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Real Suprise On Pearl Harbor Essay, Research Paper

Real Suprise on Pearl HarborThe Americans had information that the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor but did not take preparations to protect it. many people refer to the bombing of Pearl Harbor as a surprise attack. It was the American government’s fault and the American military’s fault that it was such a devastating “surprise” for the Americans. The Attack on Pearl Harbor is what gave the United States initiative to enter World War II. Some People believe the government and military kept the information to themselves so that they would have a ligit reason to enter the war. Others believe that the Americans did not react to the information because they did not know if it was true — if the Japanese were trying to throw the Americans off course.Pearl Harbor is the naval base and headquarters of the United States Pacific Fleet, Honolulu County, southern Oahu Island, Hawaii, United States. It is a virtually landlocked bay connected to the Pacific Ocean by Pearl Harbor Entrance ( channel ). A naval station was established after 1908. In United States history the name recalls the Japanese air attack on December 7, 1941, that temporarily crippled the United States fleet and resulted in the United States entry into World War II. The attack climaxed a decade of worsening relations between the United States and an extremely militaristic Japan. Events like japan’s invasion of China in 1937 and its alliance with the Axis powers ( Germany and Italy ) in 1940 prompted the United States to respond by halting Japanese assets in the United States and declaring an embargo on petroleum shipments and other vital was materials to Japan. Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, the commander in chief of Japan’s Combined Fleet, had planned the attack against the United States with great care. the first Japanese dive bomber appeared over Pearl Harbor at 7:55 am ( local time). It was followed by a wave of nearly two hundred aircraft including torpedo planes, bombers, and fighters. One United States Army Private who noticed the planes on his radar was instructed to ignore them because a flight of B – 17’s from the United States was expected at that time. The anchored ships in the harbor made perfect targets for the Japanese bombers, and since it was Sunday morning they were not fully manned. Three United States battleships were sunk and one was capsized. A second wave of planes swept over Pearl Harbor about forty – five minutes later. Ten other ships were sunk, many others were severely damaged. and more than 140 aircraft were destroyed. Military casualties totaled more than 3,400, including more than 2,300 killed. The Japanese lost only twenty – nine planes and five midget submarines. The Pearl Harbor attack severely uninjured United States naval and air strike in the Pacific. However, the three aircraft carriers attached to the Pacific Fleet were not at Pearl Harbor at the time and escaped. Of the eight battleships, all but two were eventually repaired and returned to service, the Japanese also failed to destroy the important oil storage facilities on the island. The ” date which will live in infamy ” as United States President Franklin Roosevelt termed it, unified the United States public and destroyed the support for neutrality. On December 8 Congress declared war on Japan with only one dissenting vote. The amount of disaster and the unprepardness of the United States military provoke considerable criticism towards Admiral Husband Kimmel and Major General Walter Short, the Navy and Army commanders on Oahu, were relieved of duty, and official investigations were immediately begun. Some accused President Roosevelt of having invited the attack ( or at least done nothing to stop it ) in order to bring the United States into the war against the Axis powers. However, later investigations indicated that while United States officials had been aware that an attack by Japan was probable, they did not know of the time or place at which it would occur. In the last summer before the United States entered World War II, Americans believed that its navy was invincible. The fleet, the American people were told, would protect the country’s foreign interest against all other powers. Even the isolationists were proud of the fleet. They believed that a strong navy would protect American shores and would also make it unnecessary to have a large army. Without a large army, they thought. America could not be brought into the war. Americans felt confident that the fleet had been placed in worthy hands. Admiral Harold R. Stark was the chief of Naval Operations in Washington, Stark was at the very top of the navy hierarchy in 1941. He had held that position since August 1939. He answered only to the secretary of the navy, Frank Knox, for all aspects of American naval operations all over the world. He had a long distinguished career. President Roosevelt had personally selected him to head the navy. Admiral Husband E. Kimmel was commander in chief, United States Fleet, and commander in chief, United States naval Fleet. He was in charge of all operations of the Hawaiian Fleet, its repair, training, and readiness for war. He was also responsible for the safety of the fleet while it was a sea. Kimmel reported directly to Stark, his longtime friend. Like Stark, Admiral Kimmel had distinguished himself in service to his country. Those who served under him honored him. In 1941, there was every reason to believe that these two distinguished naval officers deserved the trust placed in them by their government and by the American people. Then on December 7, 1941 something went wrong. Pearl Harbor was attacked. Most of the ships under command of Stark and Kimmel were damaged or destroyed. American naval strength in the Pacific was dramatically weakened. Admiral Stark was in charge of all operations of the fleet. From Washington, he had to coordinate all

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