History of Palau
Encyclopedia
Palau
was initially settled over 3,000 years ago, and perhaps 4,500 years ago, probably by migrants from the Philippines
. British traders became prominent visitors in the 18th century, followed by expanding Spanish influence in the 19th century. Following its defeat in the Spanish-American War
, Spain sold Palau and most of the rest of the Caroline Islands
to Germany in 1899. Control passed to Japan in 1914 and during World War II
the islands were taken by the United States in 1944, with the costly Battle of Peleliu
between September 15 and November 25 with more than 2,000 Americans and 10,000 Japanese killed. The islands passed formally to the United States under United Nations auspices in 1947 as part of the Trust Territory
of the Pacific Islands
.
Four of the Trust Territory districts formed a single federated Micronesia
n state in 1979, but the districts of Palau and the Marshall Islands
declined to participate. Palau, the westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands, instead opted for independent status in 1978, approved a new constitution and became the Republic of Palau in 1981, and signed a Compact of Free Association
with the United States in 1982. After eight referendums and an amendment to the Palauan constitution, the Compact was ratified in 1993 and went into effect on October 1, 1994, marking Palau independent de jure
(after Palau was independent de facto
since May 25, 1994, when the trusteeship cancelled).
Legislation making Palau an "offshore" financial center was passed by the Senate in 1998. In 2001, Palau passed its first bank regulation
and anti-money laundering laws.
population, presumably the result of insular dwarfism
, from at least 3,000, and perhaps as long as 4,500 years ago until about 900 years ago (1000–2500 BCE until ca. 1100 CE).
is an outlier among the Austronesian languages, and so does not shed much light on the origins of the modern population. However, there are some indications that it may derive from the Sunda Islands
(modern Indonesia).
For thousands of years, Palauans have had a well established matrilineal society, believed to have descended from Javanese precedents. Traditionally land, money, and titles passed through the female line. Clan lands continue to be passed through titled women and first daughters but there is also a modern patrilineal sentiment introduced by imperial Japan
. The Japanese government attempted to confiscate and redistribute tribal land into personal ownership during World War II
, and there has been little attempt to restore the old order. Legal entanglements continue amongst the various clans.
, who landed in several Caroline Islands
, spotted the Palau archipelago in 1543. No conclusive evidence exists, but some believe he could have seen the tip of a southernmost island in the group.
Palau had limited relations before the 18th century, mainly with Yap
and Java. Had it not been for shipwrecked islanders who took refuge in the Philippines, Europeans likely would not have found Palau until much later. Englishman Henry Wilson
, captain of the East India Company
's packet Antelope, was shipwrecked off the island of Ulong in 1783. The King of Palau allowed Captain Wilson to take his son, Prince Lee Boo, to England, where he arrived in 1784. However, the prince died soon after of smallpox. The East India Company erected a monument over his grave in St Mary's Churchyard
, Rotherhithe
. It was Wilson who gave the archipelago the name "Pelew Islands".
for a decision. The Pope recognized the Spanish claim, but granted economic concessions to Britain and Germany. Palau then became part of the Spanish East Indies
, along with the Mariana Islands
, the Marshall Islands
. and the rest of the Caroline Islands
. They were all administered from the Philippines
.
Under the Spanish administration, Palau underwent its first forms of extreme foreign influence. Catholicism is the most highlighted amongst all these forms, having been introduced to the native population and accepted rather easily, despite the fact that Palauans were ardent followers of their traditional faith. Elements from the Spanish language were also integrated into the Palauan lexicon; the Palauan word for hammer, "martiliong", is derived from the Spanish "martillo". Even with these forms of influence, Palau has predominantly very little influence from the Spanish occupation compared to other islands within the region, such as Guam. This is partly due to the reason that, aside from Spanish Jesuit missionaries, Spain had very little economic and colonization activity on the islands.
After being defeated in 1898 in the Spanish-American War
and losing possession of the Philippine Islands, Spain sold the Palau archipelago to Imperial Germany in the 1899 German-Spanish Treaty.
Palau was administered from German New Guinea
, and a period of economic development began. German engineers began exploiting the islands' deposits of bauxite
and phosphate
, and a rich harvest in copra
was made.
