I own nothing from Hearts of Iron nor the Kaiserriech Mod.
Private Bedros Sahakian
Journal Entry 2
May 17, 1932, Tuesday
We just docked yesterday at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. All those pictures and newsreels can't really do any justice to these islands. It's more beautiful and amazing up close with the palm trees, the green mountains and the shore.
Before we came into port I saw some locals ride the waves in those things they call surf boards. Sure I heard the stories but to see in person was incredible.
Shame I can't stay longer to learn surfing.
Me and the squad just got back from shore leave. We found ourselves a nice little bar and had a wild time with drinks and a card game. Of course the highlight for me was when Mordecai got on the piano and started playing one of Beethoven's tunes.
He was so good at it that everybody in the establishment just stopped to listen to him play. Apparently his mother had him practice piano lessons from an early age. We teased him about that in all good fun. Allen kept trying to flirt with this French lady who was there but she turned him down flat.
She's probably a Syndie anyway with the way she looked down her self-righteous nose at us and called us imperialist pigs and among other things before walking out.
That sure killed the mood for a little bit.
Not long after me and Robert left. We walked down Honolulu's streets, taking in the sights. Later we decided to catch a film in one of the theaters. It was called Mark of the Legion. It's about a group of American friends living in Paris that sign up to volunteer into the French Foreign Legion to fight the German invasion in 1914.
That was one of those most intense films I ever saw. Despite its seemingly upbeat beginning it doesn't really glorify war but decry its horrors in vivid imagery and heart breaking scenes. The film follows through the view of Thomas Benson, an idealistic rich boy trying to make a name for himself. He survives the war but is left crippled in both body and soul by the time of the Kaiser's 1919 offensive with all his friends dead or missing. The movie ends with him being in a German hospital as the character narrates with the haunting last words.
Can a war really end all wars?
I admit it made me reflect afterwards even when we got back to the ship. Despite the Central Powers' victory in the Great War we are not exactly living in a peaceful world. Our assignment to Shanghai is a reminder of that. We will be leaving Pearl in another day or so to continue our journey.