On December 6th, 1941, President Roosevelt made a final appeal to make peace with the Emperor of Japan. We do not recieve a reply. Later that night, the US intercepted a Japanese message that stated they were to make an attack somewhere in Southeast Asia.
On December 7, 1941, at 6 am, Hawaii time, the first attack wave of 183 Japanese planes takes off from the carriers located 230 miles north of Oahu and heads for the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. At 7:00, two army officers pick up the signals of the Japanese planes and contact a junior officer who disregards the report, believe they were the expected American B-17 planes on the west coast. Fifteen minutes later, 167 more Japanese planes head for Pearl Habor.
At 7:53, Mitsuo Fuchida sounded the battle cry: "Tora! Tora! Tora!" sending 51 'Val' dive bombers, 40 'Kate' torpedo bombers, 50 high level bombers and 43 'Zero' fighters upon Pearl Habor. The attack lasts until 9:45 am. Many battleships are damaged, with five sunk. Three light cruisers, three destroyers and three smaller vessels are lost along with 188 aircraft. The Japanese lost 27 planes and five midget submarines.
There were 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians killed, with 1,178 wounded. Among which were 1,104 men aboard the Battleship USS Arizona killed after a 1,760-pound air bomb penetrated it.
News of the attack was sent like wildfire through radio broadcasts, interrupting many popular Sunday afternoon programs. The American public were in shock. The news resulted in many young volunteers entering the armed forces.
The following morning, The United States and Britain declare war on Japan. This action provided one of Roosevelt's most famous quotes, calling December 7th, "a date which will live in infamy..."
On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The European and Southeast Asian wars were now a global conflict against the Axis powers; Japan, Germany and Italy who were united against America, Britain, France, and their Allies. World War II had officially begun.
I believe his is one of the most tragic events to ever happen in our country's history, and it has definetly not been forgotten by anyone, neither by the people who were alive back then, or those who have heard about later on. I think we can all relate to this event considering 9-11 was very much the same for our generation.
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