Although the German occupation had lasted a mere 15 years, major changes in Palauan society had occurred. Many traditional practices among the natives had been outlawed by German administrators, specifically the acts of tattooing and mengol. Tattooing had been a practice reserved for members of higher castes, and the Spanish had tried on numerous occasions to banish the practice. Unlike the Spanish, the Germans had a major foothold on the local traditional government, given the economic benefits many clan heads were gaining. The art of tattooing was banished completely by the late 19th century, and the last tattooed native died in the early 1960s.
The practice of mengol is one very unique to the islands, and one that was greatly discouraged by all foreign administrations. In mengol young unmarried women from one village are sent to male clubhouses in another or other villages, whether enemy or ally, as a sign of peace or friendship. The actions of these mengol ranged from simple companionship of the men of the clubhouse, much like the Japanese geisha, to sexual favors. It must be noted however, that the mengol were not prostitues, as even the unmarried daughters of clan heads could be sent off as mengol.
, the Empire of Japan
declared war on the German Empire
in 1914 and invaded German overseas territories in the Pacific Ocean
. Palau was seized by ships of the Japanese navy. After the war, the League of Nations
awarded Palau to Japan as a Class C League of Nations Mandate.
Japan incorporated the islands as an integral part of its empire, establishing the Nanyo-cho
government with Koror Island as the capital. From 1914 to 1922, the Japanese Imperial Navy had been in control. Civilian control was introduced from 1922, and Palau was one of six administrative districts within the Mandate. Japan mounted an aggressive economic development
program and promoted large scale immigration by Japanese
, Okinawans and Koreans
. Native Palauans soon became a small minority in their own homeland. The Japanese continued the German mining activities, and also established bonito
(skipjack tuna) canning and copra
processing plants in Palau. Japanese economic activity was so extreme during their occupation, that the industrial capital, Koror, was once termed by Japanese officials and tourists as "chiisai Tokyo", meaning "little Tokyo."
The Japanese had perhaps the most profound impact on Palauan society. Under the Japanese government, Palau underwent extreme social, economic, and political changes. Unlike other parts of the Japanese Empire, the local Japanese administration recognized the benefits of utilizing the traditional government to their advantage, given the extreme adherence the natives followed towards their clans and traditions. Under the Japanese government, heads of the Palauan traditional government were replaced by more "Japanese" natives, as a way of securing the obedience of the Palauan people. This proved rather successful, as more and more Palauans so the benefits the Japanese government was providing. Under the Japanese administration, all Palauan children were required to attend school, and by the 1930s, nearly all Palauan children were literate in Japanese, with the exception of children in outlier islands, specifically the Southwest Islands.
was a scene of intense fighting between American and Japanese forces in 1944. The battle ended in an Allied victory, but at a high cost for both sides. All surviving Japanese were repatriated after the end of the war. There are still about 100 American servicemen listed as Missing In Action
in Palau. Starting in 1993, a small group of American volunteers called The BentProp Project
has searched the waters and jungles of Palau for information that could lead to the identification and recovery of these remains.
decided the United States would administer Palau as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
. In 1979, Palauans voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia
because of language and cultural differences. A long period of transition occurred between 1979 and 1994, specifically in the capital, Koror, on the topic of relations with the United States. During this period, Palau underwent its first form of civil unrest since the last inter-village war in 1879. This civil unrest had escalated into extreme violence, resulting in numerous bombings of homes of powerful politicians, intellectuals, influential locals, and the death of two presidents. At one point, the civil struggle had resulted to the point of anarchy, and the King of the Southern Federation of Palau, the Ibedul, assumed responsibility over governing the Palauan islands which thereby established a temporary state of absolute monarchy. After a long period of transition, including the violent deaths of two presidents (Haruo Remeliik
in 1985 and Lazarus Salii
in 1988), Palau voted in 1994 to freely associate with the United States while retaining independence under the Compact of Free Association
.
