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Pan-Pacific Championship

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The Pan-Pacific Football Championship was an inter-confederation football tournament between teams from A-League ( Australia and New Zealand ), Chinese Super League ( China ), J. League ( Japan ), K-League ( Korea ), and Major League Soccer ( United States and Canada ). The event was underwritten by MLS and promoted through its Soccer United Marketing arm.

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126-524: The inaugural edition of the competition took place from February 20 to February 23, 2008 in Honolulu, Hawaii . Four teams took part in the competition. Houston Dynamo qualified as MLS Cup champions, and Gamba Osaka qualified as champions of the Japanese League Cup . Australia's A-League was represented by the loser of the minor semi final instead of the champion team. This was due to

252-549: A rain shadow effect. Despite temperatures that meet the tropical threshold of all months having a mean temperature of 64.4 °F (18.0 °C) or higher, the city receives too little precipitation to be classified as tropical. Temperatures vary little throughout the year, with average high temperatures of 80–90 °F (27–32 °C) and average lows of 65–75 °F (18–24 °C). Nevertheless, there are slight seasons. The "winter" months from December to March can occasionally see lows fall below 64 °F (18 °C), whereas

378-692: A change in attitude in the United States. The German victories in France , Poland and elsewhere, combined with the Battle of Britain , led many Americans to believe that some intervention would be needed. In March 1941, the Lend-Lease program began shipping money, munitions, and food to Britain, China, and (by that fall) the Soviet Union. By 1941 the United States was taking an active part in

504-665: A complete embargo on Japan through the Export Control Act of 1940, freezing Japanese bank accounts, halting negotiations with Japanese diplomats, and supplying China through the Burma Road . Before America entered World War II in December 1941, individual Americans volunteered to fight against the Axis powers in other nations' armed forces. Although under American law, it was illegal for United States citizens to join

630-579: A hasty dispersal of industry and the day fighter arm never fully recovered. The dismissal of General Ira Eaker at the end of 1943 as commander of the Eighth Air Force and his replacement by an American aviation legend, Maj. Gen Jimmy Doolittle signaled a change in how the American bombing effort went forward over Europe. Doolittle's major influence on the European air war occurred early in

756-506: A military point of view, forced Germany to divert resources to counter it. This was to be the real significance of the Allied strategic bombing campaign—resource allocation. To improve USAAF fire bombing capabilities a mock-up German village was built and repeatedly burned down. It contained full-scale replicas of German homes. Fire bombing attacks proved successful, in a single 1943 attack on Hamburg about 50,000 civilians were killed and almost

882-403: A mix of various Asian , Western , and Pacific cultures , reflected in its diverse demography, cuisine, and traditions. Honolulu is Hawaiian for "sheltered harbor" or "calm port"; its old name, Kou , roughly encompasses the area from Nuʻuanu Avenue to Alakea Street and from Hotel Street to Queen Street, which is the heart of the present downtown district. The city's desirability as

1008-610: A port accounts for its historical growth and importance in the Hawaiian archipelago and the broader Pacific region. Honolulu has been the capital of the Hawaiian Islands since 1845, firstly of the independent Hawaiian Kingdom , and since 1898 of the U.S. territory and state of Hawaii . The city gained worldwide recognition following the Empire of Japan 's attack on nearby Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which prompted

1134-594: A scheduling conflict with the A-League Preliminary Final on February 17, followed by the Grand Final on February 24, which were moved back so as not to interfere with Australia 's 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. The fourth competitor was originally intended to be the SuperLiga champion, Pachuca , but the club reportedly declined to take part and their place in the competition

1260-600: A score of 3–0, secured the victory, capturing the 2018 Little League World Series championship and Hawaii's third overall title at the Little League World Series . Venues for spectator sports in Honolulu include: Aloha Stadium was a venue for American football and soccer located in Halawa near Pearl Harbor , just outside Honolulu. The stadium was closed in 2020. Plans for a new stadium at

1386-646: A second front against the Germans. General Dwight Eisenhower commanded the assault on North Africa , and Major General George Patton struck at Casablanca . The United States did not have a smooth entry into the war against Nazi Germany . Early in 1943, the United States Army suffered a near-disastrous defeat at the Battle of the Kasserine Pass in February. The senior Allied leadership

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1512-590: Is San Francisco , California, at 2,397 miles (3,858 km). Some islands off the Mexican coast and part of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska are slightly closer to Honolulu than the mainland. The volcanic field of the Honolulu Volcanics is partially inside the city. Honolulu experiences a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen classification BSh ), with a mostly dry summer season, due to

1638-457: Is 16.41 inches (417 millimeters), which mainly occurs from October through early April, with very little rainfall in the summer. However, both seasons experience a similar number of rainy days. Light showers occur in summer, while heavier rain falls during winter. Honolulu has an average of 278 sunny days and 89.2 rainy days per year. Although the city is in the tropics, hurricanes are quite rare. The last recorded hurricane that hit near Honolulu

1764-544: Is 350,964 as of the 2020 U.S. Census , making it the 55th largest city in the U.S. The city's population was 337,256 at the 2010 U.S. Census . The residential neighborhood of East Honolulu is considered a separate census-designated place by the Census Bureau but is generally considered part of Honolulu's urban core . The population of East Honolulu was 50,922 as of 2020, increasing Honolulu's core population to over 400,000. In terms of race (including Hispanics in

1890-548: Is Hawaii's largest and oldest bank, headquartered at the First Hawaiian Center , the state's tallest office building. The Bishop Museum is Honolulu's largest museum. It has the state's largest collection of natural history specimens and the world's largest collection of Hawaiiana and Pacific culture artifacts. The Honolulu Zoo is Hawaii's main zoological institution, while the Waikiki Aquarium

2016-535: Is a working marine biology laboratory. The Waikiki Aquarium partners with the University of Hawaiʻi and other universities worldwide. Established for appreciation and botany , Honolulu is home to several gardens: Foster Botanical Garden , Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden , Walker Estate , among others. Established in 1900, the Honolulu Symphony is the second-oldest U.S. symphony orchestra west of

