops that the martial art of karate was exported to the U.S. In Okinawa: History of an Island People, noted Eastern affairs specialist George Kerr recounts the fascinating history of the island and its environs, from 1314 A.D. to the late twentieth century. First published in 1958, this edition features a new introduction and appendix by Okinawa history scholar Mitsugu Sakihara, making this the most comprehensive resource on the small, vital, and intriguing island of Okinawa.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

George W. Alexander began his martial arts career in 1964 while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. His books have been published in the U.S., Japan, England and Italy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; Revised edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804820872
• ISBN-13: 978-0804820875
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,250 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good niche book, October 1, 2005

By 

Declan Hayes "Declan Hayes" (Tokyo Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Okinawa: The History of an Island People (Paperback)

Just as Gibbon's classic history of the Roman Empire tells us that Armenia has been a center of conflict since time immemorial, so also does Kerr's classic work remind us of the centuries of conflict Okinawa has witnessed. Just like Armenia, so also does Okinawa deserves something better.

Okinawa's early history was pockmarked by a series of kings struggling to maintain control over fighting warlords. Although Shunten established his kingdom in the 13th Century by defeating his rivals, the entire island was not totally unified until a century later when Sho Hashi conquered the three kingdoms, which made up the island. Peace, of a sort, reigned until 1609, when the Shimazu clan from Satsuma, in southern Japan, invaded Okinawa.

For the next 270 years, Okinawa was, in effect, a Satsuma colony. Satsuma demanded taxes from the Okinawans and controlled trade in exchange for island protection. Commodore Perry's black ships, as chapter seven explains, also paid an unwelcome visit during 1853 and 1854. Perry, who established a small military base there, clearly had plans to bring the entire Ryukuyu Islands into the American ambit.

Napoleon Bonaparte had similar plans. He regarded Okinawa as being central to France's vital interests. Anglo-Chinese tensions brought Okinawa further unwanted attention from both Britain and China. Because Britain, France and the United States were all making efforts to colonize the island chain, an increasingly apprehensive Japan tightened its grip on the island by sending a military detachment there in 1868. Later in 1879, Japan abolished the royal government and annexed Okinawa as a prefecture.

Okinawa was then left in relative peace until 1944, when the Japanese Army arrived in force to counter the impending American attack. The Battle of Okinawa was one of World War II's longest, bloodiest and hardest fought campaigns. Total American casualties were 49,151, including 12,500 killed or missing in action. Japanese Imperial Army losses totaled over 75,000. Nearly one-third of Okinawa's civilian population-100,000 people-also perished during those nightmare months. The battle ended on June 22, 1945, when Old Glory fluttered unchallenged from Okinawa's mountains and towns.

The Stars and Stripes have been flying there ever since. The area stayed under American military control until May 15, 1972, when Richard Nixon transferred administrative authority of the Ryukyu Islands back to Japan. The islands resumed the status they held prior to 1945 - the 47th prefecture of Japan.

Ryukyu means Beautiful Country of the Southern Ocean. Like Armenia, it is indeed a beautiful and haunted land. However, just like Armenia, it is in an unfortunate position. Because it straddles the seaways between China and Japan and because it is near to Korea, the Spratly Islands and a host of other strategically important sites, it remains one of the most militarized places on earth. As the author makes plain, China and the Philippines periodically claim the island chain as their own. When we read the book, we see how truly unfortunate this is.

Kerr paints the golden days of Okinawa before these outside pressures came to dominate the island. He describes how an impoverished people living on barren islands with no metals and little forest wealth were able to construct and preserve for many centuries a complex, progressive and stable government and society. Unlike some of the world's more endowed areas, the Okinawans, like the Armenians, had a toy state, with dignified kings, sententious and learned prime ministers, as well as an abundance of temples and shrines. Okinawa's whole fragile, minuscule structure was developed in a faithful effort to emulate great China, Asia's fabled Middle Kingdom.

Although Kerr paints this beautiful experiment with enchantingly melancholic hues, he makes it plain that there can be no return to those golden days. Maybe with peace pending on the Korean peninsula, a new and equally beautiful experiment in social engineering can begin. The people of Okinawa richly deserve it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding the heart of Okinawan culture, June 6, 2007

By 

Stephen Mcclary "S. A. Mick McClary at ClickO... (Great Falls, Montana (after 7 years on Okinawa)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Okinawa: The History of an Island People (Hardcover)

Researched and written by George H. Kerr, I believe that this book is accepted as the premiere text of authority with regard to the history of pre-war Okinawa.
I've read and re-read this book and have a much greater understanding of the people of the Ryukyu Islands - and I also have a much deeper regret for having not known this history while living among the Okinawans.

"...this is the history of a little-known people whom events have made it necessary to know well. It is also one of those all-too-rare books that happily combine solid scholarship and detailed accuracy with a forthright, enjoyable literary style that does justice to the storybook quality of many of the episodes. It will long remain the standard history of Okinawa and the Ryukyus."

3.0 out of 5 stars Kindle Version Poorly Rendered, October 23, 2011

By 

R. bermpohl "bgb" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Okinawa:The History of an Island People (Kindle Edition)

I purchased the Kindle version of this book to learn about the area and as a reference tool. However, the conversion to ebook format is so poorly done, that any citings MUST be verified against either the print version or through other sources. The Kindle version simply has too many errors.

Otherwise, this book was an enjoyable read. Very informative and well worth the time.