PEARL HARBOR - 7 DECEMBER 1941
The Pacific War Historical Society presents an illustrated account of Japan's treacherous attack on the United States Pacific Fleet at its Pearl Harbor base, and places the attack in its historical setting
"Those who do not
remember the past are condemned to relive it."
George Santayana, Spanish-American philosopher 1863-1952
TEXT AND WEB-SITE BY JAMES K. BOWEN. THIS WEB-SITE LAST UPDATED ON 20 FEBRUARY 2007.
On 5 November 1941, Japan's militarist government decided to attack the United States and seize the Philippines unless the American government accepted all of Japan's demands by 25 November 1941. The Japanese had already decided to seize the resource-rich British and Dutch colonial possessions in South-East Asia. To distract the American government while it secretly positioned a powerful aircraft carrier strike force for a surprise attack on the United States Pacific Fleet at its Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii, the Japanese government had ordered its envoys in Washington to engage the Americans in intensive diplomatic negotiations.
Battleships of the United States Pacific Fleet burn in Pearl Harbor after the Japanese launched their devastating surprise attack early on Sunday morning, 7 December 1941. The Japanese military high command deliberately chose a Sunday morning for their sneak attack, well knowing that it was a day of worship in the United States, and that American defence preparedness would be at its lowest ebb.
The United States had been at peace for twenty-three years and was unprepared for a direct attack on American territory when the Japanese launched their treacherous surprise attack on the United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor at 8.00 am on Sunday, 7 December 1941. The Japanese had carefully planned their attack to take place on a Sunday morning, knowing that American preparedness would be at its lowest ebb at that time.
At the United States Navy base at Pearl Harbor peacetime Sunday routine prevailed, and the normal bustle of a huge naval base was absent when the first wave of Japanese carrier-launched aircraft launched a devastating attack on the battleships of the United States Pacific Fleet. There had been no prior declaration of war.
The whole of the American Pacific Fleet battle line was destroyed or damaged in this terrible attack, and 2,403 Americans were killed.
Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, most Americans did not want to become involved in Nazi Germany's war against Great Britain. The treacherous nature of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor united all Americans against Japan and filled them with a fierce determination to avenge the heavy loss of American lives and ships.
If the United States had not been drawn into World War II by Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, it is very likely that Australia would have been occupied by Japan before the end of 1942.
INDEX TO PEARL HARBOR
Japanese Preparations for the Attack
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor address to America
Pearl Harbor unites Americans behind President Roosevelt
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PACIFIC
WAR BRIEFING NOTES
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STAGE ONE OF A PACIFIC AVIATION MUSEUM OPENED AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, ON 7 DECEMBER 2006.
At 8.00 am on 7 December 1941, at a time when the United States and Japan were at peace, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack on the United States Pacific Fleet anchored at its Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii. This treacherous attack was not preceded by a formal declaration of war, and took place when Japanese diplomats were in Washington discussing American concerns about continuing brutal and unprovoked Japanese military aggression in East Asia. These diplomatic discussions were intended by the Japanese to distract the attention of Americans while Japan secretly positioned a powerful aircraft carrier striking force off the Hawaiian islands. The Japanese had carefully planned their attack on Hawaii to take place on a Sunday morning, knowing that American military preparedness would be at its lowest ebb on a Sunday. Of the eight American battleships anchored in Pearl Harbor at the time of this dastardly attack, USS Arizona and Oklahoma were destroyed; California and West Virginia were sunk upright; and the other four were damaged. About 200 US Navy and Army aircraft were destroyed. American losses were 2,403 dead and 1,178 injured. Japan formally declared war on the United States several hours after the last Japanese aircraft had returned to its carrier and when the Japanese striking force was returning to Japan. Read about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and the events that led to it, on this web-site, and visit the new Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor to view film, dioramas, historic Pacific War aircraft, and artifacts. Learn more at the web-site of the Pacific Aviation Museum. The author of this web-site will visit the Pacific Aviation Museum in May 2007 and provide a full report of that visit on this web-site in a new chapter to be devoted to Pacific War Museums and exhibits. |
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