2142-461: Is now downtown Honolulu . The capital was moved back to Kailua-Kona in 1812. In November 1794, Captain William Brown of Great Britain was the first foreigner to sail into what is now Honolulu Harbor . More foreign ships followed, making the port of Honolulu a focal point for merchant ships traveling between North America and Asia. The settlement grew from a handful of homes to a city in

2268-884: Is the center of the tourism industry in Hawaii, with thousands of hotel rooms. According to the United States Census Bureau , the Urban Honolulu CDP has an area of 68.4 square miles (177.2 km ), of which 7.9 square miles (20.5 km ), or 11.56%, is water. Honolulu is the remotest major U.S. city and one of the remotest cities in the world. The closest location in mainland U.S. is the Point Arena Lighthouse in northern California , at 2,045 nautical miles (3,787 km). ( Nautical vessels require some additional distance to circumnavigate Makapuʻu Point .) The closest major city

2394-604: Is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II. The beach is on the coast of Normandy, France, facing the English Channel, and is 5 miles (8 km) long, from east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve River estuary. Landings here were necessary to link up

2520-443: Is the most populous Oceanian city outside Australasia . Honolulu's favorable tropical climate, rich natural scenery, and extensive beaches make it a popular global destination for tourists. With over 711,000 visitors as of 2022, Honolulu is the tenth-most visited city in the United States after New York City , Miami , Orlando , Los Angeles , San Francisco , Las Vegas , Washington, D.C. , Chicago , and Boston . Evidence of

2646-821: The USS Augusta at Naval Station Argentia in Placentia Bay , Newfoundland , and produced the Atlantic Charter outlining mutual aims for a postwar liberalized international system. Public opinion was even more hostile to Japan, and there was little opposition to increased support for China. After the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria , the United States articulated the Stimson Doctrine , named for Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson , stating that no territory conquered by military force would be recognized. The United States also withdrew from

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2772-487: The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade of 194 officers and 3714 men from San Diego, California under the command of Brigadier General John Marston. Task Force 19 (TF 19) sailed from Argentia on 1 July. On 7 July, Britain persuaded the Althing to approve an American occupation force under a US-Icelandic defense agreement, and TF 19 anchored off Reykjavík that evening. US Marines commenced landing on 8 July, and disembarkation

2898-701: The Army Air Forces under General Hap Arnold . The Navy , led by Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox and Admiral Ernest King , proved more autonomous. Overall priorities were set by Roosevelt and the Joint Chiefs of Staff , chaired by William Leahy . The defeat of the Nazis was the US's official highest priority per its agreement with Britain ; however, in practice, the US devoted more resources to

3024-719: The Battle of Britain , 11 American pilots flew in the Royal Air Force . Charles Sweeney's nephew, also named Charles, formed a Home Guard unit from American volunteers living in London. One notable example was the Eagle Squadrons , which were RAF squadrons made up of American volunteers and British personnel. The first to be formed was No. 71 Squadron on 19 September 1940, followed by No. 121 Squadron on 14 May 1941 and No. 133 Squadron on 1 August 1941. 6,700 Americans applied to join but only 244 got to serve with

3150-723: The Bernhardt Line in January 1944. By early 1944 the Allied attention had turned to the western front and the Allies were taking heavy losses trying to break through the Winter Line at Monte Cassino . The Allies landed at Anzio on 22 January 1944 to outflank the Gustav line and pull Axis forces out of it so other allied armies could breakthrough. After slow progress, the Germans counterattacked in February but failed to stamp out

3276-871: The British Forces in Italy in 1943–45 , where US forces, representing about a third of the Allied forces deployed, bogged down after Italy surrendered and the Germans took over. Finally, the main invasion of France took place in June 1944, under General Dwight D. Eisenhower . Meanwhile, the US Army Air Forces and the British Royal Air Force engaged in the area bombardment of German cities and systematically targeted German transportation links and synthetic oil plants, as it knocked out what

3402-546: The Caribbean . The sudden defeat of France in spring 1940 caused the nation to begin to expand its armed forces, including the first peacetime draft . In preparation for expected German aggression against the Soviet Union, negotiations for better diplomatic relations began between Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles and Soviet Ambassador to the United States Konstantin Umansky . After

3528-699: The Casablanca Conference , it was agreed RAF Bomber Command operations against Germany would be reinforced by the USAAF in a Combined Operations Offensive plan called Operation Pointblank. Chief of the British Air Staff MRAF Sir Charles Portal was put in charge of the "strategic direction" of both British and American bomber operations. The text of the Casablanca directive read: "Your primary object will be

3654-657: The Empire of Japan and exited it with the 2 September 1945 surrender of Japan . During the first two years of World War II , the US maintained formal neutrality , which was officially announced in the Quarantine Speech delivered by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. While officially neutral, the US supplied Britain , the Soviet Union , and China with war materiel through the Lend-Lease Act signed into law on 11 March 1941, and deployed

3780-586: The Federal Bureau of Prisons , is in the CDP. Military history of the United States during World War II The military history of the United States during World War II covers the nation's role as one of the major Allies in their victory over the Axis Powers . The United States is generally considered to have entered the conflict with the 7 December 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by

3906-559: The First Hawaiian Center . The museum hosts a film and video program dedicated to arthouse and world cinema in the museum's Doris Duke Theatre, named for the museum's historic patroness Doris Duke . The Hawaii State Art Museum (also downtown) has pieces by local artists as well as traditional Hawaiian art . The museum is administered by the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts . Honolulu also annually holds

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4032-664: The First World War and President Woodrow Wilson 's failure to have the Treaty of Versailles ratified. Although President Franklin D. Roosevelt personally favored a more assertive foreign policy, his administration remained committed to isolationism during the 1930s to ensure congressional support for the New Deal , and allowed Congress to pass the Neutrality Acts . As a result, the United States played no role in

