Attack on Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941
At approximately 8:00 am on December 7, 1941, approximately 180 Japanese planes arrived in Oahu, Hawaii and bombed the U.S. Naval Station at Pearl Harbor. The surprise attack resulted in around 2,000 Americans dead and about 20 destroyed American battleships. Previously, there had been a lot of tension between the two countries. The United States had political and economic interests in East Asia and was alarmed when Japan joined with the Axis Alliance. In response, the United States stopped sending oil and raw materials to Japan, which threatened the nation’s survival. Japan later decided to obtain resources from territories in Southeast Asia, but the U.S. Pacific Fleet based at Pearl Harbor posed a threat to this plan. The commander of the Japanese fleet, Yamamoto Isoroku, planned to immobilize the United States’ fleet with a surprise attack at the beginning of the war so that they might have an opportunity to defeat this super power. In October of 1941, the Japanese naval staff approved Yamamoto’s plan of a surprise air raid. The Japanese were successful in their attempt to shock the American navy, but their success was not complete. They failed to damage any American aircraft carriers because they were absent from the harbor that morning, and the American base was able to repair and raise all but three ships sunk or damaged during the raid. The attack on Pearl Harbor was important because it was the official entrance of the United States into World War II. The U.S. originally aspired to stay neutral during this war but as soon as Japan attacked, they decided to declare war on Japan and join the Allies.
"Attack At Pearl Harbor, 1941." Attack At Pearl Harbor, 1941. EyeWitnesstoHistory.com, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pearl.htm>.
"The Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941." The Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941. Naval History & Heritage Command, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. <http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq66-1.htm>.
"The Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941." The Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941. Naval History & Heritage Command, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. <http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq66-1.htm>.