Pearl Harbor
Although the United States and Japan were heading towards war, the attack of Pearl Harbor was a surprise. On the morning of December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The barrage lasted just two hours, but it was devastating: The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and almost 200 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan; Congress approved his declaration with just one dissenting vote. Three days later, Japanese allies Germany and Italy also declared war on the United States, and again Congress reciprocated. More than two years into the conflict, America had finally joined World War II. When the Japanese left Pearl Harbor at 9:45 a.m., the Americans didn't realize the attack was actually over. They expected another wave. The following day, Roosevelt declared that December 7, 1941 would be a date that will live in infamy.
General Facts
- The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7, 1941.
- The Japanese attacked the United States without warning.
- The attack lasted 110 minutes, from 7:55 a.m. until 9:45 a.m.
- A total of 2,335 U.S. servicemen were killed and 1,143 were wounded. Sixty-eight civilians were also killed and 35 were wounded.
- The Japanese lost 65 men, with an additional soldier being captured.
- Pearl Harbor is on the south side of the Hawaiian island of Oahu and is the home to a U.S. naval base.
- The attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II.
Battleships
- The main target of the Japanese was to be the aircraft carriers; however, since all three U.S. aircraft carriers were out to sea, the Japanese focused on the battleships.
- There were eight battleships at Pearl Harbor that day, which included all the battleships of the U.S. Pacific fleet except for one (the Colorado).
- Seven of the U.S. battleships were lined up in "Battleship Row."
- During the attack, the Nevada left its berth in Battleship Row and tried to make it to the harbor entrance. After being repeatedly attacked on its way, the Nevada beached itself.
- The Arizona exploded when a bomb breached its forward magazine (i.e. the ammunition room). Approximately 1,100 U.S. servicemen died on board.
- After being torpedoed, the Oklahoma listed so badly that it turned upside down.
- To aid their airplanes, the Japanese sent in five midget subs to help target the battleships. The Americans sunk four of the midget subs and captured the fifth.
- All eight U.S. battleships were either sunk or damaged during the attack. Amazingly, all but two (the Arizona and the Oklahoma) were eventually able to return to active duty.
Pearl Harbor changed America because after the attack, the United States moved quickly to get on a war footing. American attitudes about the war change radically, American attitudes about the economy, about giving to the war. Everything was viewed through the prism of the war effort. The attack made America more cautious as a country and united us. Pearl Harbor forced everyone to work together as a team to defeat Japan.