Explore the profound narratives intertwined in 'Mothers' Darlings of the South Pacific', an invaluable paperback edited by Judith A Bennett and published by Otago University Press. This 424-page treasure delves into the intimate relationships formed during World War II between American servicemen and Indigenous women across the Pacific islands. Discover the untold stories of 'GI babies' – the children born into this complex tapestry of love, longing, and identity, who were often left searching for their American fathers. With dimensions of 152 x 228 mm, this brand-new book is perfect for history enthusiasts and readers interested in cross-cultural relationships shaped by global conflict.

The narrative thoughtfully explores the restrictions imposed by U.S. immigration laws that prevented interracial marriages, forcing many couples into a deeply emotional yet legally complicated situation. This book is an essential read for anyone interested in the social dynamics of the South Pacific during wartime, providing firsthand accounts through interviews with children of American servicemen and their mothers. The oral histories included shed light on a past often overlooked by traditional historians, making it a crucial addition to any library focusing on Pacific history, colonial studies, or warfare.

We are pleased to offer combined shipping for your convenience. As a proud NZ-owned business based in Auckland, we carry this product in stock in New Zealand, ensuring you won’t face unexpected import charges, customs duty, or tax. Order your copy today and traverse the emotional landscapes of love and loss shaped by a global conflict, encapsulated in these remarkable stories of identity and resilience.

CONDITION: Brand New
Dimensions: 152 x 228 mm
Pages: 424
Bind: paperback
Author: Judith A Bennett Ed. Publisher: Otago University Press
Publication Date: 13-06-2016

Like a human tsunami, World War II brought two million American servicemen to the South Pacific where they left a human legacy of some thousands of children. Mothers’ Darlings of the South Pacific traces the intimate relationships that existed in the wartime Pacific between US servicemen and Indigenous women, and considers the fate of the resulting children. The American military command carefully managed such intimate relationships, applying US immigration law based on race to prevent marriage ‘across the colour line’. For Indigenous women and their American servicemen sweethearts, legal marriage was impossible, giving rise to a generation of children known as ‘GI babies’. Among these Pacific war children, one thing common to almost all is the longing to know more about their American father. Mothers’ Darlings of the South Pacific traces these children’s stories of loss, emotion, longing and identity, and of lives lived in the shadow of global war. It considers the way these relationships developed in the major US bases of the South Pacific Command from Bora Bora in the east across to Solomon Islands in the west, and from the Gilbert Islands in the north to New Zealand. The writers interviewed many of the children of the Americans and some of the few surviving mothers, as well as others who recalled the wartime presence in their islands. Oral histories reveal what the records of colonial governments and the military largely have ignored, providing a perspective on the effects of the US occupation that until now has been disregarded by historians of the Pacific war.

We are happy to combine shipping. Smartfox is a NZ owned business located in Auckland. This product is in stock in NZ which means no unexpected import charges, custom duty or tax.