Attack on Pearl Harbor

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor took place on December 7, 1941, during WWII. Although it was considered a 'surprise' attack, there is evidence that the US government already knew that the Japanese Navy would carry out this bombing raid against the US naval base of Hawaii. However, they did nothing to stop it. Perhaps, the Franklin Roosevelt Administration wanted it to happen as this Japanese military action resulted in the American government declaring war on Japan.

Rationale

The purpose of this Japanese air strike was preemptive, with the objective to put the American Pacific Fleet out of action. Thus, it would prevent the USA from influencing the war which Japan would launch in Southeast Asia and on the Pacific islands. What Japan wanted and needed most was natural resources, such as oil and rubber and it had to expand over territories where they could find them.

The Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s had increased tension between the United States and Japan. In 1940, the United States of America had imposed sanctions on Japan, stopping shipments of airplanes, parts, machine tools, and aviation gasoline. The Japanese Empire deemed such diplomatic measures aggressive and unfriendly as they damaged its economic interests. Following Japanese expansion into French Indochina after the fall of France, the United States had also put an oil embargo on Japan in August 1941, in an attempt to force them to stop their aggression against their neighbors. As the Japanese high command thought that any attack on the United Kingdom’s Southeast Asian colonies would bring the United States into the war, a devastating preemptive air attack seemed to be the only way for Japan to halt the American naval interference.

Summary

The attack on Pearl Harbor began at 07:55 hours, on the December 7, 1941. Led by Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, the first wave of planes consisted of 183 fighters, bombers and torpedo bombers. The second wave was composed of 170 planes and attacked Pearl Harbor at 08:54 hours. They took off from the aircraft carriers Akaga, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Zuikaku and Shokaku as it was the first naval action of the war where the carrier played a key role. Since then it would become more important than the battleship from an strategic point of view.

The most serious casualty was the USS Arizona, which was hit by one torpedo and eight bombs, 1,760 lbs. of explosives, as she lay moored up at Ford Island Naval Station. 1,177 men were killed on the Arizona alone. The USS West Virginia, USS California, USS Utah, and USS Oglala were also sunk by the Japanese. The USS Raleigh, USS Nevada, USS Vestal, USS Pennsylvania, USS Downes, USS Shaw, and USS Helena were seriously damaged.

The Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor started the American Pacific Theater of Operation of WWII.

Below, the USS Arizona BB39 battleship at the moment of being hit by a Japanese bomb.

The USS California BB44, which was seriously damaged and put out of action for the rest of the war