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What Happened At Pearl Harbor ?
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On seventh December 1941, 7:55 am, as per Hawaii timing, a dive bomber from Japan appeared from the clouds covering Oahu Island. It bore on the wings the insignia of a red rising sun, the symbol of Japan and was followed by a fleet of three hundred and sixty Japanese warplanes. These planes brutally attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. This surprise attack came as a critical setback on the Pacific navy of US and drew the Americans irreversibly into the Second World War. More...
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President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his advice givers sensed the probability of Japanese attack as political negotiations with Japanese was weakening. In spite of this, no security measures had been taken at the naval base at Pearl Harbor. Like any other Sunday morning, on this day, most military personnel were out attending prayer service off the base. It was 7:02 am when a large flight of aircrafts coming towards the island was spotted. Since the US was expecting a flight of B-17s, they did not sound the alarm. So, they were taken by surprise when the Japanese aircraft launched an air assault on Pearl Harbor.
Why Did The Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor ?
Pearl Harbor located in Hawaii was attacked by Japan on 7th December 1941. This attack was one of the worse in US military history and was extremely significant. However, many wonder what prompted the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor. The 6 aircraft carriers in 2 aerial attacks launched three hundred and fifty three aircraft.
The air attack was led by Commander Mitsuo Fuchida. Japan wanted to enter into Malaya and Dutch East Indies for procuring raw materials, like rubber or oil. To achieve this goal, it was necessary for the Japanese to neutralize American fleet stationed in the Pacific region. The Japanese forces achieved this by attacking Pearl Harbor, but this attack made the Americans actively participate in the Second World War. More...
Results Of The Attack On Pearl Harbor
On the 7th of December 1941, an overwhelming attack was conducted by the Japanese on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. As a result, the US suffered massive losses. However, this outbreak of violence on Pearl Harbor accelerated the participation of the US in the Second World War. The joint session of the US Congress was address by President Roosevelt, a day after the attack. He said 7th December was a date that would forever live in the minds of Americans and the world for its infamy.
The Congress approved the resolution of war kept before them by the President amidst outrage of the attack and a note delivered late from the government of Japan breaking off ties with the US government. The declaration for war was signed by President Roosevelt on the same day later. They strengthened their military mobilization by adapting the war economy strategy where Great Britain and Soviet Union were given a provision of war weaponries and supplies.More...
Could Pearl Harbor Have Been Prevented ?
Perhaps the most important event in the US military history is surprise attack of Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941. It was this attack that saw the US entering the Second World War. It was also this attack that prompted the US to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. While the US had a lot of success in the war, people often wonder whether Pearl Harbor could have been prevented. Certain facts have come out that make people believe that the dreadful bombing of Pearl Harbor that caused massive US casualties could have been prevented.
Some papers belonging to the US ambassador to Japan were discovered after the Second World War. According to these papers, it is believed that the ambassador got intelligence report from the ambassador of Peru to Japan that Japan was planning to attack Pearl Harbor. This intelligence report came to the US ambassador nearly one year prior to the actual attack. He passed on this information to the US, but since it did not have too much detail, the intelligence department did not think that an attack was eminent. More...
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