Description:
The Imperial Japanese Navy surprised the US with a military attack on its naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They attacked because they did not want the U.S. Pacific fleets to attack and interfere with their plans for military action in Southeast Asia. It was also said by Isoroku Yamamoto that the US fleet in Hawaii was "a dagger pointed at our throat" and must be destroyed. The United States had interfered with the Japanese coding and knew that an attack was going to occur, but had no idea when. Then, in the early morning of December 7, 1941, explosives were heard at Pearl Harbor. In as little as two hours, nearly the whole U.S. Pacific fleet was damaged. A total of 18 ships had been sunk or damaged, including eight of the battleships. There was around 2,400 Americans who were killed and more than 1,000 who were wounded. Everyone was extremely shocked that this attack had occurred. The Japanese really caught them completely off guard. On December 8, President Roosevelt met with Congress and prepared a speech for them, referring to the events of the day before. In President Roosevelt’s speech he said December 7 was "a date which will live in infamy." Congress then decided to declare war on Japan. December 8, 1941, was the day the US entered World War II. Following their entrance, a series of major battles occurred in the Pacific, including the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway and Wake Island, and the Battle of Guadalcanal.
Ten Best Articles:
1. Pearl Harbor: On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed the island of Oahu, Hawaii with a surprise attack. This event prompted US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare war on Japan, thus entering the United States into World War II. "The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began at 7:55 that morning. The entire attack took only one hour and 15 minutes. Captain Mitsuo Fuchida sent the code message, 'Tora, Tora, Tora,' to the Japanese fleet after flying over Oahu to indicate the Americans had been caught by surprise. The Japanese planned to give the U.S. a declaration of war before the attack began so they would not violate the first article of the Hague Convention of 1907. But the message was delayed and not relayed to U.S. officials in Washington until the attack was already in progress, turning Pearl Harbor into a sneak attack."
2. Surprise Attack (Pearl Harbor): Japan was never expected to enter the Second World War with an attack on the United States, especially not a surprise attack. "But no one believed that the Japanese would start that war with an attack on American territory. For one thing, it would be terribly inconvenient: Hawaii and Japan were about 4,000 miles apart. For another, American intelligence officials were confident that any Japanese attack would take place in one of the (relatively) nearby European colonies in the South Pacific."
3. Pearl Harbor Articles and Newspapers: The local newspapers of Oahu, Hawaii detailed the death count and further explained the intensity of the bombing. "The Japanese and German newspapers were reporting a major victory over the U.S., according to this Pearl Harbor newspaper article, touting that the Japanese had taken out the U.S. ships West Virginia and Oklahoma."
4. Hawaiian Military: The Hawaiian military before the attack was anything but defensive. The Hawaiian military base was supposed to an American stronghold, yet it was Japan’s number one target. "Hickman Field… this magnificent airbase, which is destined to be, when completed, not only the most important, unit of aerial defense within the Hawaiian Department, but the largest airdome in this broad land of ours."
5. Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 The Pearl Harbor naval base was noticed by both Japanese and United States Navies. However, the US felt they could disregard any attacks that might take place from Japan due to the distance and their needs of other things for their air carriers. "Under the greatest secrecy, Nagumo took his ships to sea on 26 November 1941, with orders to abort the mission if he was discovered, or should diplomacy work an unanticipated miracle. Before dawn on the 7th of December, undiscovered and with diplomatic prospects firmly at an end, the Pearl Harbor Striking Force was less than three-hundred miles north of Pearl Harbor."
6. "A Date Which Will Live in Infamy": In the afternoon of December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt and his chief foreign policy aide were interrupted by a phone call which informed them about the attacks of the Japanese. Later that day, Roosevelt told his secretary to request to Congress a declaration of war on Japan. He then prepared a speech where the famous quote went down in history, "A date which will live in infamy."
7. How Did Adolf Hitler React to the Attack?: Hitler did not know about Japan’s plan to attack Pearl Harbor, butwhen he found out, he was delighted. Hitler stated: "We can’t lose the war at all. We now have an ally which has never been conquered in 3,000 years."
8. The Battle of the Coral Sea: The Battle of the Coral Sea took place between December 1941 and May 1942 off the coast of Australia and New Guinea near the Solomon Islands. The Japanese had their eyes set on Port Moresby. However, the Allies were intent on obstructing their plans to expand in the Pacific, and possibly isolate Australia from the rest of the world. "A common image of naval battles is ships firing at each other. That did not happen in the Battle of the Coral Sea. The single most important element needed to understand that battle is the fact that warships were vulnerable to attacks by aeroplanes. The basic plan of attack by both sides was that the enemy’s ships were to be destroyed by planes launching torpedoes or dropping bombs. These planes came from aircraft carriers."