4158-548: The German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, America began sending Lend Lease aid to the Soviet Union as well as Britain and China. Although President Franklin D. Roosevelt's advisers warned that the Soviet Union would collapse from the Nazi advance within weeks, he barred Congress from blocking aid to the Soviet Union on the advice of Harry Hopkins . In August 1941, President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met aboard

4284-801: The Gothic line in northern Italy, the last major defensive line. From August 1944 to March 1945 the Allies managed to breach the formidable defenses but they narrowly failed to break out into the Lombardy Plains before the winter weather closed in and made further progress impossible. In April 1945 the Allies broke through the remaining Axis positions in Operation Grapeshot ending the Italian Campaign on 2 May 1945; US forces in mainland Italy suffered between 114,000 and over 119,000 casualties. Numerous bombing runs were launched by

4410-586: The Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF). It showcases some of the best films from producers all across the Pacific Rim and is the largest "East meets West" style film festival of its sort in the United States. Honolulu's tropical climate lends itself to year-round activities. In 2004, Men's Fitness magazine named Honolulu the fittest city in the United States. Honolulu has three large road races : Ironman Hawaii

4536-821: The Hawaiian Islanders ( af2 , 2002–04). The NCAA football Hawaii Bowl is played in Honolulu. Honolulu also hosted the NFL 's annual Pro Bowl each February from 1980 to 2009. After the 2010 and 2015 games were played in Miami Gardens and Glendale , respectively, the Pro Bowl was once again in Honolulu from 2011 to 2014, with 2016 the most recent. From 1993 to 2008, Honolulu hosted Hawaii Winter Baseball , featuring minor-league players from Major League Baseball , Nippon Professional Baseball , Korea Baseball Organization , and independent leagues . In 2018,

4662-682: The Navy and of the Marine Corps through its Commandant, then Lt. General Thomas Holcomb and his successor as Commandant of the Marine Corps , Lt. General Alexander Vandegrift , General George C. Marshall in charge of the Army , and in nominal control of the Air Force, which in practice was commanded by General Hap Arnold on Marshall's behalf. King was also in control for wartime being of

4788-446: The Philippines , with plans to invade the Japanese home islands in late 1945. With its merchant fleet sunk by American submarines, Japan ran short of aviation gasoline and fuel oil, as the US Navy in June 1944 captured islands within bombing range of the Japanese home islands . Strategic bombing directed by General Curtis Lemay destroyed all the major Japanese cities, as the US captured Okinawa after heavy losses in spring 1945. With

4914-434: The Second Italo-Ethiopian War and the Spanish Civil War . After the German invasion of Poland and the beginning of the war in September 1939, Congress allowed foreign countries to purchase war materiel from the United States on a " cash-and-carry " basis, but assistance to the United Kingdom was still limited by British hard currency shortages and the Johnson Act , and President Roosevelt's military advisers believed that

5040-487: The Supreme Allied Commander , who delegated command to his deputy in SHAEF Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder . There was resistance to this order from some senior figures, including Winston Churchill, Harris, and Carl Spaatz , but after some debate, control passed to SHAEF on 1 April 1944. When the Combined Bomber Offensive officially ended on 1 April, Allied airmen were well on the way to achieving air superiority over all of Europe. While they continued some strategic bombing,

5166-446: The US 7th Army landed on the southern coast of Sicily between the town of Licata in the west, and Scoglitti in the east and units of the 82nd airborne division parachuted ahead of landings. Despite the elements, the operation was a success and the Allies immediately began exploiting their gains. On 11 August, seeing that the battle was lost, the German and Italian commanders began evacuating their forces from Sicily to Italy. On 17 August,

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5292-436: The US Armed forces and recruited under presidential authority. As a unit they served in the Chinese Air Force against the Japanese . The group comprised three fighter squadrons of around 30 aircraft each. The AVG's first combat mission was on 20 December 1941, twelve days after the Pearl Harbor attack. On 4 July 1942 the AVG was disbanded, and was replaced by the 23rd Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces , which

5418-406: The US Coast Guard under its Commandant, Admiral Russell R. Waesche . Roosevelt formed a new body, the Joint Chiefs of Staff , which made the final decisions on American military strategy and as the chief policy-making body for the armed forces. The Joint Chiefs was a White House agency chaired by Admiral William D. Leahy , who became FDR's chief military advisor and the highest military officer of

5544-442: The USS Arizona Memorial ), and Hickam Air Force Base are all in the island's Ewa CCD. The Hawaii Department of Public Safety operates the Oahu Community Correctional Center, the jail for the island of Oahu, in Honolulu CCD. The United States Postal Service operates post offices in Honolulu. The main Honolulu Post Office is by the international airport, at 3600 Aolele Street. Federal Detention Center, Honolulu , operated by

5670-460: The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa . High school sporting events, especially football, are especially popular. Honolulu has no professional sports teams, with any prospective teams being forced to conduct extremely long travels for away games in the continental states. It was the home of the Hawaii Islanders ( Pacific Coast League , 1961–87), The Hawaiians ( World Football League , 1974–75), Team Hawaii ( North American Soccer League , 1977), and

5796-405: The Washington Naval Treaty limiting naval tonnage in response to Japan's violations of the Nine-Power Treaty and the Kellogg–Briand Pact . Public opposition to Japanese expansionism in Asia had mounted during the Second Sino-Japanese War when the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service attacked and sank the US Yangtze Patrol gunboat USS  Panay in the Yangtze River while the ship

5922-427: The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki , the Soviet invasion of Manchuria , and the imminent invasion of the home islands , Japan surrendered . The war in Europe involved aid to Britain, its allies, and the Soviet Union, with the US supplying munitions until it could ready an invasion force. US forces were first tested to a limited degree in the North African Campaign and then employed more significantly with

