An introduction to the history of world war two pearl harbor

Making due allowance for legendary amplification, the estuary already had an outlet for its waters where the present gap is; but Keaunui is typically given the credit for widening and deepening it. Kingdom of Hawaii Pearl Harbor in the s. During the early 19th century, Pearl Harbor was not used for large ships due to its shallow entrance. The interest of United States in the Hawaiian Islands grew as a result of its whaling, shipping and trading activity in the Pacific.

An introduction to the history of world war two pearl harbor

The ships anchored in the harbour made perfect targets for the Japanese bombers, and, because it was Sunday morning a time chosen by the Japanese for maximum surprisethey were not fully manned.

Most of the damage to the battleships was inflicted in the first 30 minutes of the assault. The battleship USS Arizona blew up with a tremendous explosion. Riddled with bombs and torpedoesthe USS West Virginia settled on an even keel on the bottom of the harbour. The USS Oklahoma, hit by four torpedoes within five minutes, rolled completely over, with its bottom and propeller rising above the waters of the harbour.

The target ship USS Utah also was sunk. Hardly a vessel escaped damage.

An introduction to the history of world war two pearl harbor

The antiaircraft crews on the various vessels were fairly prompt in getting into action, and army personnel fired with what they had, but the force of the attack was in no serious way blunted.

On December 7,Japanese airplanes strike the U. Less successful than the first, it nonetheless inflicted heavy damage.

The battleship USS Nevada had sustained a torpedo hit during the first wave, but its position at the end of Battleship Row allowed it greater freedom of action than the other moored capital ships.

It was attempting to get underway when the second wave hit. It was struck by seven or eight bombs and was grounded at the head of the channel. The battleship USS Pennsylvania was set ablaze by bombs, and the two destroyers moored near it were reduced to wrecks.

The destroyer USS Shaw was split in two by a great explosion. The Arizona and the Oklahoma were destroyed with great loss of life, and six other battleships suffered varying degrees of damage. Three cruisersthree destroyers, and other vessels were also damaged.

Heavy damage was inflicted on both army and navy aircraft on the ground.

Japan and the Path to War

The Japanese lost from 29 to 60 planes, five midget submarines, perhaps one or two fleet submarines, and fewer than men. The Japanese task force retired from the theatre of battle without being attacked.

There was, however, one consoling feature to the tragedy. As a result of the dispositions made by Kimmel, two U. Halseywas on a mission to reinforce the Wake Island garrison with marine planes and aviators.

These operations also meant that seven heavy cruisers and a division of destroyers were at sea. The Enterprise was scheduled to return to Pearl Harbor on December 6 but was delayed by weather. A third carrier, the USS Saratoga, was embarking a fresh complement of aircraft in San Diego on the morning of the attack.

The Pearl Harbor attack severely crippled U. However, of the eight battleships, all but the Arizona and Oklahoma were eventually repaired and returned to service, and the Japanese failed to destroy the important oil storage facilities on the island.

Roosevelt termed it, unified the U. On December 8 Congress declared war on Japan with only one dissenting vote Rep. Jeannette Rankin of Montanawho had also voted against U. Roosevelt requests that Congress declare war against Japan on Dec.

Both Kimmel and Short were relieved of duty, and, almost immediately after the assault, the president appointed a commission headed by U.

Supreme Court Justice Owen J. Roberts to examine the facts and to fix responsibility. At a later date both army and navy boards reviewed the problem.Along with World War I, World War II was one of the great watersheds of 20th-century geopolitical history.


World War 2: Pacific Theatre: A Brief History of the Pacific Theatre in WWII (World War 2, WWII, WW2, Pacific Theatre, history, Japan Invasion, Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima Book 1) Kindle Edition.

Mar 30,  · Introduction. It all happened so quickly. At am on Sunday 7 December , the first of two waves of Japanese aircraft began their deadly attack on the US Pacific Fleet, moored at Pearl Harbor. Attack on Pearl Harbor; Part of the Asia and the Pacific Theater of World War II: Photograph of Battleship Row taken from a Japanese plane at the beginning of the attack.

The explosion in the center is a torpedo strike on USS West attacking Japanese planes can be seen: one over USS Neosho and one over the Naval Yard. The Attack on Pearl Harbor happened on December 7th, Japanese airplanes made a surprise attack on the US Navy in Pearl Harbor.

They destroyed many ships and killed many soldiers.

An introduction to the history of world war two pearl harbor

It was this attack that forced the United States to enter World War II. While the attack on Pearl Harbor was a defeat for the US, it proved to be a major mistake. Winston Churchill had previously failed to persuade the Americans to join the conflict.

After Pearl Harbor, the US was forced to bring its military strength to the conflicts of World War II and it proved to be the turning point that led to an Allied victory.

Attack on Pearl Harbor