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
was initially settled over 3,000 years ago, and perhaps 4,500 years ago, probably by migrants from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. British traders became prominent visitors in the 18th century, followed by expanding Spanish influence in the 19th century. Following its defeat in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, Spain sold Palau and most of the rest of the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
to Germany in 1899. Control passed to Japan in 1914 and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the islands were taken by the United States in 1944, with the costly Battle of Peleliu
Battle of Peleliu
The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, was fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, from September–November 1944 on the island of Peleliu, present-day Palau. U.S...
between September 15 and November 25 with more than 2,000 Americans and 10,000 Japanese killed. The islands passed formally to the United States under United Nations auspices in 1947 as part of the Trust Territory
United Nations Trust Territories
United Nations trust territories were the successors of the remaining League of Nations mandates and came into being when the League of Nations ceased to exist in 1946. All of the trust territories were administered through the UN Trusteeship Council...
of the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
.
Four of the Trust Territory districts formed a single federated Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
n state in 1979, but the districts of Palau and the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
declined to participate. Palau, the westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands, instead opted for independent status in 1978, approved a new constitution and became the Republic of Palau in 1981, and signed a Compact of Free Association
Compact of Free Association
The Compact of Free Association defines the relationship that three sovereign states—the Federated States of Micronesia , the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau—have entered into as associated states with the United States.Now sovereign nations, the three freely associated...
with the United States in 1982. After eight referendums and an amendment to the Palauan constitution, the Compact was ratified in 1993 and went into effect on October 1, 1994, marking Palau independent de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
(after Palau was independent de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
since May 25, 1994, when the trusteeship cancelled).
Legislation making Palau an "offshore" financial center was passed by the Senate in 1998. In 2001, Palau passed its first bank regulation
Bank regulation
Bank regulations are a form of government regulation which subject banks to certain requirements, restrictions and guidelines. This regulatory structure creates transparency between banking institutions and the individuals and corporations with whom they conduct business, among other things...
and anti-money laundering laws.
Archaeology
Carbon dating of cave burials show a pygmyPygmy
Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually short; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed "pygmoid." The best known pygmies are the Aka,...
population, presumably the result of insular dwarfism
Insular dwarfism
Insular dwarfism, a form of phyletic dwarfism, is the process and condition of the reduction in size of large animals – typically mammals – when their population's range is limited to a small environment, primarily islands. This natural process is distinct from the intentional creation of dwarf...
, from at least 3,000, and perhaps as long as 4,500 years ago until about 900 years ago (1000–2500 BCE until ca. 1100 CE).
Pre-contact
The Palauan languagePalauan language
Palauan is one of the two nationally recognized official languages spoken in the Republic of Palau...
is an outlier among the Austronesian languages, and so does not shed much light on the origins of the modern population. However, there are some indications that it may derive from the Sunda Islands
Sunda Islands
The Sunda Islands are a group of islands that form part of the Malay archipelago.They are further divided into the Greater Sunda Islands and the Lesser Sunda Islands.-Administration:...
(modern Indonesia).
For thousands of years, Palauans have had a well established matrilineal society, believed to have descended from Javanese precedents. Traditionally land, money, and titles passed through the female line. Clan lands continue to be passed through titled women and first daughters but there is also a modern patrilineal sentiment introduced by imperial Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The Japanese government attempted to confiscate and redistribute tribal land into personal ownership during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and there has been little attempt to restore the old order. Legal entanglements continue amongst the various clans.
European contact
Historians take note of the early navigational routes of European explorers in the Pacific. There is disagreement as to whether Spaniard Ruy López de VillalobosRuy López de Villalobos
Ruy López de Villalobos was a Spanish explorer who sailed the Pacific from Mexico to establish a permanent foothold for Spain in the East Indies, which was near the Line of Demarcation between Spain and Portugal according to the Treaty of Saragossa in 1529...
, who landed in several Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
, spotted the Palau archipelago in 1543. No conclusive evidence exists, but some believe he could have seen the tip of a southernmost island in the group.
Palau had limited relations before the 18th century, mainly with Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...
and Java. Had it not been for shipwrecked islanders who took refuge in the Philippines, Europeans likely would not have found Palau until much later. Englishman Henry Wilson
Henry Wilson (Antelope)
Henry Wilson was an English naval captain of the British East India Company, from Rotherhithe. He commanded the packet ship Antelope, when it shipwrecked off Ulong Island, near Koror Island in Palau in 1783.-Voyage of 1783:...
