WORLD WAR II, 1931-1945: Locations, Images, and Words

Dr. Charlie Urbanowicz 
Professor Emeritus, Anthropology Department, CSU, Chico 

Midway Islands, Guadalcanal, Chuuk Lagoon, Iwo Jima – all are places where key World War II battles took place. Dr. Charlie Urbanowicz has been to all of those places – in fact, he has been a lecturer on 30 cruises throughout the Pacific island groups of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. In this presentation, he provides the context in which these small Pacific Islands played crucial roles in the war between the U.S. and Japan. Dr. Urbanowicz uses photos from his travels and maps to explain the historical legacy of these islands, starting with the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria and the establishment of a puppet state – an event which he and other scholars now recognize as the start of World War II. He also provides an extensive list of books about the war. 

Additional Resources 

Recorded: September 3, 2015