Reaction: Act of War- The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation

Act of War- The overthrow of the Hawaiian nation is a provocative rarely seen account of how Native Hawaiians view the annexation of their sovereign nation. This documentary has the innate ability to take you back in time with its use of archival footage and its depiction of real life reenactments. The film is narrated by Native Hawaiians with historical accounts being added by Professors of Hawaiian History from the University of Hawaii Manoa which depict Hawaii as a full capable nation under the forced rule of the United States. To understand the magnitude, the annexation of the sovereign nation of Hawaii in 1898, you have to fully understand the relationship Hawaii and the United States developed. Before the “Discovery” of the Hawaiian Islands by British Explorer Captain Cook Native Hawaiians led a peaceful life dependent on their land and their people for substance and life. When Cook arrived on the island with his extended hand in “Friendship” he brought with him disease and destruction to the Native Hawaiians. The Natives did not have the medical resources to mitigate the rapid spread of diseases they previously never encountered which, led to the rapid decrease in their population. As the Native population decreased the United States missionary imposed reforms eventually reached a boiling point which, left Queen Liliuokalani bartering with the United States for her people’s life’s. When the U.S.S Boston arrived in port on the Island of Oahu, Queen Liliuokalani had no reason to fear the United States, she assumed like everyone else in Hawaii the United States was a fair country and meant no harm. A few days after the U.S.S Boston arrived in port 100 armed men walked down the quiet streets of Oahu and marched into the Queens palace and overthrew the monarch. Queen Liliuokalani had more military men then the United States had on island but to avoid the blood shed of her people she advised her guardsman to stand down and said the US would sort everything out. Following this treasonous coup d’etat which president Grover Cleveland called “an act of war” the sovereign nation of Hawaii was then annexed and later became a part of the United States in 1959.

This horrendous hostile overthrow of the monarch of Hawaii is rarely seen or taught in school systems. The Natives who are aware of this treasonous act by the United States are still to this day fighting for their rights and demanding the release of their sovereign nation. My personal opinion on the matter is it was deplorable of the US to hostile takeover a very capable sovereign nation. If the Hawaiian Islands would not have been overtaken by the United States sadly I think it would have been some other nation. This does not make the actions of the United States justifiable, I think we should return some power to Native Hawaiians and let them be more in control of their government and its affairs while still being under the United States protection. If the United States were to completely cut ties with the Hawaiian Islands some other hostile nation would be right behind us to takeover.