Red Sun: The Invasion of Hawaii After Pearl Harbor [Paperback]

Richard Ziegler (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bess Press (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573061131
• ISBN-13: 978-1573061339
• ASIN: 1573061336
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,226,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating...What If???, October 17, 2001

By 

Mr. JKW "jkw" (Honolulu, Hawai'i) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Sun: The Invasion of Hawaii After Pearl Harbor (Paperback)

This book is fascinating, and a definite keeper, on many levels. First off, the book gives you a very accurate look into the history of the Hawaiian islands from the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom by greedy American businessmen (a little known fact that is very much overlooked in the annals of history), to the rise of the sugar plantations which led to the import of thousands of indentured immigrant (Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, etc) workers during the 1800s and 1900s to, of course, the fateful bombing of December 7, 1941.

The most fascinating part about this book is the "alternative" history it presents. The primary question posed by this book is "What if Japan had conquered Hawaii following Pearl Harbor?" The fictional events presented in this book are shockingly real possibilities once you examine the evidence (which the book does).

The story unfolds creatively through three dynamic viewpoints: Vignettes, Views and Vistas. Vignettes are events that are told in third person which give an immediate telling of events. Views are events told from first hand viewpoint through the eyes of four fictional members of an American-Japanese family over the course of three generations. Finally, Vistas are the broad historical view of events as presented by a fictional modern day history professor as he presents a lecture series. Collectively, these unique views give a very powerful presentation of the real events that led up Pearl Harbor and the fictional events that very well could have took place in the alternate history.

Overall, the story covers a span of over 100 years from the 1860s when the first immigrant workers arrived in Hawaii till the 1960s. You'll be amazed by the stories that Ziegler and Patterson portray. Plus, you'll learn a good deal of Hawaiian history. The images that they paint are often times horrifying and disturbing and very graphic.

As the book cover says, imagine the following:

1. Diamond Head Crater as a POW camp?

2. Comfort women in Waikiki for Japanese soldiers?

3. Popular beaches teaming with landmines?

4. The restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom?

Overall, the book is a fascinating read. The political games played by the Japanese to manipulate and control the population are a fascinating read. The military events (campaigns, guerrilla warfare, atrocities committed against POWs) are both griping and horrifying. You'll be glued to the book.

However, be forewarned, you may find some portions of this book to be very controversial (politically speaking). Also, some of the graphic descriptions of war and its horrors are not for the faint of heart. If you can get past these though, I guarantee you'll be entertained (and educated) by this book.

Highest Recommendation.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pineapples for thought, August 2, 2003

By 

WFK "alt historian" (Wolfsberg, Austria) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Sun: The Invasion of Hawaii After Pearl Harbor (Paperback)

A very thoughtful book which gives a great deal of though about the long-term consequences of relatively small events. If Japan had taken Hawaii early in WW2 it is not really conceivable that the outcome of the war would have changed, but the history of Hawaii inevitable would have been different from the one we know.

This book gives excellent food for thought (pineapples?) about this different history of the isles. The recollections of three generations of Hawaiian-Japanese, newspaper-like reports and university lectures from the (different) future all together paint a picture that is entirely believable. Since all the events and policies described really happened in Japanese-occupied Asia they are probable too.

It could have happened if Japan had taken the isles. That it probably would not have happened as some reviewers complained is besides the point. History would not have happened as we know it, and Hawaii today would be different too. That is the point this book makes. And since the authors kept the book short and focused (no human interest stories, no steamy love scenes, no heroic/stupid politicians) it is utterly enjoyable. Alternative history at its best!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Could be better, August 15, 2003

By 

kent hoffmaster (East Berlin, Pa USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Sun: The Invasion of Hawaii After Pearl Harbor (Hardcover)

I thought this book was an ok read. It gives a good idea of what could have happened in world war II. I think the author should have gone into more detail with how this effect events elsewhere. The author also does not consider how some events in the pacific would effect things. For example the destruction of the Navy at Pearl Harbor would make difficult for the US to fight in Europe. Also I doubt they would have waited until 1945 to get Hawai'i back. Otherwise I liked the book.