Nation Within: The Story of America's Annexation of the Nation of Hawaii

by Tom Coffman

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin called this book "a new vision of Hawaiian history," a nation-to-nation story that brings the once-independent nation of Hawai'i to life. As the 19th century wanes, America incessantly pressures the native government for ever-greater control, then conspires with missionary descendants to overthrow the island government. Long-buried evidence reveals that the native Hawaiians, far from being passive, engage in a five-year resistance against annexation. The American axis that runs between Washington and Honolulu, thwarted in its ambition, desperately turns to an insult of Japanese immigrants and a dangerous provocation of Japan. Native Hawaiian lobbyists in Washington again stymie an annexation treaty. But the American drive to expand into a first-rate power is relentless, finding new opportunities when the U.S.S. Maine blows up in Havana Harbor.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics

360 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2003

About the author

Tom Coffman is an independent researcher, writer, and producer. He graduated from the William Allen White School, Kansas University, with a Bachelor in Journalism, and became a reporter for United Press International in New Mexico in 1965. Within a year, the managing editor of the Honolulu Advertiser loaned Coffman plane fare to come to Hawaii, where he became state government reporter for the Advertiser. He moved to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin two years later and became political reporter and bureau chief. In 1972, he wrote Catch a Wave, a widely read chronicle of the 1970 gubernatorial campaign and the social and political turmoil of that period. A year later, he left newspaper reporting to work as an independent writer and media producer.

Expanding on research for Catch a Wave, his productions increasingly incorporated historic themes. Under the guidance of the legendary Hawaiian writer John Dominis Holt, he began to integrate a chronology of the development of Hawaii, which led to the television documentaries O Hawaii: From Settlement to Kingdom and Nation Within.

Tom Coffmans work has won national awards for production of video, film, interactive media, and multi-image. Ganbare, about the early wartime experiences of Japanese Americans, was selected Best Film by a Hawaii Filmmaker at the 1995 Hawaii International Film Festival. Two of his booksthe first edition of Nation Within and The Island Edge of America: A Political History of Americareceived Ka Palapala Pookela Awards for Excellence in Nonfiction from the Hawaii Book Publishers Association. After publication of Nation Within, Coffman also received the Hawaii Award for Literature, the highest recognition given by the state of Hawaii for outstanding literary achievement. He is currently working on a film about the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr., in the Philippines."

Reviews

[Laura L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone knows (or should know) that annexation of the nation/kingdom of Hawaii was a total scam. This book outlines the many different players and forces in the white oligarchy that made it happen, and the circumstances leading up to it. Although I was aware that many of the missionary descendants (mostly from the state of Maine!) were central characters, what I learned from this author was the state of play from none other than charming Teddy Roosevelt. For several years, the white oligarchy in Hawaii developed a scare tactic (knowing it was simply a ruse) urging the US government to annex before Japan took over. The genesis of this ridiculous argument was based on the large number of Japanese immigrants working in the plantations. However, this urging was not gaining traction.

Meanwhile, Teddy Roosevelt, America's favorite expansionist and war monger (He was officially the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, but because of his large personality, often took charge as if he was the Secretary) was trying to fulfill his dream of a Supreme US Navy on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and a passageway through the Panama Canal. The US declared war on Spain in 1898 (5 years after the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom) based on sympathy for Cuba's struggle for independence, and the mysterious sinking of the USS Maine in the Havana Harbor. This ultimately led to US military involvement/war in the Philippine Revolution against Spain. Under orders from Roosevelt and the McKinley Administration, the Hawaiian Islands became a coaling station for the US Navy ships fighting Spain in the Philippines. This is when the expansionists/annexationists seized on the notion that a supreme US Navy could not exist without US military outposts in the middle of the Pacific. Annexation then became a high priority and principal tool of the rise of the US as a major colonial power.

Meanwhile, Queen Liliuokalani and others opposed to annexation made several trips to DC around this time to urge Congress to vote against annexation. A total of 38,000 native Hawaiians signed a petition against annexation (the native population at the time was said to be approximately 40,000) which was circulated amongst those who would be casting votes. In the end, this was sadly not persuasive. America's need for military presence in the Pacific won the day over the wishes of the residents of Hawaii.

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Nation Within takes a deep dive into American expansionism in a pre-annexed Hawaii. It goes back to Hawaii’s first uniting King, Kamehameha I & ends with the nation’s final Queen, Liliuokalani, all while detailing the active and forceful native resistance of their cultural erasure.
In the civil war era, Hawaii’s bountiful land piqued American and European (mainly Russian) interest, but it was renewed in the late 1800s when American imperialist understood that whoever controlled Hawaii controlled Pacific naval operations. In the meantime, sugar plantations were booming & were being largely run by Japanese, Chinese & Portuguese laborers. The Big 5 companies began shutting their doors to Japanese hands to thwart Japan’s growing influence, further intensifying relations & foreshadowing the 1941 attack.
Annexationists won & swiftly dethroned Liliuokalani but through her grace & unwavering devotion to her people, she remains Hawaii’s Queen & a Nation’s compass towards revitalization.

[Bone2Pick · Rating 3 out of 5]

~3 Stars~

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is meticulously researched; Coffman goes above and beyond in culling resources to push forward his main arguments. He derives his conclusions using an abundance of quotes and references from various primary and secondary sources. It’s not just Coffman’s analysis or opinions on display; with every paragraph, he manages to make points, create questions, settle arguments, and move forward the narrative with finely crafted references. It’s truly a dual-nation analysis as he not only covers the events and personalities involved in the plot to annex Hawai’i to the United States, but also analyzes the motives and actions of many key players in Washington D.C. Theodore Roosevelt and his rise to power is an ongoing narrative in the book that parallels the growing push of the United States toward an expansionist and militaristic policy. On the other end of the spectrum, Coffman also makes it a point to wipe away the historical notion that the overthrow and annexation were met with very little resistance. In "Nation Within" he references numerous sources pointing to a very strong, patriotic and intelligent Native Hawaiian resistance that existed to oppose the encroachment of their land by the proponents of annexation.

Read my complete review here:
http://www.hawaiibookblog.com/?p=2905

[LP · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of and current socio-political situation in Hawai'i. I found it a little hard to read at times because it seemed sort of oddly organized and the author sometimes went off on long tangents. If it had been better organized, I would've given it five stars. Even so, it was a very interesting and well-researched history of foreign involvement (sometimes at the request of native leaders) in Hawai'i, which culminated, through a sad conjunction of growing US imperialist aims, in the illegal overthrow and annexation of the kingdom of Hawai'i, against the express will of the native population. This book and some conversations I've had with a few Hawaiians have made me, to a large degree, a supporter of Hawaiian sovereignty (not that I, as a haole, have anything to say about it). I'd like to read more about the movement for sovereignty, and see how its proponents address such issues as how to determine nowadays who is a native Hawaiian and who of the many claimants to the Hawaiian throne is considered the right choice.

[Elsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well researched, fascinating book. I had no idea how Hawaii came to be our 50th state. This is a horrific, imperialist tale (one of many American arrogant tragedies). Just hard to believe that we allow these selfish, dehumanizing stories to go on and on. The issues in the book felt relevant to our situation today. We're reaping what we've sown - hatred and resentment all over the world. A good read.

[David Giff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually, the updated publication is titled Nation Within: the story of America's Occupation of Hawai'i. A subtle difference but I found it interesting that Goodreads only found the older version with the word "Annexation".

I recommend this book to mainlanders - to get a sense of how disenfranchised many Hawaiians feel about being part of the U.S. Excellent detailed read.

[jedioffsidetrap · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really wanted to learn more about this history, but this was sooooo dry.