Attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 A Day Which Will Live In Infamy

Japan Seeks a Pacific Empire Japan expands Needed oil Must remove America from Pacific America: bigger and stronger, must be surprise attack

The Simple Plan Destroy planes on ground Destroy ships (no planes to defend)

The Pacific ocean showing the proximity of USA, Japan and Hawaii. Pearl Harbor

The islands of Hawaii

Battleship Row

The two biggest battleships ever!

The ‘Zero’ Fighter Plane Much faster and more maneuverable than any other fighter at the time

Kamikaze “Divine Wind” Japan pilots fly plane into ships – Acts like bomb – Pilot kills himself

Kido Butai The Japanese Carrier Striking Task Force 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441 aircraft. Largest carrier task force in world The Japanese aircraft carrier Soryu

The USS Enterprise

US Army Air Force Planes divided between Navy and Army Most planes under army’s control Heavy and Slow Useful for reconnaissance (survey, locating). Arrive during attack; destroyed The B 17 Flying Fortress

The Attack 7:48am Sunday December 7 th, Japanese fighters (bombers and torpedo planes) from six aircraft carriers

First Wave 6 Japanese Carriers launch fleet 230 miles North of Oahu Detected by US Army radar – 136 miles away – Misidentified as USAAF bombers from mainland US 183 planes 171 planes Attack ends in 90 minutes Second Wave

Japanese bomber over Hickman Field

Army B17 Bomber cut in half on Hickman Field

US airfield under attack (planes neatly lined up)

Air Force destroyed, Naval ships easy targets. Ammunition storage: locked (peacetime measure)

The USS Shaw Would be repaired and sail again

Bomb blows up ammunition, totally destroyed Wreckage forms base of Pearl Harbor memorial The USS Arizona

The US carrier St. Louis (Sunk by Kamikaze)

The Aftermath Shocked America 1 st attack on US soil since 1812 Next major attack: 9/11

US Losses 2,400+ lives lost 1,282 wounded 8 Battleships damaged 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed Untouched: shipyard, power station, maintenance, storage area and headquarters

Japanese Losses 29 aircraft 5 submarines 65 servicemen killed or wounded 1 sailor captured US Army Air Force 2 nd Lieutenants George Welch and Kenneth M. Taylor: fly planes during attack and together take down 6 aircraft

Franklin Roosevelt (FDR): “a date which will live in infamy” US declares war on Japan Britain declares war on Japan Germany and Italy declare war on the US

Japanese Americans People distrust FDR signs law: Japanese prison camps during war Lose property / goods

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, today. Ford island (middle); Battleship row (dent on SE side)

Japanese Decisions Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo led attack. Advisers pushed for 3 rd wave: facilities and storage Nagumo refused – Fuel concerns – Unknown location of the American carriers – American counterattack on fleet – Thought damage was down

Writing Assignment If Japan had attacked with their third wave, how would the attack have been different?