“How to Hide an Empire”: Daniel Immerwahr on the History of the Greater United States 

I'm Puerto Rican and this was brutal but important to know. Thank you for reporting on the important issues and topics so neglected elsewhere.

Immerwahr is a great name. It literally means: always true.

When I got to university in 1978 and began studying US history, my professor enlightened us about US imperialism. Many of us were shocked to hear all this for the first time. We had been indoctrinated with bullshit about the moral superiority of our government. I remember our high school teachers telling us about the wonderful roads and democratic institutions we brought to Hawaii and the Philippines. Thanks, Prof. Immerwahr. How apt that your name in German means "always true."

WOW! I was born on St. Croix. Repeatedly taught proudly we were a 'territory'. Now, in my 50's, learning true history for the first time. This is good! Thank you.

An economist from Wisconsin told me 25 years ago about US-firms using the loophole to label their products prestigiously "Made in USA" while getting the items (like clothes, shoes, bags etc.) manufactured on some of these islands under 3rd-World conditions, paying the workers merely a lousy buck per day.

I’m Puerto Rican and I can attest to the fact that many of the atrocities committed by the USA in Puerto Rico are erased from history books and not taught in schools. Also, facts are distorted to try to justify certain atrocities. For example, the invasion of 1898 is referred to as a “landing”

As a veteran this is why I tell people don't thank me for my service.

Fun fact: "Immerwahr " means "always true" in German. Best name for a historian.

My father while in the Air Force was subjected to agent orange & I believe it contributed to his ALS that he died from Nov 2001. My father was a native Hawaiian

The US plays fast and loose with history and 99% of people don't know anything about it. An Excellent Video!

This interview is blowing my mind! She is absolutely astounding. I will be buying his book right now

After this interview I bought the book and read it. And read it. Each chapter was a layer of such profound and surprising content that brings meaning to our lives today. Highly recommend!

This interview is a must-see! I learned so much . . . and am horrified.

When I was a kid in the early 60's, my family lived on Kwajelein Island ..part of the Marshall Islands Archepeligo, which was used for a U.S. Nike Zeus ballistic missile site .. the U.S. " relocated " the indigenous people of Kwaj, the Marshallese People, to neighboring less desirable islands .. their Homeland was stolen by the U.S. .. We ( the U.S. ) also buried TONS of spent radioactive material, in an unlined pit on one nearby island, that has been and continues to leak radioactive waste into the So. Pacific Ocean .. 😲‼️

My American neighbor did not believe the US was an empire even though he had a Ph.D from Columbia. He got angry with me and accused Canada of being an empire over Quebec. I gave him one of Chalmers Johnson's books on empire. He returned it after reading about a quarter of it and we never spoke of it again. Hard to believe given his education.

This channel has some interesting videos. What a great find.

Good man that man there. John Pilger's documentary that exposes 42 kilotons of experimentation on the Marshall Islands and the Pacific is but a snippet of territorial experimentation , still leaches effects. Definitely buying this book.

"War is what gives America meaning." - Chris Hedges.

Wow. This is fascinating. As a Brit who has read substantially about uk colonies and some of the dreadful things we did over the decades it is fascinating that all of this happened. I didn’t even know that the Philippines were owned by the USA. I need to get this book.

I have watched this episode twice now 👍 This Has SO Much Relevant Information! Much Gratitude For Every Individual Involved In Telling The Whole Story ❣️ Love The Jacket Amy

Wish I could give two thumbs. This is the kind of education Americans need.

Wow! That was soo good! Thanks, Democracy Now!

So glad that I unintentionally viewed this -- so much learned , so much hidden darkness of this Empire...

Many thanks Amy to you and your team. Excellent work. The world watches and listens, aghast.

This was a very enlightening piece. I’ve always found it so appalling that Puerto Rico isn’t given the help that they deserve as US citizens. It’s absolutely crazy. And in our education system, you can forget learning about all of the other territories, let alone Puerto Rico. They don’t tell you that Puerto Rico and all of the other territories cannot participate in the presidential election in November, regardless of their citizenship. And the thing that really makes me upset is how American Samoa is treated. People born in AS aren’t given automatic citizenship. They’re called “US nationals”, and their passports reflect that. They look like regular US passports, but in the back it has a line about this person not being an actual citizen, but rather a US national.

Obama was born in Hawaii and many white people acted like Hawaii wasn't a part of the United States. But John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone and there didn't seem to be a problem with people where he was born.