6048-512: The entry of the U.S. into World War II ; the harbor remains a major U.S. Navy base, hosting the United States Pacific Fleet , the world's largest naval command. The U.S. Census Bureau recognizes the approximate area commonly referred to as the "City of Honolulu" as the Urban Honolulu census-designated place. As of the 2020 U.S. Census , the population of Honolulu was 350,964. The Urban Honolulu Metropolitan Statistical Area had 1,016,508 residents in 2020. With over 300,000 residents, Honolulu

6174-507: The "Flying Fortresses" because of their heavy defensive armament of ten to twelve machine guns, and armor plating in vital locations. In part because of their heavier armament and armor, they carried smaller bomb loads than British bombers. With all of this, the USAAF's commanders in Washington, DC, and in Great Britain adopted the strategy of taking on the Luftwaffe head-on, in larger and larger air raids by mutually defending bombers, flying over Germany, Austria, and France at high altitudes during

6300-480: The "summer" from June to September can get a limited number of hot days achieving 90 °F (32 °C) or higher. This occurs on an average of only 32 days annually, with lows in the upper 50s °F (14–15 °C) once or twice a year. The highest recorded temperature was 95 °F (35 °C) on September 19, 1994, and August 31, 2019. The lowest recorded temperature was 52 °F (11 °C) on February 16, 1902, and January 20, 1969. The annual average rainfall

6426-463: The Allies smashed through the Mareth Line and broke the Axis defense in North Africa. On 13 May 1943, Axis troops in North Africa surrendered, leaving behind 275,000 men. Allied efforts turned towards Sicily and Italy. The first stepping stone for the Allied liberation of Europe was invading Europe through Italy. Launched on 9 July 1943, Operation Husky was, at the time, the largest amphibious operation ever undertaken. The American seaborne assault by

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6552-450: The Allies were in control of the island, US 7th Army lost 8,781 men (2,237 killed or missing, 5,946 wounded, and 598 captured). Following the Allied victory in Sicily, Italian public sentiment swung against the war and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini . He was dismissed from office by the Fascist Grand Council and King Victor Emmanuel III , and the Allies struck quickly, hoping resistance would be slight. The first Allied troops landed on

6678-400: The Allies; after months of stalemate, the Allies broke out in May 1944 and Rome fell to the Allies on 4 June 1944. Following the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944, the equivalent of seven US and French divisions were pulled out of Italy to participate in Operation Dragoon: the allied landings in southern France; despite this, the remaining US forces in Italy with other Allied forces pushed up to

6804-499: The Army Air Forces, 225 US Army Rangers scaled the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc under intense enemy fire and destroyed the German gun emplacements that could have threatened the amphibious landings. Also before the main amphibious assault, the American 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions dropped behind the beaches into Nazi-occupied France , to protect the coming landings. Many of the paratroopers were not dropped on their intended landing zones and were scattered throughout Normandy. As

6930-414: The Axis Powers would be defeated and that US military assets should be focused on defending the Western Hemisphere . By 1940 the US, while still neutral, was becoming the " Arsenal of Democracy " for the Allies, supplying money and war materials. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt agreed to exchange 50 US destroyers for 99-year-leases to British military bases in Newfoundland and

7056-433: The Battle of Kwajalein, and its defenders were four times as many. Very little went as planned during the landing at Omaha Beach. Navigation difficulties caused the majority of landing craft to miss their targets throughout the day. The defenses were unexpectedly strong, and inflicted heavy casualties on landing US troops. Under heavy fire, the engineers struggled to clear the beach obstacles; later landings bunched up around

7182-432: The British landings to the east at Gold Beach with the American landing to the west at Utah Beach , thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine . Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Army troops, with sea transport and naval artillery support provided by the US Navy and elements of the British Royal Navy. On D-Day, the untested 29th Infantry Division, joined by

7308-492: The Eastern Front. The 352nd had never had any battalion or regimental training. Of the 12,020 men of the division, only 6,800 were experienced combat troops, detailed to defend a 53-kilometer-long (33-mile) front. The Germans were largely deployed in strongpoints along the coast—the German strategy was based on defeating any seaborne assault at the waterline. Nevertheless, Allied calculations indicated that Omaha's defenses were three times as strong as those they had encountered during

7434-403: The Hawaiian Islands' capital, largest city, and main airport and seaport. An economic and tourism boom following statehood brought rapid economic growth to Honolulu and Hawaii. Modern air travel brings, as of 2007 , 7.6 million visitors annually to the islands, with 62.3% entering at Honolulu International Airport . Today, Honolulu is a modern city with numerous high-rise buildings, and Waikiki

7560-446: The Hawaiian Islands, Honolulu acts as a natural gateway to the islands' large tourism industry, which brings millions of visitors and contributes $ 10 billion annually to the local economy. Honolulu's location in the Pacific also makes it a large business and trading hub, particularly between the East and the West . Other important aspects of the city's economy include military defense, research and development, and manufacturing. Among

7686-460: The Honolulu census county division (CCD), the urban area commonly regarded as the "City" of Honolulu. The Honolulu CCD is on the southeast coast of Oʻahu between Makapuu and Halawa . The division boundary follows the Koʻolau crestline, so Makapuʻu Beach is in the Ko'olaupoko District. On the west, the division boundary follows Halawa Stream, then crosses Red Hill and runs just west of Aliamanu Crater , so that Aloha Stadium , Pearl Harbor (with

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7812-469: The Honolulu Little League team qualified for that year's Little League World Series tournament . The team went undefeated en route to the United States championship game, where it bested Georgia's Peachtree City American Little League team 3–0 . In the world championship game, the team faced off against South Korea's South Seoul Little League team. Hawaii pitcher Ka'olu Holt threw a complete-game shutout while striking out 8, and Honolulu Little League, again by

