FREE ESSAY ON PEARL HARBOR

PEARL HARBOR

Pearl Harbor 
My report is about the attack on Pearl Harbor. In this report I will explain what
happened and why it happened. So you know, Pearl Harbor is located on Oahu island,
Hawaii. 
Pearl Harbor was the operating base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The Japanese pulled a
surprise attack on the U.S. on December 7, 1941 at 7:50 A.M. during the beginning of
World War II. On November 26 a powerful Japanese task force, under the command of vice
Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, left the Kuril Islands; on December 2 it received a coded message
issuing the attack order. The undetected Japanese force arrived off the Hawaiian Islands
on the morning of December 7. In two successive waves more than 350 Japanese bombers,
torpedo planes, and fighters struck. More than 75 U.S. warships(including battleships,
cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and auxiliaries) were based at this Gibraltar of the
Pacific. All U.S. aircraft carriers were elsewhere. Observing radio silence, it reached a
launching point at 6 AM, December 7. At 7:50 AM, the first wave of Japanese planes struck
Pearl Harbor, bombarding airfields and battleships moored at the concrete quays. The U.S.
totally taken off guard had to defend themselves in pajamas. They used anti-aircraft guns
in an attempt to stop the Japanese. A second wave followed. The surprise attack was over
before 10 AM. The results were devastating; 18 U.S. ships were hit, and more than 200
aircraft destroyed or damaged. The battleship Arizona was a total wreck; the West
Virginia and California were sunk; and the Nevada was heavily damaged.Approximately 2,400
Americans were killed, 1,300 wounded, and 1,000 missing. Japanese losses were fewer than
100 casualties, 29 planes, and 5 midget submarines. The Japanese totally destroyed the
U.S. naval power in the Pacific. Theattack was, however, a colossal political and
psychological blunder, for it mobilized U.S. public opinion against the Japanese and
served as the catalyst that brought the United States into the war. December 7, 1941,
said PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt, is a date which will live in infamy. A monument has
been built across the hull of the sunken U.S.S. Arizona; it was dedicated as a national
memorial in 1962. The next day President Roosevelt told a joint session of Congress that
December 7 was a date which will live in infamy. Congress voted to declare war on Japan.
A small boat rescued seamen from USS West Virginia after the surprise Japanese air
attack. There are different reasons why the Japanese were able to pull a surprise attack
on the United States biggest military base. One is that when the U.S. received the
message from the Japanese saying that they were going to declare war the guy who was
receiving the message reported that it was a false alarm. The real reason is not known
why but Pearl Harbor will always be remembered. They should have known not to mess with
the U.S. because after that little stunt they pulled we really set off and got into World
War II. 
In this report I hope that you have learned a little more about that battle that we
fought. Now the U.S. and Japan get along just fine and we trade with them. Lots of
business deals go on and we get products from them like tv's, camcorders, and computers.
We've even promised to defend them if China or any other country tries to attack them.
They better remember one thing and that is they better never double cross us again.