Attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was a very important Navy Base located on the island of Oahu in the territory of Hawaii. Pearl Harbor was the site of an infamous attack which launched the United States into the Second World War. This natural harbor had been used by the native Hawaiians for generations before the Hawaiian Islands were annexed by the United States in 1900. The United States military recognized the potential value of the site, and decided to create a naval base there, using Pearl Harbor to house the Pacific Fleet.
On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. The goal of the Japanese attack was to stun the Pacific Fleet, making it difficult for the United States to enter into the growing World War. In the attack, an approximation of 2,350 people were killed, while 19 ships and over 200 planes were destroyed or severely disabled. The attack on Pearl Harbor startled and infuriated many Americans. It triggered a coming of anti-Japanese feeling, with many Americans being understandably upset about what they saw as a strong decision to make a sneak attack, rather than making a formal declaration of war. The events of Pearl Harbor sent the United States into the Second World War. The US was involved in both the war in the Pacific and in Europe. This website focuses on the war in the Pacific.
Although the attack on Pearl Harbor is typically portrayed as shot from the blue, the fact is that most members of the American government were well aware that hostilities between the United States and Japan were escalating, and that war between the two nations was probably around the corner. Some conspiracy theorists even claim that the Americans knew about the upcoming attack, although this is debatable; people like President Roosevelt certainly knew, however, that matters between the United States and Japan would come to a head soon, forcing a decision.
On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. The goal of the Japanese attack was to stun the Pacific Fleet, making it difficult for the United States to enter into the growing World War. In the attack, an approximation of 2,350 people were killed, while 19 ships and over 200 planes were destroyed or severely disabled. The attack on Pearl Harbor startled and infuriated many Americans. It triggered a coming of anti-Japanese feeling, with many Americans being understandably upset about what they saw as a strong decision to make a sneak attack, rather than making a formal declaration of war. The events of Pearl Harbor sent the United States into the Second World War. The US was involved in both the war in the Pacific and in Europe. This website focuses on the war in the Pacific.
Although the attack on Pearl Harbor is typically portrayed as shot from the blue, the fact is that most members of the American government were well aware that hostilities between the United States and Japan were escalating, and that war between the two nations was probably around the corner. Some conspiracy theorists even claim that the Americans knew about the upcoming attack, although this is debatable; people like President Roosevelt certainly knew, however, that matters between the United States and Japan would come to a head soon, forcing a decision.