7938-433: The Italian peninsula on 3 September 1943 and Italy surrendered on 8 September, however the Italian Social Republic was established soon afterwards. The first American troops landed at Salerno on 9 September 1943, by U.S. Fifth Army . However, German troops in Italy were prepared, and after the Allied troops at Salerno had consolidated their beachhead, the Germans launched fierce counterattacks. However, they failed to destroy

8064-404: The Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu , situated along the southeast coast of the island of Oʻahu , and is the westernmost and southernmost major U.S. city. Honolulu is Hawaii's main gateway to the world. It is also a major hub for business, finance, hospitality, and military defense in both the state and Oceania . The city is characterized by

8190-621: The Pacific than Europe and Africa until 1944. Admiral King put Admiral Chester W. Nimitz , based in Hawaii, in charge of the Pacific War against Japan. The Imperial Japanese Navy had the advantage, taking the Philippines as well as British and Dutch possessions, and threatening Australia but in June 1942, its main carriers were sunk during the Battle of Midway , and the Americans seized the initiative. The Pacific War became one of island hopping , so as to move air bases closer and closer to Japan. The Army, based in Australia under General Douglas MacArthur , steadily advanced across New Guinea to

8316-489: The Rocky Mountains. Other classical music ensembles include the Hawaii Opera Theatre . Honolulu is also a center for Hawaiian music . The main music venues include the Hawaii Theatre , the Neal Blaisdell Center Concert Hall and Arena, and the Waikiki Shell . Honolulu also includes several venues for live theater , including the Diamond Head Theatre and Kumu Kahua Theatre . The Honolulu Museum of Art has Hawaii's largest collection of Asian and Western art. It also has

8442-454: The Soviet Union and Britain, and would then become an unconquerable fortress in Europe. The wound inflicted on the United States by Japan at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, did not result in a change in US policy. Prime Minister Winston Churchill hastened to Washington shortly after Pearl Harbor for the Arcadia Conference to ensure that the Americans didn't have second thoughts about Europe First. The two countries reaffirmed that, "notwithstanding

8568-427: The U.S. . Italy also declared war on the U.S. the same day. That same day, the United States, in its turn, declared war on Germany and Italy . The established grand strategy of the Allies was to defeat Germany and its allies in Europe first, and then focus could shift towards Japan in the Pacific. This was because two of the Allied capitals, London and Moscow , could be directly threatened by Germany, but none of

8694-474: The US Navy began escorting Allied convoys from Canada as far as the "Mid-Atlantic Meeting Point" (MOMP) south of Iceland, where they handed off to the RN. On 16 June 1941, after negotiation with Churchill , Roosevelt ordered the United States occupation of Iceland to replace the British invasion forces . On 22 June 1941, the US Navy sent Task Force 19 (TF 19) from Charleston, South Carolina to assemble at Argentia, Newfoundland . TF 19 included 25 warships and

8820-445: The US at that time. As the war progressed Marshall became the dominant voice in the JCS in the shaping of strategy. When dealing with Europe, the Joint Chiefs met with their British counterparts and formed the Combined Chiefs of Staff . Unlike the political leaders of the other major powers, Roosevelt rarely overrode his military advisors. The civilians handled the draft and procurement of men and equipment, but no civilians—not even

8946-422: The US military to replace the British forces stationed in Iceland . Following the 4 September 1941 Greer incident involving a German submarine, Roosevelt publicly confirmed a "shoot on sight" order on 11 September, effectively declaring naval war on Germany and Italy in the Battle of the Atlantic . In the Pacific Theater , there was unofficial early US combat activity such as the Flying Tigers . During

9072-638: The USAAF along with the RAF turned their attention to the tactical air battle in support of the Normandy Invasion. It was not until the middle of September that the strategic bombing campaign of Germany again became the priority for the USAAF. The twin campaigns—the USAAF by day, the RAF by night—built up into massive bombing of German industrial areas, notably the Ruhr , followed by attacks directly on cities such as Hamburg , Kassel , Pforzheim , Mainz and

9198-676: The United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, were protected for the most part by the British and Canadian navies and air forces. These forces were aided by ships and aircraft of the United States from 13 September 1941. The Germans were joined by submarines of the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) after their Axis ally Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940. The United States entered the war in the west with Operation Torch on 8 November 1942, after their Soviet allies had pushed for

9324-501: The United States aimed at the industrial heart of Germany. Using the high altitude B-17 and B-24 , the raids had to be conducted in daylight for the drops to be accurate. As adequate fighter escort was rarely available, the bombers would fly in tight, box formations , allowing each bomber to provide overlapping machine-gun fire for defense. The tight formations made it impossible to evade fire from Luftwaffe fighters, however, and American bomber crew losses were high. One such example

9450-467: The United States, and South Korea. A similar tournament, the Pacific Rim Cup , will be held in Honolulu in February 2018, featuring MLS and J League teams. Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu ( / ˌ h ɒ n ə ˈ l uː l uː / HON -ə- LOO -loo ; Hawaiian: [honoˈlulu] ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii , located in

9576-469: The armed forces of foreign nations, and in doing so, they lost their citizenship , many American volunteers changed their nationality to Canadian . However, Congress passed a blanket pardon in 1944. American mercenary Colonel Charles Sweeny began recruiting American citizens to fight as a US volunteer detachment in the French Air Force , however France fell before this was implemented. During

9702-571: The beachhead and retreated on 16 September and in October 1943 began preparing a series of defensive lines across central Italy. The US 5th Army and other Allied armies broke through the first two lines ( Volturno and the Barbara Line ) in October and November 1943. As winter approached, the Allies made slow progress due to the weather and the difficult terrain against the heavily defended German Winter Line; they did however manage to break through

9828-535: The bombers had hit their targets, the USAAF's fighters were then free to strafe German airfields and transport while returning to base, contributing significantly to the achievement of air superiority by Allied air forces over Europe. On 27 March 1944, the Combined Chiefs of Staff issued orders granting control of all the Allied air forces in Europe, including strategic bombers, to General Dwight D. Eisenhower,