9. The Battle of Midway (Excerpt from Book): The Battle of Midway, which occurred only five months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, is known as one of the most important naval battles in World War II. It demonstrated the continuation of rising tensions between the US and Japan. However, Japan’s downfall lay in their misjudgments of the US forces. "The refueling tankers had gotten lost, and navigation throughout the force became so difficult in the fog that ships turned on bright 'search lights as beacons'. Attempts to fly reconnaissance planes over Hawaii failed, analyses of radio intercepts were spotty, and he had no true idea of the location of the American carriers. He stayed with the established plan, which was designed to draw them out, wherever they were."
10. The Battle of Midway (Second Source): Despite being severely outnumbered in troops and weapons, the Allies managed to defeat Yamamoto and the Japanese forces in the Battle of Midway. General Nimitz, head of the Allied forces in Midway, planned to ambush and assault the Japanese when they arrived by air and sea. "The American attack on the Japanese force was planned as a combined assault, mixing low-level torpedo bombers with high-level dive bombers. Escorted by fighters, the idea was for them to attack at the same time in order to overwhelm the defenders."
Audio/Video:
1. FDR Speech: On December 8, 1941, Roosevelt gave a speech declaring war on Japan the day after they had attacked Pearl Harbor.
2. Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor: Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bombing and destroying the entire naval base.
3. Emergency Announcement from DC: An emergency radio broadcast from an unidentified US radio station declares a state of emergency after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Primary Sources:
1. New York Times: The Front page of the New York Times after Japan bombed the United States detailed Congress' role in the declaration. The attack covers the entire first page. "The conference lasted until after 11 o’clock and at it’s close an official statement was issued. This said that the President had for his conferences the latest advices from the Pacific and declared:"
2. Attack at Pearl Harbor, 1941: Commander Mitsuo Fuchida led the first air attack, and also stayed behind to observe the damage and the second wave of attack. He discussed his memories of it in 1951. It was then published in English in 1955. "The effectiveness of our attack was now certain, and a message, 'Surprise attack successful!' was accordingly sent to Akagi [Flagship of the Japanese attack fleet] at 0753. The message was received by the carrier and duly relayed to the homeland, …"
3. An Interview with a Pearl Harbor soldier: This article offers a firsthand account of the battle and the following aftermath. The account was supplied by Lieutenant Ruth Erickson. "Then the burned patients streamed in. The USS Nevada (BB-36) had managed some steam and attempted to get out of the channel. They were unable to make it and went aground on Hospital Point right near the hospital. There was heavy oil on the water and the men dived off the ship and swam through these waters to Hospital Point, not too great a distance, but when one is burned... How they ever managed, I'll never know."
The Imperial Japanese Navy surprised the US with a military attack on its naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They attacked because they did not want the U.S. Pacific fleets to attack and interfere with their plans for military action in Southeast Asia. It was also said by Isoroku Yamamoto that the US fleet in Hawaii was "a dagger pointed at our throat" and must be destroyed. The United States had interfered with the Japanese coding and knew that an attack was going to occur, but had no idea when. Then, in the early morning of December 7, 1941, explosives were heard at Pearl Harbor. In as little as two hours, nearly the whole U.S. Pacific fleet was damaged. A total of 18 ships had been sunk or damaged, including eight of the battleships. There was around 2,400 Americans who were killed and more than 1,000 who were wounded. Everyone was extremely shocked that this attack had occurred. The Japanese really caught them completely off guard. On December 8, President Roosevelt met with Congress and prepared a speech for them, referring to the events of the day before. In President Roosevelt’s speech he said December 7 was "a date which will live in infamy." Congress then decided to declare war on Japan. December 8, 1941, was the day the US entered World War II. Following their entrance, a series of major battles occurred in the Pacific, including the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway and Wake Island, and the Battle of Guadalcanal.
Ten Best Articles:
1. Pearl Harbor: On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed the island of Oahu, Hawaii with a surprise attack. This event prompted US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare war on Japan, thus entering the United States into World War II. "The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began at 7:55 that morning. The entire attack took only one hour and 15 minutes. Captain Mitsuo Fuchida sent the code message, 'Tora, Tora, Tora,' to the Japanese fleet after flying over Oahu to indicate the Americans had been caught by surprise. The Japanese planned to give the U.S. a declaration of war before the attack began so they would not violate the first article of the Hague Convention of 1907. But the message was delayed and not relayed to U.S. officials in Washington until the attack was already in progress, turning Pearl Harbor into a sneak attack."
2. Surprise Attack (Pearl Harbor): Japan was never expected to enter the Second World War with an attack on the United States, especially not a surprise attack. "But no one believed that the Japanese would start that war with an attack on American territory. For one thing, it would be terribly inconvenient: Hawaii and Japan were about 4,000 miles apart. For another, American intelligence officials were confident that any Japanese attack would take place in one of the (relatively) nearby European colonies in the South Pacific."
3. Pearl Harbor Articles and Newspapers: The local newspapers of Oahu, Hawaii detailed the death count and further explained the intensity of the bombing. "The Japanese and German newspapers were reporting a major victory over the U.S., according to this Pearl Harbor newspaper article, touting that the Japanese had taken out the U.S. ships West Virginia and Oklahoma."
