Justin White 1

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The attack on Pearl Harbor Hawaii on December 7, 1941 by the Japanese was a

catastrophic loss for the U.S and was the turning point for its eveckular entry into World War II.

The casualties were two-thousand four hundred and three dead with over a thousand people

wounded. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) Three battleships, the West Virginia, the Arizona, and the

California, were sunk. The Tennessee, the Nevada, the Maryland, and the Pennsylvania suffered

varying degrees of damage. The Oklahoma lay capsized with her crew still trapped in the hull.

(Pearl Harbor Bombed) The attack on Pearl Harbor was a critical hit on American soil that was

expected yet not prepared for.

By the summer of 1941 Japan had extorted concessions in Indo-China and was

threatening to engulf Thailand, Russias Siberian Provinces, Burma, the Dutch East Indies, and

the Philippines. Japan had officially become an axis power in September 1940 with the signing

of the Tripartite Pact. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) The Tripartite Pact was a defensive alliance

among Germany, Italy, and Japan. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) The United States opposed this

Japanese Expansion primarily with moral and economic sanctions, or authorization. (Pearl

Harbor Bombed) Despite British and Dutch pressure, the United States was slow to accept the

necessity of economic sanctions. Japanese leaders came to believe that Japan was being encircled

by the Western powers. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) If Japanese demands were not achieved by

diplomacy, military force would become necessary. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) In July 1941, an

advance in Southeast Asia was approved by the Japanese Imperial Council even if it meant war

with the United States. (Pearl Harbor Bombed)

Japans preparations for the attack on Pearl Harbor had begun with tactical planning in

the early months of 1941. The destruction of the United States Pacific Fleet was needed for

Japans advance into Southeast Asia to succeed. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) The attack on Pearl
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Harbor was first considered impractical if not suicidal, but when pilots began training in

September of 1941, all objections were overcome. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) Elaborate precautions

were undertaken to preserve secrecy and abundant intelligence was gathered concerning the

movements of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Japan created a special task force of 31 vessels, including

six aircraft carriers which carried for hundred thirty-two airplanes, who began to leave port in the

early days of November. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) These soldiers were both trained and skilled

and even though the Unites States could have prevented or defended for it, they blew off the

warnings and were unfortunately destroyed.

On November 22, this force gathered in the Southern Kuriles. Four days later it headed

out to sea for a run of three thousand five hundred miles to a rendezvous point two hundred

seventy-five miles north of Pearl Harbor where Nagumo, a Japanese army commander, had been

instructed to wait for the final clearance to attack. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) On December 2, the

signal Climb Mount Nitaka was received and the date of the attack confirmed. Early on

December 7, the strike force reached position so that the Japanese planes were flying over Pearl

Harbor by 7:55 A.M. local time. (Pearl Harbor Bombed)

The weather was ideal for an attack, and Pearl Harbor was caught totally unprepared. The

blow was deliberately planned for Sunday morning when the ships of the Pacific Fleet were

moored in perfect alignment and their crews were ashore, having breakfast or relaxing on board.

(Pearl Harbor Bombed) The Japanese planes swooped to attack, destroying aircraft, battleships,

the harbor, airfields, and shore installations. At 9:45 A.M., less than two hours after the attack

had begun, the last planes withdrew leaving Pearl Harbor a flaming wreck of metal.
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Even though the Japanese squadron was being observed by an operator before the attack,

it was not questioned because the watch officer thought it was a group of American bombers due

in that morning. (Pearl Harbor Bombed) Army and Navy intelligence at Pearl Harbor and

Washington D.C. picked up evidence of an attack, but never thought that it was possible. (Pearl

Harbor Bombed)