Best of: Islands

John Donne says that no man is an island, but that doesn't mean that history can't be made on one. Three classic The History Guy episodes about history made on land surrounded by water.

00:00 Hawaii and the Tanager Expedition of 1923
15:53 Johnston Atoll, Island of the Cold War
32:03 The 1960 Invasion of Great Swan Island

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This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

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[danimal]

I especially enjoyed the chapter on Johnston Island. My Dad served in the Korean War. He was stationed in Guam for a couple of years. When he was heading back to SoCal for his final 6 months of his enlistment, the plane he was on lost an engine. Johnston was the only airstrip within striking distance of their plane's fuel supply...BARELY. They did make it, and while they were waiting for another engine to get there, a USO plane landed there. Since the boys on Dad's plane were all on their way back home, the base commander commandeered the USO plane and sent the fellers heading home on their way on it. That was always one of Dad's favorite stories to share about his time in the Navy. We lost him in 2009. What I wouldn't give to hear that story just one more time over a shared cup of coffee!

[scotto]

You absolutely cracked me up Mr Geiger. I would have probably paid attention in high school if I'd had you as my instructor.😂

[edk]

A most excellent compilation Sir. May you continue to educate us.

[JesseOaks-efxn]

If I am not mistaken, Midway was a mid-ocean refueling station for ships and, later, for the seaplanes that crossed the Pacific.

[snafu]

Have you done anything on Dugway Proving Grounds? Great WWII (and beyond) history there that deserves to be remembered.

[Jameson]

Wow it’s sad to hear of these preventable extinctions.

[jadesmith]

From beautiful Tasmania... Australia's beautiful state island ❤🇦🇺❤️🇦🇺❤️🇦🇺

[timothymulholland]

Is there a record of the effect of WWII on the life on the islands of the Pacific.

[deepbludude]

Ive worked on 3 of the islands here Wake, Midway and Johnston only TDY but I enjoy multiple trips to them very interesting places.

[jonthinks]

Well you were able to get pirates involved. 8

[Acer_Maximinus]

This was pretty good.
I would like to see another show on the history of islands.

[roderickcampbell]

Teddy was better a man than he is remembered.

[AnnacolleenEtters]

I'm always grieved, to hear of birds that no longer exist. I would be just as sad to hear that rabbits were extinct. My husband and I used to sit outside each morning, with our coffee, to watch our birds. From the tiny Hummingbirds to Harry the Heron, that loved our pond, my ducks, gave me the most pleasure. I had one, who would land on my window A/C unit, in my loft area bedroom, and use his bill to "knock" on my window, when he was hungry. We derived great pleasure naming all the birds we could find.
We also used to hit the feed store, a week after the Easter Octave, to buy all the leftover brown rabbits, and let them loose on our 70+ acre property, and still see them once in awhile, among the wild turkeys.

[raymondwinn]

Good essay, as usual. One quibble: at 25 min. you said JI was finally expanded to 596 acres, or 1.06 sq. miles. Incorrect calc; a sq. mile contains 640 acres.

[TM-evtc]

Have you ever thought about doing a video on Shortwave radio.

[curly]

The Bishop Museum in Honolulu is well worth a visit

[atomic_wait]

Has he done a video on the Pig War of San Juan island in Washington state?

[deafviolinist]

Newfoundland was the last province to join the 'Dominion' - there were a famous & influential lawyer/ Newfoundlander that warned of the "western Englishmen" leading up to it all
history that deserves to be remembered?.. please?
-there is a proto-typical plaque in St. John's located a stones throw from Signal Hill

[evensgrey]

You should look into doing a video on the war between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island. This war only ended in 2022.

[dwaynecoy]

The key issue in the Arlington Cemetery photo is that the family members of fallen heroes invited Trump and it the family who wanted the pics and were taking pics. They wanted Trump in the pics and it's their right to invite Trump into their private photo opps.