Pearl Harbor

THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR

First part: the context.

The attack on Pearl Harbor, U.S. Naval Base on the island of Oahu, in the archipelago of the U.S. state of Hawaii in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, was launched by surprise on the morning of Sunday, December 7th 1941 by the Air Service Imperial Japanese Navy.

Indeed, by the early 1930s, Japan planed to govern the whole East Asia. However, to achieve that it was necessary to prevent, or at least, restrict, the risk of opposition from American troops, scattered around this part of the Pacific Ocean.

The U.S. learned this project, consequently, in order to avoid attack, Roosevelt send the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor.

In 1937, Japan attacked China. The U.S. is trying to convince Japanese to stop this attack. However, Japanese decided to continue their attack. Consequently the Americans threatened economic sanctions (including a stop trading oil and steel). This sanctions has made the Japanese even more heinous.

An Imperial Conference, the 6th September 194, decided to wage war against the United States and Great Britain if they didn’t find agreements.

Without even waiting for the end of the talks, Japan has begun to make plans. On November 5th, 1941, the Prime Minister Tojo gave to Yamamoto Isoroku* orders to prepare an attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Base. He wanted to destroy the American fleet to prevent its ships to mingle with the invasion of Asia, who has already planned.

Second part: The attack

Isoroku Yamamoto*, Japanese Naval Marshal General, was responsible to prepare the Pearl Harbour attack. He has trained pilot in secret, and he has equipped planes with special torpedoes. Actually this torpedo has been with fin for they can operate because there is little water in front of Pearl Harbor base.

This December 7th of 1941, Japanese fleet was gone at 311 miles of Archipelago without be locating. It was composed to 6 aircraft carrier, 423 planes and 27 submarines. Yamamoto has chosen this day and this hour because this is a Sunday morning. This is a surprise attack.

7:55: First wave began the attack.

8:54: Second wave stroke the base.

Japanese fleet destroyed eight battleships and three cruisers, three destroyers and four auxiliary vessels.

At the total, 188 aircraft were also destroyed. A total of 2,403 U.S. soldiers were killed. Side of the assailants, the losses are very small (29 aircraft, 55 killed). Initially a third wave was envisaged but she was aborted because the first and second wave had sufficed.

Pearl Harbor, U.S military bases have all but destroyed by Japan. The U.S.A was begun the war against Japan and Germany.

The first assault was gone at the left whereas the second was gone at the right.

Third part: Consequences

We know so the

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