Pearl Harbor

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japaneesse navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. It all happened in Hawaii at the morning of December 7, 1941, when many people at Pearl Harbor were at leisure. They were completely unaware that an attack was imminent. . The attack was intended as a preventive action in order to keep the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with military actions the Empire of Japan was planning in Southeast Asia.

The base was attacked by Japanese fighters, bombers and torpedo planes in two waves, launched from six aircraft carriers. The 8 U.S. Navy battleships were damaged half of them being sunk. Of these eight damaged, two were raised and six battleships returned to service later in the war.

The Japanese also sank three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 wounded. The power station, shipyard, maintenance, and fuel and torpedo storage facilities, as well as the submarine piers and headquarters building were not attacked. Americans were destroyed in a question of minutes.


By the other side the Japanese losses were not as much as much as in the U.S.A, only 29 aircraft and five midget submarines lost, and 65 servicemen killed or wounded. One Japanese sailor was captured.


American people were totally shocked. This event is very important because after this attack americans will decide to enter to World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters. The following day, December 8, the United States declared war on Japan. The United States had clandestine support from Britain (for example the Neutrality Patrol) then they join to the allies and fight against Germany and Japan.


There were numerous historical precedents for unannounced military action by Japan. But, the lack of any formal warning, particularly while negotiations were still apparently ongoing, led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy" and a feeling of reveange to Japan that they will later put in action.


Now a days , the USS Arizona Memorial on the island of Oahu honors the lives lost on the day of the attack. Visitors to the memorial reach it via boats from the naval base at Pearl Harbor. Alfred Preis is the architect responsible for the memorial's design. The structure has a sagging center and its ends strong and vigorous. It commemorates "initial defeat and ultimate victory" of all lives lost on December 7, 1941.


Although December 7 is known as Pearl Harbor Day, it is not considered a federal holiday in the United States. The nation does however, continue to pay homage remembering the thousands injured and killed when attacked by the Japanese in 1941. Schools and other establishments across the country respectfully lower the American flag to half-staff.



                                                                                                      Arianne Velez