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Pearl Harbor

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In memory of the men and women who lost their lives in the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor, the creators of www.picture-america.com have compiled this section of the site to honor their life and tragic death.

The Attack on Pearl Harbor

“Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941- a date that will live in infamy-the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The American people were divided in the decision to enter World War II; however, Pearl Harbor gave a desire to all Americans join the fight. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was the beginning of the war for the American people. Due to Japan's ruthless bombing, America would officially enter World War II. America suffered huge losses, and will never forget the Day of Infamy, also known as the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

December 7, 1941 was supposed to be a normal day in Hawaii. Military alerts were low and the morning seemed to be beautiful. By 7:53 am, it was clear that it was not going to be a good day. Some time earlier, a wave of Japanese aircraft had taken off from a carrier ship over two hundred miles away with one goal, destroy all American battleships in the bay of Pearl Harbor. The first attack unit consisted of 51 Val Dive Bombers, 40 Kate Torpedo Bombers, 50 High Level Bombers, and 43 Zero Fighter Planes. No men suspected an attack, so resistance was minimal to say the least. The planes were able to fly smoothly into the bay and rein havoc on the unprotected naval base.

The second wave hit Pearl Harbor at 8:55 attacking the few remaining ships and shipyards around the island. The first wave completely destroyed the American Aircraft stationed there, along with many civilians and servicemen. All together, over 2,000 Americans lost their lives that day, and another thousand were left injured and in perilous condition. A total of 10 ships were completely wiped out, including five battleships, a handful of destroyers, a minelayer, and one target ship. In a matter of a few hours, the U.S. Navy had taken severe losses. One crucial mistake made by the Japanese in the raid on Pearl Harbor was that they failed to target Pearl Harbor’s fuel oil storage facilities. Also, the American submarines survived the attack. If the raid would have destroyed the fuel on the island, the damage would have been catastrophic and the number of causalities would have been even greater. With the Pacific Fleet's few remaining vessels and abundance of fuel, the Navy was able to begin its rebuilding process quickly.

The road to recovery for the Navy was immediate. The technology in this time, along with an abundance of fuel for machinery, made the rebuilding much easier. However, it would be months before the Navy was at full force. In fact, the Navy did not play a large role in the war until the Battle of Midway. The combination of ships, planes, luck, and surprise led to the fall of the Imperial Japanese Fleet. The crucial battle, the Battle of Midway, was a milestone for the American Navy. The bombing of Pearl Harbor gave all service men a desire to fight till the end in honor of the men and women who lost their lives on the Day of Infamy.

The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was considered one of the largest losses in American History. Men and Women lost their lives in a war they were not officially involved with. December 8, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war on Japan. An astounding number of young men across America joined the armed forces when the news of Pearl Harbor was released to the public. Due to the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, America no longer stood as a divided nation. It quickly became clear that war with Japan was inevitable. America did not want to join the war; however, fighting was brought to our doorstep. Pearl Harbor marked our first losses of World War II, but it was much more than that. The attack on Pearl Harbor sent the American people into World War II with the will to win.