9954-590: The coast. At Omaha the Germans had prepared the beaches with land mines , Czech hedgehogs and Belgian Gates in anticipation of the invasion. Intelligence before the landings had placed the less experienced German 714th Division in charge of the defense of the beach. However, the highly trained and experienced 352nd moved in days before the invasion. As a result, the soldiers from the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions became pinned down by superior enemy fire immediately after leaving their landing craft. In some instances, entire landing craft full of men were mowed down by

10080-471: The companies based in Honolulu are: Hawaiian Airlines , Island Air , and Aloha Air Cargo are headquartered in the city. Until it dissolved, Aloha Airlines was headquartered in the city. At one time Mid-Pacific Airlines had its headquarters on the property of Honolulu International Airport . In 2009, Honolulu had a 4.5% increase in average rent, maintaining it in the second most expensive rental market among 210 U.S. metropolitan areas. Similarly,

10206-777: The day after the declaration of war, and Germany's subsequent counter-blockade. It was at its height from mid-1940 through to the end of 1943. The Battle of the Atlantic pitted U-boats and other warships of the Kriegsmarine (German navy) and aircraft of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) against the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Navy, the United States Navy, and Allied merchant shipping. The convoys, coming mainly from North America and predominantly going to

10332-445: The day bombing was "precision bombing" only in the sense that most bombs fell somewhere near a specific designated target such as a railway yard. Conventionally, the air forces designated as "the target area" a circle having a radius of 1000 feet around the aiming point of attack. While accuracy improved during the war, Survey studies show that, overall, only about 20% of the bombs aimed at precision targets fell within this target area. In

10458-667: The daytime. Also, both the US Government and its Army Air Forces commanders were reluctant to bomb enemy cities and towns indiscriminately. They claimed that by using the B-17 and the Norden bombsight , the USAAF should be able to carry out "precision bombing" on locations vital to the German war machine: factories, naval bases , shipyards , railroad yards, railroad junctions, power plants, steel mills, airfields, etc. In January 1943, at

10584-464: The destroyer USS  Greer off Iceland. A week later Roosevelt ordered American warships to attack U-boats on sight. A U-boat shot up the USS ; Kearny as it escorted a British merchant convoy. The USS  Reuben James was sunk by German submarine  U-552 on 31 October 1941. On 11 December 1941, three days after the United States declared war on Japan , Germany declared war on

10710-470: The early 19th century after Kamehameha I chose it as a replacement for his residence at Waikiki in 1810. In 1845, Kamehameha III moved the permanent capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom from Lahaina on Maui to Honolulu. He and the kings who followed him transformed Honolulu into a modern capital, erecting buildings such as St. Andrew's Cathedral , ʻIolani Palace , and Aliʻiōlani Hale . At

10836-875: The entire city destroyed. With the arrival of the brand-new Fifteenth Air Force , based in Italy, command of the US Air Forces in Europe was consolidated into the United States Strategic Air Forces (USSAF). With the addition of the Mustang to its strength, the Combined Bomber Offensive was resumed. Planners targeted the Luftwaffe in an operation known as ' Big Week ' (20–25 February 1944) and succeeded brilliantly – losses were so heavy German planners were forced into

10962-530: The entry of Japan into the War, our view remains that Germany is still the prime enemy. And her defeat is the key to victory. Once Germany is defeated the collapse of Italy and the defeat of Japan must follow." The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, running from 1939 to the defeat of Germany in 1945. At its core was the Allied naval blockade of Germany , announced

11088-625: The fall of 1944, only seven percent of all bombs dropped by the Eighth Air Force hit within 1,000 feet of their aim point. The only offensive ordnance possessed by the USAAF that was guidable, the VB-1 Azon , saw very limited service in Europe and in the CBI Theater late in the war. Nevertheless, the sheer tonnage of explosives delivered by day and by night was eventually enough to cause widespread damage, and, more importantly from

11214-402: The few channels that were cleared. Weakened by the casualties taken just in landing, the surviving assault troops could not clear the heavily defended exits off the beach. This caused further problems and consequent delays for later landings. Small penetrations were eventually achieved by groups of survivors making improvised assaults, scaling the bluffs between the most heavily defended points. By

11340-469: The first settlement of Honolulu by the original Polynesian migrants to the archipelago comes from oral histories and artifacts. These indicate that there was a settlement where Honolulu now stands in the 11th century. After Kamehameha I conquered Oʻahu in the Battle of Nuʻuanu at Nuʻuanu Pali , he moved his royal court from the Island of Hawaiʻi to Waikiki in 1804. His court relocated in 1809 to what

11466-420: The general cost of living, including gasoline, electricity, and most foodstuffs, is much higher than on the U.S. mainland, because the city and state have to import most goods. One 2014 report found that cost of living expenses were 69% higher than the U.S. average. Since the only national banks in Hawaii are all local, many visitors and new residents must get accustomed to different banks. First Hawaiian Bank

11592-549: The infamous Schweinfurt raids (first and second). Formations of unescorted bombers were no match for German fighters, which inflicted a deadly toll. In despair, the Eighth halted air operations over Germany until a long-range fighter could be found in 1944; it proved to be the P-51 Mustang, which had the range to fly to Berlin and back. USAAF leaders firmly held to the claim of "precision bombing" of military targets for much of

11718-670: The largest collection of Islamic art, housed at the Shangri La estate. Since the merger of the Honolulu Academy of Arts and The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu (now called the Honolulu Museum of Art Spalding House ) in 2011, the museum is also the state's only contemporary art museum . The contemporary collections are housed at main campus ( Spalding House ) in Makiki and a multi-level gallery in downtown Honolulu at

11844-561: The major Allied capitals were threatened by Japan. Germany was the United Kingdom's primary threat, especially after the Fall of France in 1940, which saw Germany overrun most of the countries of Western Europe , leaving the United Kingdom alone to combat Germany. Germany's planned invasion of the UK, Operation Sea Lion, was averted by its failure to establish air superiority in the Battle of Britain. At

