Pearl Harbor is an American naval base located on Oahu, Hawaii. It was at this location that the Japanese Empire bombed the base and provoked the United States into joining World War II.1 America cut off Japan’s resources to limit their conquering of Asia, Japan was furious at the United States and attacked their main naval base, Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941 hoping the U.S. would no longer be able to continue the embargo of their resources, America acted in the opposite way expected and declared war on Japan.
December 7, 1941 is a day that will live in infamy, this event dramatically changed the course of the war and history after it. Many things caused Pearl Harbor to happen such as Japan becoming an economic threat, the U.S Embargo on Japan and Japan's quest for territory leading up the day that will live in infamy. Many things transpired after the attack such as the U.S going to war, Manhattan project and internment camps. Pearl Harbor caused a chain of events that forever changed World War II and the course of history.
“AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR. THIS IS NO DRILL.” This is the message sent out by radioman Kyle Boyer at 7:58 a.m. Sunday December 7, 1941; a date which will live in infamy. The empire of Japan had attacked the United States’ Pacific Fleet based in Pearl Harbor. For months the US Intelligence community, as well as others around the world, had been intercepting and decoding transmissions from mainland Japan to their diplomats and spies in the US. We had cracked their Purple Code, and knew exactly what military intelligence was being transmitted back and forth. The Dutch also cracked Purple and informed our government of the Japanese plan and were shocked to hear reports that we were taken by surprised. Even more disturbing, months before the attack a British double agent, Dusko Popov, codenamed Tricycle, turned over to the F.B.I. detailed plans of the Japanese air raid, which he had obtained from the Germans. The government had the information, and did nothing with it.
The Attack on Pearl Harbor was a shocking blow to the United States that forced the U.S. into World War II. The United States goal was to stay isolated from foreign affairs, but Pearl Harbor changed all that, forcing them to get involved in foreign affairs. A young, power hungry United States wanted to control Southeast Asia, angering Japan along the way. The reason the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor was the results of decades of tension starting back in 1899 with arguments over the United States Open Door Policy; both countries desired control over the Pacific and East Asia, which made war unavoidable.
Pearl Harbor is easily one of the most disastrous events that occurred on American soil. It was a deliberate attack against the United States from Japan. Before December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked, America had decided not to get involved in European affairs, which included the beginning of World War II. However, once the United States saw how much Britain and the Soviet Union were suffering from fighting with the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan), America felt obligated to help in some way to help without actually entering the war. Weapons, money, and food were sent over seas to help aid them in any way it could. It was very obvious that if America had entered the war, we would join the side of the Allies (Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union). The day after Pearl Harbor, Franklin D. Roosevelt approached congress and asked for a declaration of war against Japan. Pearl Harbor affected many events that occurred in World War II. Not only the United States, but the world was affected that day.
December 7, 1941 was a date that lived in infamy; it was a date that 2,400 Americans lost their lives needlessly. Several military ships were destroyed and millions of dollars in military equipment was lost. It was a date that this great nation still to this date has not forgotten. No one could have imagined something so horrific happening on American soil that day. The United States of America at that time was a neutral party in the war at that time. This attack caused a turning tide in the war. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s decisions that day could be said to be one of the most critical moments in presidential history. The first 24 hours from the attack that day were crucial and President Roosevelt responded with calm, deliberate, and decisive decisions that day. The United States declared war on the Empire of Japan and joined the fight in Europe against Nazi Germany and the Axis Alliance. The America people rallied with a vengeance and united to defend its self.
It is very tempting as human beings to put blame on someone else. Especially during a time of tragedy. Besides the attack of 9/11, Pearl Harbor is one of the most surprising attacks the United States of America has ever faced. The attack on December seventh, 1941 is what brought America into World War Two. The nation proceeded to declare war on Japan. Then, because of the alliance between Germany and Japan, Germany declared war on the U.S. At the time, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was president. From the beginning of his presidency and the start of the war, he had wanted to get involved with the war. Historians have debated for many years who is at fault for the attack on Pearl Harbor and causing the deaths of two thousand Americans. He believed that without the United States aid, Russia and England would collapse, and the United States government had broken a diplomatic code and intercepted a message from Japan threatening war. Roosevelt missed many opportunities to prevent the bombing. This bomb attack brought our nation into war and caused the deaths of over a thousand American citizens.