, captain of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
's packet Antelope, was shipwrecked off the island of Ulong in 1783. The King of Palau allowed Captain Wilson to take his son, Prince Lee Boo, to England, where he arrived in 1784. However, the prince died soon after of smallpox. The East India Company erected a monument over his grave in St Mary's Churchyard
St. Mary's Church, Rotherhithe
St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe is the local Church of England parish church in Rotherhithe, formerly in Surrey and now part of south east London. The parish is now within the diocese of Southwark and under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Fulham...
, Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...
. It was Wilson who gave the archipelago the name "Pelew Islands".
Spanish rule
In the late 19th century, possession of the islands was claimed by Britain, Spain, and Imperial Germany. In 1885, the matter was brought to Pope Leo XIIIPope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
for a decision. The Pope recognized the Spanish claim, but granted economic concessions to Britain and Germany. Palau then became part of the Spanish East Indies
Spanish East Indies
Spanish East Indies was a term used to describe Spanish territories in Asia-Pacific which lasted for three centuries . With the seat of government in Manila, the territory encompassed the Philippine Islands, Guam and the Mariana Islands, the Caroline Islands, and for a period of time, parts of...
, along with the Mariana Islands
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
, the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. and the rest of the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
. They were all administered from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Under the Spanish administration, Palau underwent its first forms of extreme foreign influence. Catholicism is the most highlighted amongst all these forms, having been introduced to the native population and accepted rather easily, despite the fact that Palauans were ardent followers of their traditional faith. Elements from the Spanish language were also integrated into the Palauan lexicon; the Palauan word for hammer, "martiliong", is derived from the Spanish "martillo". Even with these forms of influence, Palau has predominantly very little influence from the Spanish occupation compared to other islands within the region, such as Guam. This is partly due to the reason that, aside from Spanish Jesuit missionaries, Spain had very little economic and colonization activity on the islands.
After being defeated in 1898 in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and losing possession of the Philippine Islands, Spain sold the Palau archipelago to Imperial Germany in the 1899 German-Spanish Treaty.
German era
German New Guinea
German New Guinea was the first part of the German colonial empire. It was a protectorate from 1884 until 1914 when it fell to Australia following the outbreak of the First World War. It consisted of the northeastern part of New Guinea and several nearby island groups...
, and a period of economic development began. German engineers began exploiting the islands' deposits of bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
and phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
, and a rich harvest in copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
was made.
Although the German occupation had lasted a mere 15 years, major changes in Palauan society had occurred. Many traditional practices among the natives had been outlawed by German administrators, specifically the acts of tattooing and mengol. Tattooing had been a practice reserved for members of higher castes, and the Spanish had tried on numerous occasions to banish the practice. Unlike the Spanish, the Germans had a major foothold on the local traditional government, given the economic benefits many clan heads were gaining. The art of tattooing was banished completely by the late 19th century, and the last tattooed native died in the early 1960s.
The practice of mengol is one very unique to the islands, and one that was greatly discouraged by all foreign administrations. In mengol young unmarried women from one village are sent to male clubhouses in another or other villages, whether enemy or ally, as a sign of peace or friendship. The actions of these mengol ranged from simple companionship of the men of the clubhouse, much like the Japanese geisha, to sexual favors. It must be noted however, that the mengol were not prostitues, as even the unmarried daughters of clan heads could be sent off as mengol.
Japanese mandate
Under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese AllianceAnglo-Japanese Alliance
The first was signed in London at what is now the Lansdowne Club, on January 30, 1902, by Lord Lansdowne and Hayashi Tadasu . A diplomatic milestone for its ending of Britain's splendid isolation, the alliance was renewed and extended in scope twice, in 1905 and 1911, before its demise in 1921...
, the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
declared war on the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1914 and invaded German overseas territories in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Palau was seized by ships of the Japanese navy. After the war, the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
awarded Palau to Japan as a Class C League of Nations Mandate.