11970-431: The majority of Honolulu's population. The Asian ethnic groups are Japanese (19.9%), Filipinos (13.2%), Chinese (10.4%), Koreans (4.3%), Vietnamese (2.0%), Indians (0.3%), Laotians (0.3%), Thais (0.2%), Cambodians (0.1%), and Indonesians (0.1%). Pacific Islander Americans are 8.4% of Honolulu's population. The Pacific Islander ethnic groups are people solely of Native Hawaiian ancestry (3.2%), Samoan Americans made up 1.5% of

12096-407: The money, and the morale to fight the war to victory. World War II cost the United States an estimated $ 296 billion in 1945 dollars, and at their highest in 1945, military expenditures comprised 38% of the national GDP . American public opinion was hostile to the Axis, but how much aid to give the Allies was controversial. The United States returned to its typical isolationist foreign policy after

12222-515: The often-criticized bombing of Dresden . The second European front that the Soviets had pressed for was finally opened on 6 June 1944, when the Allies launched an invasion of Normandy . Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower had delayed the attack because of bad weather, but finally, the largest amphibious assault in history began. After prolonged bombing runs on the French coast by

12348-439: The paratroops fought their way through the hedgerows , the main amphibious landings began. The Americans came ashore at the beaches codenamed ' Omaha ' and ' Utah '. The landing craft bound for Utah, as with so many other units, went off course, coming ashore two kilometers off target. The 4th Infantry Division faced weak resistance during the landings and by the afternoon were linked up with paratroopers fighting their way towards

12474-437: The population, Marshallese people make up 0.5%, and Tongan people comprise 0.3%. People of Guamanian or Chamorro descent made up 0.2% of the population and numbered 841. Metropolitan Honolulu, which encompasses all of Oahu island, had a population of 953,207 as of the 2010 U.S. Census and 1,016,508 in the 2020 U.S. Census , making it the 54th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The largest city and airport in

12600-610: The principal military effort of the United States being exerted in the Atlantic and European area; and (2) A strategic defensive in the Far East ." Thus, the Americans concurred with the British in the grand strategy of "Europe first" (or "Germany first") in carrying out military operations in World War II. The UK feared that, if the United States were diverted from its main focus in Europe to the Pacific (Japan), Hitler might crush both

12726-420: The progressive destruction and dislocation of the German military, industrial and economic system and the undermining of the morale of the German people to a point where their capacity for armed resistance is fatally weakened.", At the beginning of the combined strategic bombing offensive on 4 March 1943 669 RAF and 303 USAAF heavy bombers were available. In late 1943, 'Pointblank' attacks manifested themselves in

12852-490: The racial counts), 54.8% were Asian , 17.9% were White , 1.5% were Black or African American, 0.2% were Native American or Alaska Native, 8.4% were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 0.8% were from "some other race", and 16.3% were from two or more races. Separately, Hispanic and Latino residents of any race made up 5.4% of the population. In 1970, the Census Bureau reported Honolulu's population as 33.9% white and 53.7% Asian and Pacific Islander. Asian Americans are

12978-529: The same time, Honolulu became the islands' center of commerce, with descendants of American missionaries establishing major businesses downtown. Despite the turbulent history of the late 19th century and early 20th century—such as the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, Hawaii's annexation by the U.S. in 1898, a large fire in 1900, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941—Honolulu remained

13104-518: The same time, war with Japan in East Asia seemed increasingly likely. Although the US was not yet at war with either Germany or Japan, it met with the UK on several occasions to formulate joint strategies. In the 29 March 1941 report of the ABC-1 conference , the Americans and British agreed that their strategic objectives were: (1) "The early defeat of Germany as the predominant member of the Axis with

13230-589: The secretaries of War or Navy, had a voice in strategy. Roosevelt avoided the State Department and conducted high-level diplomacy through his aides, especially Harry Hopkins . Since Hopkins also controlled $ 50 billion in Lend Lease funds given to the Allies, they paid attention to him. Without American production , the United Nations could never have won the war. The year 1940 marked

13356-517: The site were announced in 2022. Rick Blangiardi was elected mayor of Honolulu County on August 8, 2020, and began serving as the county's 15th mayor on January 2, 2021. The municipal offices of the City and County of Honolulu , including Honolulu Hale , the seat of the city and county, are in the Capitol District , as are the Hawaii state government buildings. The Capitol District is in

13482-410: The skies" of any Luftwaffe fighter opposition heading towards the target. This strategy fatally disabled the twin-engined Zerstörergeschwader heavy fighter wings and their replacement, single-engined Sturmgruppen of heavily armed Fw 190As , clearing each force of bomber destroyers in their turn from Germany's skies throughout most of 1944. As part of this game-changing strategy, especially after

13608-554: The three Eagle squadrons; 16 Britons also served as squadron and flight commanders. The first became operational in February 1941 and the squadrons scored their first kill in July 1941. On 29 September 1942, the three squadrons were officially turned over by the RAF to the Eighth Air Force of the US Army Air Forces and became the 4th Fighter Group . In their time with the RAF the squadrons claim to have shot 73½ German planes; 77 Americans and 5 Britons were killed. Another notable example

13734-454: The time, Iceland had a population of about 120,000.) The agreement was for the US military to remain until the end of the war (although the US military presence in Iceland remained through 2006 , as postwar Iceland became a member of NATO ). American warships escorting Allied convoys in the western Atlantic had several hostile encounters with U-boats. On 4 September, a German U-boat attacked

13860-455: The veteran 1st Infantry Division and nine companies of US Army Rangers redirected from Pointe du Hoc , were to assault the western half of the beach. The battle-hardened 1st Infantry Division was given the eastern half. The initial assault waves, consisting of tanks, infantry, and combat engineer forces, were carefully planned to reduce the coastal defenses and allow the larger ships of the follow-up waves to land. The primary objective at Omaha

