The Pearl Harbor Attack

In my opinion, I believe the attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise. To support my theory, on December 7,1941, two planes came crashing, and the planes were sent at different times on that day. One plane was sent at 8:00 PM while the other was sent at 9:00 PM. By 1:00 PM, the carriers, that launched the planes from 274 miles off the coast of Oahu, were heading back to Japan. Leaving behind, 2,403 casualties, 188 destroyed planes, and a diminished Pacific Fleet that included either eight damaged or destroyed battleships. In one stroke, the Japanese action silenced the debate that had divided Americans ever since the German defeat of France which left England alone in the fight against the Nazi terror. That horrible day has been a major event that has happened in our world and it has affected the people as well. People to this day question Was the Pearl Harbor a Surprise Attack or Not? I do think so, but that is just my opinion. At the end of the Pearl Harbor attack, it left 2,335 dead and 68 civilians and 1,104 wounded. This was a devastating time for them to process because it was a surprise attack. News of the "sneak attack" is broadcast to the American public via radio bulletins, with many popular Sunday afternoon entertainment programs being interrupted. The news sends a shockwave across the nation and results in a tremendous influx of young volunteers into the U.S. armed forces. The attack also unites the nation behind the President and effectively ends isolationist sentiment in the country.

The Japanese strike force turns for home. In the 44 months of war that will follow, the U.S. Navy will sink every one of the Japanese aircraft carriers, battleships and cruisers in this strike force. And when Japan signs the surrender document on Sept. 2, 1945, among the U.S. warships in Tokyo Bay will be a victim of the attack, the USS West Virginia. (National Geographic, Military Times) Couple days later, Japan's allies Germany, and Italy had declared war on the United States. Which brought United states to World War 1. Apparently, the surprise was not really a surprise because they knew about the attack. The reason I believe it is a surprise because even if you knew about why didn't you stop their attack, but it is debatable because most countries are more dominant than others which sounds like this situation. President Roosevelt apparently said something about no one is getting into their country and attacking them, and karma hits them hard core! See it was a not a surprise attack apparently! President Franklin D.Roosevelt was warned three days before the attack that the Japanese empire was eyeing up Hawaii with a view to "open conflict." (Goddard). So bacascilly, President Roosevelt ignored the fact that the United States was going to get attack. After that President Roosevelt declared war on japan.The European and Southeast Asian became a conflict with the Axis powers, so it was basically Japan, Germany and Italy, united against America, Britain, France, and their Allies. Shortly after 9:00 a.m. on December 8, most Pacific Coast radio stations went live to Washington to cover Franklin Roosevelt's speech to a joint session of Congress. Roosevelt announced that the attack on Pearl Harbor was a day that would live in infamy, and he asked Congress for a declaration of war. (Bill Yenne)

CITED SOURCE

"Attack at Pearl Harbor, 1941," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (1997).

The History Place World at war in Europe, www.historyplace.com

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