Japan incorporated the islands as an integral part of its empire, establishing the Nanyo-cho
South Pacific Mandate
The was the Japanese League of Nations mandate consisting of several groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean which came under the administration of Japan after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I.-Early history:Under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, after the start of World...
government with Koror Island as the capital. From 1914 to 1922, the Japanese Imperial Navy had been in control. Civilian control was introduced from 1922, and Palau was one of six administrative districts within the Mandate. Japan mounted an aggressive economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
program and promoted large scale immigration by Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
, Okinawans and Koreans
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
. Native Palauans soon became a small minority in their own homeland. The Japanese continued the German mining activities, and also established bonito
Bonito
Bonito is a name given to various species of medium-sized, predatory fish in the Scombridae family. First, bonito most commonly refers to species in the genus Sarda, including the Atlantic bonito and the Pacific bonito ; second, in Japanese cuisine, bonito refers to the skipjack tuna , which, in...
(skipjack tuna) canning and copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
processing plants in Palau. Japanese economic activity was so extreme during their occupation, that the industrial capital, Koror, was once termed by Japanese officials and tourists as "chiisai Tokyo", meaning "little Tokyo."
The Japanese had perhaps the most profound impact on Palauan society. Under the Japanese government, Palau underwent extreme social, economic, and political changes. Unlike other parts of the Japanese Empire, the local Japanese administration recognized the benefits of utilizing the traditional government to their advantage, given the extreme adherence the natives followed towards their clans and traditions. Under the Japanese government, heads of the Palauan traditional government were replaced by more "Japanese" natives, as a way of securing the obedience of the Palauan people. This proved rather successful, as more and more Palauans so the benefits the Japanese government was providing. Under the Japanese administration, all Palauan children were required to attend school, and by the 1930s, nearly all Palauan children were literate in Japanese, with the exception of children in outlier islands, specifically the Southwest Islands.
World War II
The Japanese presence made Palau a major target for the Allied forces in World War II. PeleliuBattle of Peleliu
The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, was fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, from September–November 1944 on the island of Peleliu, present-day Palau. U.S...
was a scene of intense fighting between American and Japanese forces in 1944. The battle ended in an Allied victory, but at a high cost for both sides. All surviving Japanese were repatriated after the end of the war. There are still about 100 American servicemen listed as Missing In Action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
in Palau. Starting in 1993, a small group of American volunteers called The BentProp Project
BentProp Project
The BentProp Project are volunteers whose common goal is gathering information that can lead to the location, identification and repatriation of remains of U.S. service members who were killed in action in the Republic of Palau during WWII, and who are still listed as missing in action. The...
has searched the waters and jungles of Palau for information that could lead to the identification and recovery of these remains.
Post-war development
In 1947, the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
decided the United States would administer Palau as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1986.-History:...
. In 1979, Palauans voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
because of language and cultural differences. A long period of transition occurred between 1979 and 1994, specifically in the capital, Koror, on the topic of relations with the United States. During this period, Palau underwent its first form of civil unrest since the last inter-village war in 1879. This civil unrest had escalated into extreme violence, resulting in numerous bombings of homes of powerful politicians, intellectuals, influential locals, and the death of two presidents. At one point, the civil struggle had resulted to the point of anarchy, and the King of the Southern Federation of Palau, the Ibedul, assumed responsibility over governing the Palauan islands which thereby established a temporary state of absolute monarchy. After a long period of transition, including the violent deaths of two presidents (Haruo Remeliik
Haruo Remeliik
Haruo Ignacio Remeliik was a politician from Palau. He served as the first President of Palau from 2 March 1981 until his assassination on 30 June 1985. He is buried at Kloulklubed in his home state of Peleliu. Remeliik was of mixed Japanese and Palauan descent.Remelik's killers remain unknown...
in 1985 and Lazarus Salii
Lazarus Salii
Lazarus Eitaro Salii was a politician from Palau. He served as the third President of Palau from 25 October 1985 until he committed suicide on 20 August 1988, amid bribery allegations....
in 1988), Palau voted in 1994 to freely associate with the United States while retaining independence under the Compact of Free Association
Compact of Free Association
The Compact of Free Association defines the relationship that three sovereign states—the Federated States of Micronesia , the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau—have entered into as associated states with the United States.Now sovereign nations, the three freely associated...
.