World War II was one of the most destructive wars in the history of the human race. For the United States this terrible conflict began December 7, 1941 with the surprise attack on the United States Army and Naval bases at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by the Empire of Japan.
This "day of infamy," to use Franklin D. Roosevelt’s words, aroused the anger and hatred of the United States and eventually led to the near destruction of Japan by the end of the war. Harry Mazer creates a very realistic account of this awful day in "A Boy At War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor."
December 6, 1941 begins at Adam Pelko’s house with the return of his father, Lieutenant Emory Pelko, from the Battleship Arizona. As a military child, Adam has moved many times during his father’s various deployments. Lt. Pelko runs a tight ship at home and Adam makes his bed military-style and obeys when he is told. But there is tenderness in the soldier’s relationship with his wife and daughter.
There is great tension in Hawaii however because of the deteriorating relationship between Japan and the United States. Everyone is fearful that war will soon break out. Emory receives an unexpected call from the officers of the Arizona telling him to return to the battleship. As the father leaves home for the fleet, his little sister, Bea, plays blissfully with her Japanese American nanny, Koniko.
On Sunday morning, Adam meets two of his friends to go fishing at Pearl Harbor. One boy is native Hawaiian and the other is Japanese-American. They row an old boat out near the massive Battleship Arizona. Adam has been on the Arizona many times and proudly tells the boys of the immense power of the vessel.
As the flags are being raised over the sleepy naval base, planes suddenly begin sweeping over Pearl Harbor. Bullets and bombs start raining down on the unsuspecting American navy. Adam realizes that the planes are Japanese, and one banks to strafe the rowboat. The bullets rip through the nearby water and slash the boat. All three boys are hurled into the water amid screams and pain.
As Adam tries to get back into the crippled boat he turns and sees the mighty Arizona lift out of the water and explode. Other ships begin blowing up and hundreds of sailors are flung into the burning, oil-covered waters. Adam and the boys don’t know what to do.
What choices do the boys make? How do all three show heroic courage on this terrible day? What role does racial bigotry play in the story?
And finally, how do hundreds of Hawaiian families and the entire United States react to this horrifying attack? To find out, go to the library and read this heartbreaking account of one of the worst days in United States history, "A Boy At War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor."
Obviously this book contains many brutal facts from the Pearl Harbor attack and it is nearly impossible to convey mayhem of that day. While it is not fun to read this book, it is important to remember the valiant sacrifices made by defenders of Pearl Harbor, and to understand that peace can be taken away from a nation. The book contains many graphic and realistic scenes from the Japanese air assault, and includes a mild curse when the Japanese begin machine gunning the boats in Pearl Harbor. It is important for the youth of a nation to know their history and the Pearl Harbor onslaught is part of that story. Students should read books like "A Boy At War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor" to better understand their heritage.