December 7, 1941 dawned bright, clear and beautiful over Pearl Harbor. In fact, according to Deborah Bacharach's book, "Pearl Harbor", Fleet Chaplain William A. Maguire noted approvingly from abroad the Arizona that this day "was a day for the tourists" (Bachrach 8). However, two hundred and thirty miles to the northwest of Pearl Harbor activity of a different nature was taking place. "Japanese pilots had already donned their warrior ceremonial dress, with their fresh loincloths, good luck belly bands and freshly pressed red shirts to show a warrior's disdain for blood. They had eaten their ceremonial meals. They were ready for attack" (Prange 21).
Pearl Harbor was one of the most motivational events in American history. From the very beginning Japan and America had their own social views and stereotypes about each other that a feud was bound to occur. On December 7, 1941 the nation of Japan sent out a fleet of their Imperial navy to attack the American held base on the island of Oahu. Leading this attack was Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto who was a militarily strategic genius.” Yamamoto was planning on sinking the entire American Pacific fleet so the U.S navy could be put out of the war for the time being and the Japanese navy could continue their expansion in the Southwest Pacific.”(book)(Gordon Prange 136-138)
Lastly I want to talk about the Pearl Harbor Attack. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, in the United States Territory of Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States' entry into World War II. United States is also the last country to enter World War II.
On December 7, 1941 twenty American naval vessels were destroyed, 2,000 American soldiers and sailors died, and about 1,000 were injured. This event would forever be known as Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor was an incident in American history where the Japanese bombed a naval base in Oahu, Hawaii. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor because they feared the United States would plan a naval attack on them due to their new acquired territories such as: Philippines, Guam, America Samoa and other small islands. The Japanese thought they could do a swift first strike against the united pacific fleet and cripple America’s ability to respond. By delaying America’s ability to respond they were hoping to gain the territories and control most of the Pacific Rim.
President Roosevelt set up investigations to find out whether or not there was any warning of the attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened. One report found that the navy and army commanders of the Hawaiian area, Rear Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, and Major General Walter C. Short, were guilty of "dereliction of duty and errors of judgement." (Microsoft Encyclopedia) The reports showed that the commanders had received warnings weeks prior to the attack and just overlooked them.
On December 7, 1941, just before 8 am, Japanese fighter planes attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii. This was a surprise attack on the American military. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the final piece that led the United States into World War II.
Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7th, 1941 at approximately 7:55 am by the Japanese. The day after Pearl Harbor was bombed President Roosevelt spoke the words, “ a date which will live in infamy” he was discussing the day that Pearl Harbor was bombed. Around the world during this time, people were taking in the impacts of WWll. Japan also allied with Italy and Germany, all three countries were greedy for expansion, but Japan wanted oil as well, and the American Naval fleet was in the way. Japan attacked Pearl harbor because they felt that the Americans were standing in the way of their treasures and world expansion.
As the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 the United States officially entered World War Two. The Japanese government later learned later that this single event sets off an explosion that subsequently caused the United States to attack the Midway Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Pearl Harbor was one of the United States largest naval bases and the largest in the Pacific Ocean. This attack ceased all trade with Japan and officially added Japan as one of the US enemies. With a new world war started it created new concerns for the army. “World War II introduced a whole new set of problems in naval tactics” (Smith, 1). The main change driving these changes was the fact that aircraft carriers became more prevalent and common in every major countries naval force. Japan was able to pull off the Pearl Harbor attack as a result of aircraft carriers to launch their airplanes. As a result of the battles leading up to the Battle of Midway and conflicts with Japan this created a lot larger of an impact on WWII as a whole and to boost unity in America leading to a more prosperous period of history following the war.