4. Hawaiian Military: The Hawaiian military before the attack was anything but defensive. The Hawaiian military base was supposed to an American stronghold, yet it was Japan’s number one target. "Hickman Field… this magnificent airbase, which is destined to be, when completed, not only the most important, unit of aerial defense within the Hawaiian Department, but the largest airdome in this broad land of ours."
5. Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 The Pearl Harbor naval base was noticed by both Japanese and United States Navies. However, the US felt they could disregard any attacks that might take place from Japan due to the distance and their needs of other things for their air carriers. "Under the greatest secrecy, Nagumo took his ships to sea on 26 November 1941, with orders to abort the mission if he was discovered, or should diplomacy work an unanticipated miracle. Before dawn on the 7th of December, undiscovered and with diplomatic prospects firmly at an end, the Pearl Harbor Striking Force was less than three-hundred miles north of Pearl Harbor."
6. "A Date Which Will Live in Infamy": In the afternoon of December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt and his chief foreign policy aide were interrupted by a phone call which informed them about the attacks of the Japanese. Later that day, Roosevelt told his secretary to request to Congress a declaration of war on Japan. He then prepared a speech where the famous quote went down in history, "A date which will live in infamy."
7. How Did Adolf Hitler React to the Attack?: Hitler did not know about Japan’s plan to attack Pearl Harbor, butwhen he found out, he was delighted. Hitler stated: "We can’t lose the war at all. We now have an ally which has never been conquered in 3,000 years."
8. The Battle of the Coral Sea: The Battle of the Coral Sea took place between December 1941 and May 1942 off the coast of Australia and New Guinea near the Solomon Islands. The Japanese had their eyes set on Port Moresby. However, the Allies were intent on obstructing their plans to expand in the Pacific, and possibly isolate Australia from the rest of the world. "A common image of naval battles is ships firing at each other. That did not happen in the Battle of the Coral Sea. The single most important element needed to understand that battle is the fact that warships were vulnerable to attacks by aeroplanes. The basic plan of attack by both sides was that the enemy’s ships were to be destroyed by planes launching torpedoes or dropping bombs. These planes came from aircraft carriers."
9. The Battle of Midway (Excerpt from Book): The Battle of Midway, which occurred only five months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, is known as one of the most important naval battles in World War II. It demonstrated the continuation of rising tensions between the US and Japan. However, Japan’s downfall lay in their misjudgments of the US forces. "The refueling tankers had gotten lost, and navigation throughout the force became so difficult in the fog that ships turned on bright 'search lights as beacons'. Attempts to fly reconnaissance planes over Hawaii failed, analyses of radio intercepts were spotty, and he had no true idea of the location of the American carriers. He stayed with the established plan, which was designed to draw them out, wherever they were."
10. The Battle of Midway (Second Source): Despite being severely outnumbered in troops and weapons, the Allies managed to defeat Yamamoto and the Japanese forces in the Battle of Midway. General Nimitz, head of the Allied forces in Midway, planned to ambush and assault the Japanese when they arrived by air and sea. "The American attack on the Japanese force was planned as a combined assault, mixing low-level torpedo bombers with high-level dive bombers. Escorted by fighters, the idea was for them to attack at the same time in order to overwhelm the defenders."
Audio/Video:
1. FDR Speech: On December 8, 1941, Roosevelt gave a speech declaring war on Japan the day after they had attacked Pearl Harbor.
2. Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor: Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bombing and destroying the entire naval base.
3. Emergency Announcement from DC: An emergency radio broadcast from an unidentified US radio station declares a state of emergency after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Primary Sources:
1. New York Times: The Front page of the New York Times after Japan bombed the United States detailed Congress' role in the declaration. The attack covers the entire first page. "The conference lasted until after 11 o’clock and at it’s close an official statement was issued. This said that the President had for his conferences the latest advices from the Pacific and declared:"
2. Attack at Pearl Harbor, 1941: Commander Mitsuo Fuchida led the first air attack, and also stayed behind to observe the damage and the second wave of attack. He discussed his memories of it in 1951. It was then published in English in 1955. "The effectiveness of our attack was now certain, and a message, 'Surprise attack successful!' was accordingly sent to Akagi [Flagship of the Japanese attack fleet] at 0753. The message was received by the carrier and duly relayed to the homeland, …"
3. An Interview with a Pearl Harbor soldier: This article offers a firsthand account of the battle and the following aftermath. The account was supplied by Lieutenant Ruth Erickson. "Then the burned patients streamed in. The USS Nevada (BB-36) had managed some steam and attempted to get out of the channel. They were unable to make it and went aground on Hospital Point right near the hospital. There was heavy oil on the water and the men dived off the ship and swam through these waters to Hospital Point, not too great a distance, but when one is burned... How they ever managed, I'll never know."
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