Pearl Harbor

"December 7,1941 a date which will live in infamy,"

The Pearl Harbour attack was on December 7,1941 and even though the aerial attack was successfull the submarines failed to finish off american boats that were wounded in the harbor. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor it surprised them as much as it did the Americans and the last part of the decoded Japanese message revealed that the U.S relations were to be severed. Admiral Nagumo was the commander of the Japenese attack force and the attack forces of the Japanese consist of 8 carriers with 423 planes. At six am the first of these attack wave of 83 planes that took off and headed to Pearl Harbor. When attacking eighteen of our U.S ships were hit and three prime "Targets" the U.S Paific Fleet Aircraft carriers, the Lexington, Enterprise and Saratoga were not in port when the bombing took place and another target, the base fuel tanks, also escaped damage too. Casualties included 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians had died and 1,178 people were wounded. the day after the attack ,the U.S and Britian declared war on Japan. Even though we did not want to enter the war after the bombing because so many people, buildings, and ships were damaged,lost or killed but we did go to war any way. The attack on Pearl Harbour was the climax of the decade of worsening relations between the U.S and the militaristic Japan. The U.S embargo on necessary supplies for war prompted the attack on Pearl Harbour . Addmiral Yamamoto Isoroku planned the Deember 7,1941 attack on Pearl Harbour with great care. One interesting fact about the planes were that they were fully feuled and armed and the Japanese fleet had about thiry ships. Also the Japanese had there eyes on the Hawaiian island since the U.S annexed the. when this attacking happened america had suffered alot more tragaties then the japanese and krppled the U.S fleets. Japan decieved the U.S by saying false statements and expressedinterest in continued peace. Japan was very smart becuase the attack on Pearl Harbour was planned in weeks advaced and we as Americans though it was dishonorable. The main reason for the attack on Pearl Harbour was the economic issue that both nations had. The unpreparedness of the U.S military Admiral Husband Kimmel and General Walter Short were relieved of duty. The Attack crippled Americans naval and air strenght on the Pacific. eight of battleships a,but the Arizonia and Oklahoma were eventually repaired and returned to survice. a day after the attack congress declaredwar on the japaneses. Only one vote was agianst it and it became offical that they will be going to war with Japan. The peron who voted agianst it was Representitive Jeannette Rankin of Montana, who had also voted agianst U.S entry into world war one. Also more than onehundred and eighty U.S aircrafts were destroyed that day. The U.S.S Arizona was sunk and more than 1,100 men lost their lives. When the Japanese were thinking this attack over they planned it to be on a sunday because everyone would be in a relaxed state and was not in high alert when the attack occured and anit-airraft guns wereleft unaimed an were taken in complete surprise. The main targets for the first waves was the airfiels and battleships. The second waves targets were the other ships and shipyard facilities. The air raid lasted until about 9:45 AM. President Franklin Roosevelt said that "December 7,1941 a date which will live in infamy," in reference to the attack.