Changes: Stanley Owana Laanui

Revision as of 20:47, 23 April 2014

Stanley Owana Laanui

Fictional Character
Days of Infamy _{POD: March, 1941; Relevant POD: December 7, 1941}
Appearance(s):	Days of Infamy through End of the Beginning
Type of Appearance:	Direct
Nationality:	United States (Kingdom of Hawaii, 1942-1943)
Date of Birth:	c. 1892
Date of Death:	1943
Cause of Death:	Self-Inflicted Gunshot wound
Occupation:	Monarch of Hawaii
Spouse:	Cynthia Laanui
Children:	none

Stanley Owana Laanui (b.c 1892-1943) was the short-lived King of Hawaii after Japan conquered the islands in 1942.

Although he was a descendant of Hawaiian royal family, Laanui's claim to the throne was tenuous at best. Indeed, he was the Japanese government's last choice for the office. However, unlike the rest of Hawaii's royalty, Laanui was quite happy and ambitious to be a puppet-ruler under Japanese control, as he felt a great deal of resentment towards the haoles who ruled Hawaii before the Japanese invaded.

In July, 1942 Laanui was crowned. He gave a speech attacking the United States for deposing the Hawaiian monarchy, and affirmed his friendship with Japan. He resided in Iolani Palace in Honolulu. His wife, a haole named Cynthia Laanui, was crowned queen. (He did not recognize the dual ironies that he gave his speech denouncing the Americans in English while standing next to his haole wife.) The opinions on Stanley's coronation from the native Hawaiians was mixed: a minority expressed a level of disapproval for the puppet King as demonstrated by the absence of many native Hawaiians of royal blood, such as Abigail Kawananakoa, from the coronation.

Generally, Stanley had very little to do as King. He did insist on an armed and combat-ready Royal Hawaiian Army, as well as a Royal Hawaiian Air Force. The Japanese government initially didn't take Stanley's demands seriously, but did supply these military forces with functional yet outdated technology. He was aware that Cynthia began an affair with Japanese Commander Minoru Genda in 1943, but kept quiet.

In the summer of 1943, the United States launched its successful invasion to retake the islands. Stanley went into a state of panic after hearing the news of the Americans' return and consumed substantial amounts of alcohol throughout the fighting. Finally taking refuge in Iolani Palace with his wife and several Japanese military personnel, including Genda, Stanley, realizing what could happen to him if the U.S. captured him, shot Cynthia in the head and then shot himself.

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 |type of appearance = Direct}}'''Stanley Owana Laanui''' (b.''c'' 1892-1943) was the short-lived King of [[Hawaii#Hawaii in Days of Infamy|Hawaii]] after [[Japan (Days of Infamy)|Japan]] conquered the islands in 1942.
-Although he was a descendant of Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii, Laanui's claim to the throne was tenuous at best. Indeed, he was the Japanese government's last choice for the office. However, unlike the rest of Hawaii's royalty, Laanui was quite happy and ambitious to be a puppet-ruler under Japanese control, as he felt a great deal of resentment towards the ''[[haole]]s'' who ruled Hawaii before the Japanese invaded.
+Although he was a descendant of Hawaiian royal family, Laanui's claim to the throne was tenuous at best. Indeed, he was the Japanese government's last choice for the office. However, unlike the rest of Hawaii's royalty, Laanui was quite happy and ambitious to be a puppet-ruler under Japanese control, as he felt a great deal of resentment towards the ''[[haole]]s'' who ruled Hawaii before the Japanese invaded.
-In July, 1942 Laanui was crowned. He gave a speech attacking the [[United States (Days of Infamy)|United States]] for deposing the Hawaiian monarchy, and affirmed his friendship with Japan. He resided in [[Iolani Palace]] in [[Honolulu#Honolulu in Days of Infamy|Honolulu]]. His wife, a ''haole'' named [[Cynthia Laanui]], was crowned queen. (He did not recognize the dual ironies that he gave his speech denouncing the Americans in English while standing next to his ''haole'' wife.) The opinions on Stanley's coronation from the native Hawaiians was mixed, which a minority expressed a level of disapproval for the puppet King as demonstrated by the absence of many native Hawaiians of royal blood such as [[Abigail Kawananakoa]] that didn't attend the coronation ceremony.
+In July, 1942 Laanui was crowned. He gave a speech attacking the [[United States (Days of Infamy)|United States]] for deposing the Hawaiian monarchy, and affirmed his friendship with Japan. He resided in [[Iolani Palace]] in [[Honolulu#Honolulu in Days of Infamy|Honolulu]]. His wife, a ''haole'' named [[Cynthia Laanui]], was crowned queen. (He did not recognize the dual ironies that he gave his speech denouncing the Americans in English while standing next to his ''haole'' wife.) The opinions on Stanley's coronation from the native Hawaiians was mixed: a minority expressed a level of disapproval for the puppet King as demonstrated by the absence of many native Hawaiians of royal blood, such as [[Abigail Kawananakoa#Abigail Kawananakoa in Days of Infamy|Abigail Kawananakoa]], from the coronation.
 Generally, Stanley had very little to do as King. He did insist on an armed and combat-ready [[Royal Hawaiian Army]], as well as a [[Royal Hawaiian Air Force]]. The Japanese government initially didn't take Stanley's demands seriously, but did supply these military forces with functional yet outdated technology. He was aware that Cynthia began an affair with Japanese Commander [[Minoru Genda#Minoru Genda in Days of Infamy|Minoru Genda]] in 1943, but kept quiet.
-In the summer of 1943, the United States launched its invasion to retake the islands and causing Japan's forces to be overwhelmed, Stanley went into a state of panic after hearing the news of the Americans' return and subsequently fell into alcoholism. Even Stanley's Royal Hawaiian Army saw combat with mixed results doesn't help the matter either. Trapped in Iolani Palace, and realizing what could happen to him if the U.S. captured him, Stanley shot Cynthia in the head and then shot himself. {{DEFAULTSORT:Laanui, Stanley Owana}} {{Infamy}}
+In the summer of 1943, the United States launched its successful [[US Liberation of Hawaii (Days of Infamy)|invasion]] to retake the islands. Stanley went into a state of panic after hearing the news of the Americans' return and consumed substantial amounts of alcohol throughout the fighting. Finally taking refuge in Iolani Palace with his wife and several Japanese military personnel, including Genda, Stanley, realizing what could happen to him if the U.S. captured him, shot Cynthia in the head and then shot himself. {{DEFAULTSORT:Laanui, Stanley Owana}} {{Infamy}}
 [[Category:Days of Infamy Characters]]
 [[Category:Americans]]