The attack of Pearl harbor

THE ATTACK OF PEARL HARBOR

The attack of Pearl Harbor promised to be something unheard of as the Yamamoyo's plan was to travel thousands of kilometers through the Pacific ocean with 6 heavy aircraft carriers and 24 supporting vessels in strictest secrecy as the plan depended on the effect of surprise. At first considered as too risquy by some, the plan is finally approved in october 1941 by the naval general staff.

In november 26, the Japanese attack fleet commanded by Vice admiral Chuichi Nagumo departed toward Pearl Harbor and reached Oahu at dawn december 7.That day at 6;00 the first wave of 181 planes including torpedo bombers, dive bombers, horizontal bombers and fighters was launched from the six Japanese carriers.

Some elements of the US forces noticed there were something wrong that was going on when they spotted, then attacked and sank an unidentified submarine and also when a radar spotted the first wave of the Japanese attack force but unfortunately those who's been informed by that didn't consider it as significant enough to take action.

Right before 8;00 the first wave of the Japanese fleet led by the commander Fuchida reached Pearl Harbor and started hitting the American ships anchored in Pearl Harbor and the militery airfields at the same time so that the American planes could be destroyed before they could rise to attack the Japanese.

As the American battleships represented their primary target the Japanese attack started in Ford Island where 7 of the 8 battleships were moored. That way all of the battleships were touched by bombs and torpedo hits during the first half hour. In particular, the USS Arizona has been wounded by a bomb which caused the death of 1170 crewmembers and a fire that lasted 3 days.

At 8;00 while the USS Nevada was moving toward the open sea, the second wave arrived with 170 planes and attacked the battleship in order to sink it and to stop other ships from trying to escape. But the USS Nevada succeeded to beach herself at Hospital Point and the channel remained clear.

The attack ended before 10;00, around 2hours after it began.

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