Pearl Harbor
The attack on pearl harbor was “a date which will live in infamy” quoted by Franklin D. Roosevelt. On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor. The Japanese got past the radar by coming in behind a mountain of Hawaii and was able to surprise attack the base. The Japanese had 353 fighters, bombers, torpedo planes. They also had six aircraft carriers of which the Japanese fighters were being launched from. The U.S. Pacific Fleet was attacked and 188 aircraft were destroyed, 2402 Americans killed, 1282 Americans were wounded, and all of our battleships were either sunk or damaged. Four were sunk but they were able to raise two of them because of the harbors shallow water. The six were repaired later on. The Japanese only lost only 29 aircraft and 5 midget submarines. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor because Japan wanted no trouble in the pacific ocean. They wanted to get American moral down so we would not be ready for war. America was in a state of war and declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941. The attack was the direct reason for the American entry into WW2. The attack led to Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.A on December 11, 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the deadliest attack on American soil to this point in history.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_HarborAttack on Pearl Harbor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pearl-harbor-bombed
Pearl Harbor bombed — History.com This Day in History — 12/7/1941
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_HarborAttack on Pearl Harbor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pearl-harbor-bombed
Pearl Harbor bombed — History.com This Day in History — 12/7/1941