‘Library U’ studies WWII-era Pacific exploits in three parts, beginning Nov. 5
Published 1:30 am Friday, October 28, 2016
Larry Kerr, a retired U.S. diplomat and military historian, will present a free three-part Saturday morning lecture series “World War II: The American Experience in the Pacific,” as part of the ongoing Library U program from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 5, 12 and 19 at Bethany Lutheran Church (7968 Finch Road NE).
Each installment in the series will examine a different aspect of the larger WWII-era Pacific goings-on.
The lineup:
Nov. 5, “Days of Infamy,” will cover the rise of modern Japan in the early 20th Century and its relationship to the colonial regimes in the Pacific. Also Japan’s war against the Chinese, and its need for strategic materials will be discussed in the context of its political goals. After a discussion of American efforts to curb Japanese expansionism, the talk will turn to the buildup and the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the attack itself and the fall of the Philippines.
Nov. 12, “Uncertain Victories,” will look at the string of early military successes that made the Japanese masters of the Pacific and also examine American efforts to slow that advance. Additional topics will include the political and economic calculations of the Allied leadership in organizing a war being fought nearly everywhere on the planet. The presentation will focus on the American command structure in the Pacific, MacArthur and Nimitz as war leaders and several key engagements.
Finally, “The Road to Tokyo” on Nov. 19 will examine the several turning points for American fortunes in the war and the long, bitter struggle to reach Japan’s home islands. The final program will also examine America’s conduct of the air war, including the decision to use atomic weapons. Finally, Kerr will discuss the American occupation of Japan and its postwar political and economic reorganization.
Donations will be accepted and refreshments will be provided.
Kerr served as an Army officer from 1964 to 1974. He then joined the U.S. State Department, where his postings included Mexico, Chile, Guatemala and the Republic of Georgia. His teaching experience includes two stints as diplomat in Residence at the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico, and three years in Washington, D.C., where he was associate professor of history at the National Defense University and Distinguished Lecturer at the Inter-American Defense College.
Library U is a program of the Bainbridge branch of the Kitsap Regional Library that offers a variety of lifelong learning opportunities for adults throughout the year. It is supported in part by the Bainbridge Island Friends of Library and a generous donation in memory of Louise Brody Weissman.
