Legacy of U.S. military history in the Solomon Islands -- Part I

There is an unfortunately named hotel : IBS. Which stands for Iron-bottom shore/sound. It is an area with some many sunken ships or remnants of WWII structures that the floor of that area is actually like iron.  When I mentioned to my dad I was headed to the Solomon Islands, he was familiar with it because of the strategic part it played in WWII. The Americans set up a base here in 1943 and had one of the main island groups – the Maliatans fighting with them against the Japanese. There are still some rounded former WWII structures that you pass by on the main road – closer to the airport. Others were just pushed into the sea – thus “iron bottom sound”. I am not sure the U.S. military has learned its lesson considering the amount of former military installments we plan to just leave in Afghanistan, not including the 8 billion USD we will spend to get some of it out. For more on U.S. leaving equipment in Afghanistan.  

Sunset view from Monarch restaurant at Iron Bottom Sound.

Part of America’s “Pacific Partnership” is aimed at these areas. The U.S. is working with the New Zealand, Australian and other armies and navies to make its presence in Asia and the Pacific more clear. The armies assist with bringing supplies to islands by boat and building schools, clinics, etc.. As organizations I have worked with have long argued, as have humanitarian and development NGOs, this type of construction should be kept to AID organizations. Why should the military be building schools? Their work is to train and fight wars, focus on security and stabilization. The expense of armies doing this type of work rather than aid organizations or the UN is much higher. But what are Navies to do this day and age? They do have some spare ships it seems.   “Good will visits” is what a portion of the New Zealand’s navy does. Docking at ports around Asia and as far as Russia and having visits and parties on board.

There is much more to say on the U.S. military history on this island, which will come in time. For instance, this afternoon I will cross a one-way bridge that was built by the Americans in the 1940s - still a main path across the river. And the capital became Honiara in 1952 when it became a British Protectorate after the build up of infrastructure by the Americans.