Pearl Harbor: Did the U.S know what as coming?

The bombing of Pearl Harbor was that worst attack against U.S soil ever to occur. On December 7, 1941 Japan Navy planes dropped bombs on the tropical naval port. One week before, intelligence information about a coming attack on the Sates was given to President Roosevelt. Just weeks before that in early November, Japan warned the goverment of a possible threat. On the dreadful day, 2,400 men were killed and the U.S.S Arizona was destroyed. Some say this could of been prevented. The United States was aware of the attack on Pearl Harbor because of Japanese threats, interpreted messages, and other nation's warnings.

The Bombing U.S Navy    Japan Navy  Results Conspiracy Reference

                          

                                                                      A store owned by Japanese Americans

The Bombing

The worst attack against the United States ever to occur is Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941 at 7:45 a.m. the bombs started falling (Cressman). A short while before the attack the Admiral had detected the Japanese planes on radar but dismissed them as “friendly” (Hayes). By the end of the two hour attack 2,400 American men had died (Hayes). The U.S.S Arizona was also completely destroyed (Cressman). The next day Roosevelt declared, "Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy -The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan...As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense...With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God." (UsNavyNewsstand).

The U.S.S Arizona on fire after the bombing

U.S Navy   

During the 1940’s the United States navy was busy preparing, fighting, and recovering from war. The largest attack against the U.S and its navy occurred on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (Cressman). The United States had placed an embargo on the export of oil to Japan (Hayes). This triggered the attack. During this time of anger, the navy placed the Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor (Cressman). The United States navy was a third of the size of Japans (Hayes). Admiral Kimmel was in Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack (Cressman). But luckily for the U.S the Lexington and Enterprise were at sea (Hayes). The navy was partially aware of the coming attack, "War and Navy departments also shared in responsibility for the disaster, not only by withholding intelligence but by assigning low priorities to critical equipment for ships and units in the Hawaiian area."(Hayes).

One of the 15 ships that were lost during the bombing

Japan Navy

Japan’s Navy had been planning the attack on Pearl Harbor for quite some time. Japan had acted friendly towards the U.S. but was secretly studying them. In November, the Vice Admiral of the Japanese Navy observed radio sxilence from Pearl Harbor (Cressman). This angered Japan on top of the oil embargo and triggered the start of Pearl Harbor. The Yamato and Musachi were the two largest battle ships at the time (Hayes). Admiral Osami Nagano was in charge of the final planning for the attack (Cressman). Nagano’s mission was to destroy the pacific fleet to ensure it being unable to threaten the Japanese attack of the pacific (Cressman). He claimed that,   "A gigantic fleet... has massed in Pearl Harbor. This fleet will be utterly crushed with one blow at the very beginning of hostilities...Heaven will bear witness to the righteousness of our struggle.”(World-WatrTwo.net).

The Japanese planes used to drop the bombs on Pearl Harbor

 Results

The following day, December 8, 1941, Japan, Germany, and Italy declared war on the U.S. (Parrish). President Roosevelt also asked congress to declare war on the axis powers that day (Parrish). After all Japan had lost 29 aircraft and 55 men (Parkinson). Compared to the U.S’s 18 ships, 15 which were later replaced (Parkinson). The United States went to war right away, with record breaking numbers of men enlisting; they shouted the phrase “Remember Pearl Harbor!” (Robert J. Cressman). There is now a memorial for the U.S.S Arizona and the lives that were lost. It is located in Oahu Hawaii, and it is a popular tourist attraction.  

Pearl Harbor Memorial

Conspiracy

 Admirals throughout the navy after Pearl Harbor felt that “Before were through with them, the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell!” (World-WatrTwo.net). It is said that Roosevelt was aware of the looming attack on Pearl Harbor. He was in fact aware that the Japanese were planning an attack but was not sure of where the attack was planned for. Roosevelt and Churchill insisted that war with Japan could be deterred when signs of war first started showing in 1940 (Parkinson). But then in 1941 when Churchill became more aware of Japan’s power and planned war with the U.S he warned Roosevelt (Parkinson). In early November 1941, The U.S received an interpreted message from Japanese spies in Honolulu that could have been used as a valuable hint to the attack (Parkinson). However, Roosevelt had enough to deal with and in the middle of November he dismissed the threat (Parkinson). George C. Marshall was aware of the threat and sent warnings to Hawaii (Cressman). It is believed however that the Navy never received the warnings because the Army was in charge of security.  Whether Roosevelt was alert of the attack or not, the United States was not ready for what was about to come.

A man reads about the attack against the U.S 

Reference

A burning battleship at Pearl Harbor. 2005. Discovery Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://player.discoveryeducation.com/‌index.cfm?guidAssetId=F87742B2-FC65-4853-B3F8-793C842D137C&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US>.

Cressman, Robert J., and J. Michael Wenger. “Infamous Day: Marines at Pearl Harbor.” Marines in World War II. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2010. <http://www.nps.gov/‌archive/‌wapa/‌indepth/‌extContent/‌usmc/‌pcn-190-003116-00/‌sec1.htm>. 1

“Famous Quotes.” World-WatrTwo.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 May 2010. <http://www.worldwar-2.net/‌famous-quotes/‌famous-quotes-index.htm>. 6

Hayes, John D. “World War II: War in the Central and Northern Pacific.” Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2010. <http://go.grolier.com/>. 3

Jebvision. pearl harbor Feb 26, 2009. 26 Feb. 2009. Creative Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/‌photos/‌jebvision/‌3416506065/>.

Loungelistener. A date which will live in infamy... 7 Dec. 1941. Creative Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/‌photos/‌loungelistener/‌4164845559/>.

Parkinson, Roger. Attack on Pearl Harbour. Hove: Wayland Publishers, 1973. Print. 4

Parrish, Ann. “Pearl Harbor.” Middle Search Plus. Ebscohost, n.d. Web. 2 May 2010. <http://web.ebscohost.com/‌ehost/‌detail?vid=11&hid=113&sid=c57193ba-28ca-4077-be25-f23cc47fd842%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=mih&AN=14139990>. 2

Roosevelt asking Congress to declare war on Japan. 2005. Discovery Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://player.discoveryeducation.com/‌index.cfm?guidAssetId=8FEC76ED-7930-43A4-AD17-3112FCA8FBF3&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US>.

UsNavyNewsstand. Attack at Pearl Harbor. Youtube. N.p., 20 Dec. 2008. Web. 5 May 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/‌watch?v=ArDG2lhRbcw>. 5

Workman reads about the Pearl Harbor attack. 2005. Discovery Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://player.discoveryeducation.com/‌index.cfm?guidAssetId=BADDF947-36F8-4AED-8498-D90CE7327A94&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US>.

WWII Africa. 1 May 1942. AP Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2010. <http://www.apimages.com/‌OneUp.aspx?st=k&kw=Japan%27s%20battle%20planes&showact=results&sort=date&intv=None&sh=10&kwstyle=and&adte=1273673377&dah=-1&pagez=60&cfasstyle=AND&nextdah=1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX%2CX&rids=0e341b7c8fb942ac849c550fb5597666&dbm=PThirtyDay&page=1&xslt=1&dispname=4205011267%2C%20WWII%20Africa>.

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