What is the theme in Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener?

A theme involves American servicemen and their strange relation with war in the South Pacific. The South Pacific is a strange world for American servicemen. On the one hand there is the beautiful warm weather, the beaches and the abundance of tropical fruit growing on many of the islands. On the other hand there are horrible diseases there such as malaria, and uncertainty about primitive natives in the area. For especially American officers this becomes a romantic setting.