I still remember the stories of the brutal and horrendous experiences of WW II that the Filipinos went through which my grandparents, my mom and aunts and uncles would constantly tell us when we were young. NO ONE WOULD EVER, EVER UNDERSTAND HOW BRUTAL, HOW TRAUMATIC AND HOW HORRIBLE THEY WERE UNLESS THEY WERE ALSO VICTIMS OF A BRUTAL WAR. My grandma, a very strong woman would cry as she would tell their experiences. They lived in Manila which received the most brutal attacks by the Japanese. My aunts and an uncle would even show us their healed wounds caused by shrapnels. To this day, I still remember those horrible stories they told me and my cousins when we were little, whenever we would complain about petty things, to remind us how lucky we are for not experiencing what they went through during WW II. One particular story grandma told me that bothered my memory as a child was when the Japanese soldiers would line them up on the streets and would shoot those they would think as American spies, which were depicted in Filipino movies in the 70s and 80s. And if babies carried by mothers would cry, the Japanese soldiers would toss the babies in the air then they would catch the babies WITH THEIR BAYONETS, so those crying babies expectedly would become forever silent when they handed back to their mothers' arms. Then there were the horrible stories of Filipino "Comfort Women" which also were depicted in a famous Filipino movie and local TV series in the 80s. Those were Filipina women who were snatched or kidnapped by Japanese soldiers and used as sex slaves. My grandparents and my aunts uncles and mom would be filled with horrors whenever they would recall those stories. It's their way of unloading those emotional great burden they carried for decades, as professional help were never and still not available for casualties or victims or war. I cry now as I recall their experiences during WW II. No one deserves such horrible, brutal experiences in life and nobody wins in any war. The Philippines invasion by the Japanese actually opened the door to the eventual independence of the Philippines from the U.S. colonization. Let it be known also that despite being a colony of America, the Filipinos who came here in the U.S. during the American colony of the Philippines were NEVER treated well and were seen as nothing better than any other colored people. And the Philippines despite being a U.S. colony never received anything special that would have improved their lives in their own nation. The Americans who moved and lived in the Philippines during the American colonization on the other hand were given special privileges, based again on the stories of my grandparents. But they also told us that the Americans were fairly nice to them. The most significant thing they value actually was the English language which became the second language of the country even to this day. My grandfather I remember was still fluent in Spanish but when the Americans came they imposed the teaching of English in schools and government offices, thus, the remnants of Spanish language was scrapped. I hope there would also be an American book that would discuss the Paritry Rights and The Bell Act which are discussed in Philippine history classes BUT ARE NOT KNOWN here in the U.S. Those acts pushed by the American government opened the doors on plundering and pillaging the resources of the Philippines especially their natural resources for decades, even after their independence was granted. The Philippines is one of the few nations in the planet that suffered and went through several major wars; the Philippines-Spanish war, the Philippines-American war and then the WW II when the Japanese invaded the country, which is the shortest but the most brutal and most destructive war.

Wow! Stunning information, a revelation: All things hidden shall come to light! Thank you professor for bringing this to light!!

And these guys judged the Germans at Nuremburg, no hypocrisy there....

Excellent report DN!

This is a great episode, thank you very much.

Nice interview. It is amazing to see how language matters: like moving the language from colonies to territories or changing the language from attack onto the philippines (in a speech draft) to an attack on the US. Looking at the history keeps us sharp also today, where propaganda and manipulation are packaged even more sophisticated by all power players in the world. It always needed a lot of persuasion and skill to convince a population to go to war. The scary thing is how easily this was often achieved with a few tricks. A few flawed slides sufficed in the second Irak war.

My parents were both born and raised on Guam and it's pretty amazing how many people here in America have never heard of Guam.

Wow! These "REAL" history lessons are gut-wrenching! Having my mouth wide open in shock at the atrocities committed and the sterilizing of the language used to describe them. Wow!

Will be getting the book. It should be essential for all students. Professor is very knowledgeable .

Reading this man's book now! I would recommend it. He actually has an interesting lineage...

WOW, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE EXPOSE ! THE OBSCENITIES THAT CERTAIN PERSONS WITH POWER , INFLUENCE AND TITLES CAN GET AWAY WITH FOR YEARS WITH LITTLE OR NO JUSTICE !

He didn't mention Guantanamo, but I guess that is filed under "US Bases".

I greatly appreciate when historians and writers begin to expose our real American history and legacy. Thank you.

Astounding! Thank you for this great content! 🙏

Wow, I never even knew the Philippines was part of the USA, and so much other information on here, thank you!

...truth spoken here! As a Chamorro born in Guam in 1952 , i always wondered why there was so little information regarding our relationship with the USA. Our elders spoke little of it, or of their ancient history which existed long before being " discovered" by outsiders. After 300 years as a Spanish colony, and it's occupation by the Japanese in WW2, most wanted to forget about all those years of oppression. As an American Territory, we haven't fared that well either. We have a way to go as a nation, yes?...Hafa Adai and thanks for putting this out there.

I will be getting this book! Thanks for highlighting it!

Thank you, Daniel, for this greatly needed book. Just ordered and cannot wait to read the history I never learned in school.

Carry on the work of Howard Zinn's critique of US Imperialism.

This should be taught in Philippine schools...

Like so much (well, practically all!) of Democracy Now!, this history lesson is an absolute precious "historian's stone" (as contrasted to a "philosopher's stone"!) It shows America as "Empire" so clearly and unambiguously. Thank you so much!! :D

Thank you for sharing this. This has long disturbed me. I am so glad that the truth is spreading. 🇵🇷

This is a good interview so far. Thanks.

Im shook! This goes deep. Will definitely read. Sad and ironic we declared independence from England for no representation while doing that and far greater atrocities to our current colonies.

Thank you, both for the authors work and the program.

