The attack on Pearl Harbor has influenced history in a way that has made America stronger. It helped America unite a country, allowing them to overcome greater obstacles. An example is the recent tragedy of September 11. I believe that Pear Harbor helped unite America as a nation so when the bombing o September 11 happened, it helped the U.S. handle this tragedy. In my report, I would like to tell you of the events leading up to the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor Essay and subsequent events. In 1937, Japan invaded China and began waging a war o them.
Since Japan was militaristic, the official head of the Japanese government did not have real power. Instead, the reins o power were held by military officials. Military leaders convinced the Japanese people that they were under divine protection and could no be defeated. On September 27, 1940, Japan signed the Tripartite Treaty with Germany and Italy, which joined them to the Axis Powers.
The Japanese invasion of China disturbed America, for the U.S. and China had always been close allies. Many Americans were alarmed by the increasingly hostile nature of Japan’s leaders and b her powerful military thus when the Chinese leader asked the U.S. for assistance, President Roosevelt declared a moral embargo. He also started strengthening American defenses in the Pacific. The center of activity was the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Japan saw the embargo on China as a threat. Japan asked t be left alone, but America refused, insisting that they withdraw from China. Soon the embargo began to hurt Japan’s economy.
So they decided to push America out of the Pacific. Japanese military leaders warned that a long war with the U.S. would result in a Japanese defeat. Japan believed that a knockout blow must be dealt to the American’s at the very beginning. They decided to launch a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor knowing that by destroying America’s Pacific fleet, the U. S. would not be able to fight back, and they would have t surrender. In the months before the attack on United States bases in the Pacific, the young Japanese men trained rigorously for service is their country’s air forces. Several factors prevented the American command from anticipating the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor.
Even though the Americans had broken the secret Japanese diplomatic code, the decoded messages were closely guarded. People is important positions never received the valuable information is decoded messages. Also, because of the economic depression carried over from the 1930s, there was little money for new equipment and more servicemen. Since Pearl Harbor was s shallow, the American command felt that underwater torpedoes could not be used against ships there. Finally, the Americans felt that Japanese equipment and servicemen were inferior to their American counterparts.
However, the Americans did worry that sabotage was likely at Pearl Harbor. To keep an eye on things, the commander grouped ships closely together in the harbor to keep them safe from submarines. Airplanes on the island were lined up wingtip to wingtip so that all could be watched by a few men.
This sort of thinking was a setup for disaster. The ships and planes crammed together mad perfect sitting targets. On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, the Japanese took off to make a surprise attack on the U.S. naval fleet and airfields at Pearl Harbor. Just before 8:00, waves of planes were swooping down out of the sky. The sailors thought they were just army planes showing off; but then the lead plane released its bombs and a loud alarm sounded”AIR RAID! NO DRILL!” The Japanese plan has two parts.
The most important target was “Battleship Row,” where the most deadly of the United States ships were anchored. The airplane at the two main airfields was the second important target. With the first few minutes of the sneak attack, most of the United State aircraft on the ground were in shambles, useless heaps of torn and melting metal. The first battleship hit was West Virginia, it san just a few minutes after the attack began. Then the battleship Oklahoma was hit by three torpedoes. The only possible order was given: Abandon ship! Sailors began leaping into.