13986-479: The war, and dismissed claims they were simply bombing cities. However, the American Eighth Air Force received the first H2X radar sets in December 1943. Within two weeks of the arrival of these first six sets, the Eighth command permitted them to area bomb a city using H2X and would continue to authorize, on average, about one such attack a week until the end of the war in Europe. In reality,

14112-507: The war, despite its nominal neutrality. In spring U-boats began their "wolf-pack" tactics which threatened to sever the trans- Atlantic supply line; Roosevelt extended the Pan-American Security Zone east almost as far as Iceland . The US Navy's "neutrality patrols" were not actually neutral as, in practice, their function was to report Axis ship and submarine sightings to the British and Canadian navies, and from April

14238-520: The war, some 16,112,566 Americans served in the United States Armed Forces , with 291,557 killed and 671,278 wounded . There were also 130,201 American prisoners of war , of whom 116,129 returned home after the war. Key civilian advisors to President Roosevelt included Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson , who mobilized the nation's industries and induction centers to supply the Army , commanded by General George Marshall and

14364-430: The well-positioned German defenses. As the casualties mounted, the soldiers formed impromptu units and advanced inland. The small units then fought their way through the minefields that were in between the Nazi machine-gun bunkers. After squeezing through, they then attacked the bunkers from the rear, allowing more men to come safely ashore. By the end of the day, the Americans suffered over 6,000 casualties. Omaha Beach

14490-452: The year when he changed the policy requiring escorting fighters to remain with the bombers at all times. With his permission, initially performed with P-38s and P-47s with both previous types being steadily replaced with the long-ranged P-51s as the spring of 1944 wore on, American fighter pilots on bomber defense missions would primarily be flying far ahead of the bombers' combat box formations in air supremacy mode, literally "clearing

14616-602: Was Category 4 Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Tornadoes are also uncommon and occur about every 15 years. Waterspouts off the coast are also uncommon, hitting about every five years. Honolulu falls under the USDA 12b Plant Hardiness zone . The average temperature of the sea ranges from 75.7 °F (24.3 °C) in March to 80.4 °F (26.9 °C) in September. See or edit raw graph data . The population of Honolulu

14742-641: Was awarded to Los Angeles Galaxy . Teams from China and Korea made their debut in the tournament in the 2009 edition , which was held at the Galaxy's Home Depot Center in Carson , California . While no official statement has been issued, the tournament was not held in 2010 or 2011. In 2012, Aloha Stadium is scheduled to host the Hawaiian Islands Invitational , a preseason tournament that will also feature teams from Japan, Australia,

14868-562: Was completed on 12 July. On 6 August, the US Navy established an air base at Reykjavík with the arrival of Patrol Squadron VP-73 PBY Catalinas and VP-74 PBM Mariners . US Army personnel began arriving in Iceland in August, and the Marines had been transferred to the Pacific by March 1942. Up to 40,000 US military personnel were stationed on the island, outnumbering adult Icelandic men (at

14994-615: Was evacuating civilians from the Nanjing Massacre . Although the US government accepted Japanese official apologies and indemnities for the incident, it resulted in increasing trade restrictions against Japan and corresponding increases US credit and aid to China. After the United States abrogated the 1911 Treaty of Commerce and Navigation with Japan, Japan ratified the Tripartite Pact and embarked on an invasion of French Indochina . The United States responded by placing

15120-621: Was first held in Honolulu. It was the first ever Ironman triathlon event and is also the world championship. The Waikiki Roughwater Swim race is held annually off the beach of Waikiki. Founded by Jim Cotton in 1970, the course is 2.384 miles (3.837 km) and spans from the New Otani Hotel to the Hilton Rainbow Tower. Fans of spectator sports in Honolulu generally support the football , volleyball , basketball , rugby union , rugby league , and baseball programs of

15246-700: Was later absorbed into the US Fourteenth Air Force . During their time in the Chinese Air Force, they succeeded in destroying 296 enemy aircraft, while losing only 14 pilots in combat. In 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt set up a new command structure to provide leadership in the US Armed Forces while retaining authority as Commander-in-Chief as assisted by Secretary of War Henry Stimson with Admiral Ernest J. King as Chief of Naval Operations in complete control of

15372-513: Was left of the Luftwaffe post Battle of Britain in 1945. Being invaded from all sides, it became clear that Germany would lose the war. Berlin fell to the Soviets in May 1945, and with Adolf Hitler dead killed from suicide, the Germans surrendered . The American victorious military effort was strongly supported by civilians on the home front , who provided the military personnel, the munitions,

15498-532: Was primarily to blame for the loss as internal bickering between American General Lloyd Fredendall and the British led to mistrust and little communication, causing inadequate troop placements. The defeat could be considered a major turning point, however, because General Eisenhower replaced Fredendall with General Patton. Slowly the Allies stopped the German advance in Tunisia and by March were pushing back. In mid-April, under British General Bernard Montgomery ,

15624-605: Was the Flying Tigers , created by Claire L. Chennault , a retired US Army Air Corps officer working in the Republic of China since August 1937, first as military aviation advisor to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in the early months of the Sino-Japanese War . Officially known as the 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) but nicknamed the "Flying Tigers", this was a group of American pilots already serving in

15750-667: Was the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission , which resulted in staggering losses of men and equipment. The introduction of the revered P-51 Mustang , which had enough fuel to make a round trip to Germany's heartland, helped to reduce losses later in the war. In mid-1942, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) arrived in the UK and carried out a few raids across the English Channel . The USAAF Eighth Air Force 's B-17 bombers were called

15876-497: Was to secure a beachhead of some five miles (eight kilometers) depth, between Port-en-Bessin and the Vire River , linking with the British landings at Gold Beach to the east, and reaching the area of Isigny to the west to link up with VII Corps landing at Utah Beach. Opposing the landings was the German 352nd Infantry Division , a large portion of whom were teenagers, though they were supplemented by veterans who had fought on

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