Wow. I am intrigued and shocked. Thank you. Looking forward to learning more.

Immerwahr auf Deutsch means "Always True". Book ordered. Thanks DN and Mr. Immerwahr.

Incredible story, thanks democracy now!

Thank you for bringing it on, the whole world's needs to know.

The Roman Empire never truly realized what was happening until the Enemy was coming over the walls.

Since last summer, I have listened to this interview 5, maybe 6 times, and each time I have learned something new. I feel that it is something to be studied.

Sometimes, I really really love _Democracy Now!_

Another great program.

When he said “Peulto Rico” ...I felt that right in the ila (isla) bonita

Immer wahr. As a German I can say: He probably speaks the truth.

This information is badly needing to be discussed! Finally a book connected to the Whithehouse I actually want to read!

"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past." ~ George Orwell

A real eye-opener, thank you.

I found this fascinating, absolutely fascinating, for some reason

Those "little specks of land" have huge marine territories.

Im soooo glad im watching this... Yall have the RIGHT eyes looking at this interview

Wow this was awesome The Book is a must HAVE!

I am buying this book on Kindle as I watch this video. Amazing interview!

This guy is all brains, just starting his talk Historian 🙌🏾

😮Thank you for the insight. Holy moly I never heard of anything about this before.

So enlightening.

In the spirit of the late great Howard Zinn, thank you for the history lesson. :-)

I'm from the PH. No wonder we didn't get proper support from the US during WW2, we were just an afterthought. I pity those Americans who were stationed here and who died in the Bataan Death March and for those who died because of malnourishment and disease in Japanese prison camps. You even left behind your own kin to die. The lucky ones were Gen. MacArthur and his entourage. Plus, the only few who managed to profit from our colonizations are the Big Businesses who established trade and manufacturing here in the PH during the US colonial period. It sucks to be a colony of any imperialist.

DN! needs more stories like this. Also we need more stories on Ukraine and the US in 2014.

Professor Immerwahr, Thank you!

In every empire, in every country, in every culture in the world, one who seeks the truth must leave the common narrative and dig for truth with the tenacity & the courage to look behind every obfuscation for the bloody mess so carefully concealed. Such is the sad inheritance of every generation of humanity - that the journey has been long & arduous, exploitive & brutal, domineering and morally unconscionable. "We have met the enemy and he is us."

I wish I could share this on Facebook and Facebook not deleting it

Awesome. Very informative

Thank you Daniel for important information. The swamp is deep. Truth will win. We know it.🌼🌺🌸

I knew almost none of that history. I am amazed and horrified too. Amy, you find the most interesting topics to report upon.

Amazing, and powerful, Democracy Now!!

Daniel Emmerwahr Bro BIG BIG *Respect!!!

WOOOOOOW!!! GREAT INFORMATION IM SHARING EVERYWHERE

I teach The History of Art of the U.S., I am always at a loss for texts to recommend to my students for historical context that reflects a nontraditional p.o.v. Many thanks!

Excellent interview, both intriguing and insightful. This book needs to become required reading for students.

WOW. Thank you for an excellent presentation of very important info. I'll be reading this book for sure. And hope high school teachers will as well....american exceptional ism--more ironic as our history is better known.

In Puerto Rico, they made owning our flag a crime, schools became English only, even today if you don’t know English you can’t get any opportunities. LUMA energy last year refused to hire local electricians and after hurricane Fiona they brought in hundreds from Texas at 3x the salary. A high power electric line fell along the road across yards & patios, the electrified the line without re-installing it back up on the poles, when we asked if it was safe they just CUT the line and left us without power for weeks, saying “Now it’s Safe” in a Texas accent. We got together and we did what needed to be done. THANK YOU!

Thanks, Democracy Now! Excellent content!

I am Hawaiian, Samoan and part Puerto Rican thank for explaining this to all of us native people what a great in site

I am an elder and just learning of the Real Pearl Harbor attacks ,,,, yes how to hide, the name of the game. Thanks so much Daniel....very important Book should be mandatory in all schools.....!

Wow..learned so much from this!!

I remember in high school doing a debate where i spoke to why Hawaii needed to be a State, i won against every opponent. All i had to do was sound like a true blooded Imperialist citizen. Things like that made me realize how sad most people are to be so easily intimidated into accepting an empire.

One of my favorite books is “Our Islands And Their People” It’s beautifully engraved but the title describes Our Interests ULTIMATELY‼️

Wow fantastic I'll be sure to show my friends this they love history and many had fathers that was in WW11. Thank you for showing this.

Wow! amazing stuff here. Great job

What a different world we would live in if children were taught the real atrocities, there is a reason for a school curriculum

OMG! This is the greatest news that this young man has written his book of FACTUAL history. I must see more from this author!!!

Listening to your videos Amy makes me realize how ignorant I am. If I am ignorant so are many, many others. Keep shining a light.

I agree on several points. A quick personal note. I was educated privately in massachussetts. I had to learn about puerto rico from puerto ricans who i was friends with. Same with philipenes... there were no good books in our libraries back in the 90s about american involvement in either place other than a paragraph here or there.