Pearl Harbor Timeline 1937 - Japan goes to war with China July 1939 - U.S. does not renew Treaty of Commerce and Navigation July 1940 - U.S. passes Export Control Act Aug. 1940 - Japan declares East Asia sphere of control Sep. 1940 - Japan signs Tripartite Pact
Key People FDR - President of the United States Husband Kimmel - U.S. Admiral; commander at Pearl Harbor Hirohito - Japanese Emperor Yamamoto Isoroku - Japanese Admiral; planned attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor Timeline Jan. 1941 - Yamamoto plans attack on Pearl Harbor July 1941 - Japan takes Indochina Oct. 1941 - Hirohito approves attack on P.H. Nov. 8, 1941 - Hirohito approves battle plans for P.H. Nov. 26, 1941 - Japanese attack fleet sets sail for P.H.
Causes The U.S. demanded that Japan withdraw from China and Indochina Japan did not like the U.S. controlling land in the Pacific Japan wanted control of the Pacific and U.S. land and resources The U.S. oil embargo against Japan was hurting Japan’s economy
Before the Attack - Japan
U.S.S. Arizona
U.S.S. Arizona
Major Combatants Japan Fleet of 6 Aircraft Carriers Aerial Assault Force United States Pearl Harbor Naval/Army Base
U.S. Mistakes Ignore radar Japanese midget submarine destroyed at gates Planes are lined up on airfield Scout reports not given “URGENT” label
Japanese Primary Source Commander Mitsuo Fuchida “Veering right toward the west coast of the island, we could see that the sky over Pearl Harbor was clear. Presently the harbor itself became visible across the central Oahu plain, a film of morning mist hovering over it. I peered intently through my binoculars at the ships riding peacefully at anchor. One by one I counted them. Yes, the battleships were there all right, eight of them! But our last lingering hope of finding any carriers present was now gone. Not one was to be seen.”
Japanese Weapons Used 81 Fighter Planes 135 Dive Bombers 104 Horizontal Bombers 40 Torpedo Planes At least 5 Midget Submarines
Fighter Planes
Dive Bombers
Horizontal Bombers
Torpedo Planes
Midget Submarines
United States Weapons Used 108 Fighter Planes (59 not available for flight) 35 Army Bombers (27 not available for flight) 993 Army/Navy Anti-aircraft Guns http://www.pearlharborsurvivorsonline.org/html/US%20Navy%20Ships%20at%20Pearl%20Harbor%20December%207,1941.htm
Fighter Planes
Army Bomber Planes
Anti-Aircraft Guns
Japanese Casualties Less than 100 killed 29 planes 5 midget submarines
American Casualties 2,335 servicemen killed (1,100 on U.S.S. Arizona) 68 civilians killed 1,178 wounded 188 planes destroyed 18 ships 8 battleships 3 cruisers 3 destroyers 4 other ships
American Primary Source Marine Corporal E.C. Nightingale “I was about three quarters of the way to the first platform on the mast when it seemed as though a bomb struck our quarterdeck. I could hear shrapnel or fragments whistling past me. As soon as I reached the first platform, I saw Second Lieutenant Simonson lying on his back with blood on his shirt front. I bent over him…He was dead…”
American Primary Source Lt. Ruth Erickson, USN (Nurse) “The first patient came into our dressing room at 8:25 a.m. with a large opening in his abdomen and bleeding profusely. They started an intravenous and transfusion. I can still see the tremor of Dr. Brunson’s hand as he picked up the needle. Everyone was terrified. The patient died within the hour.”
3 Japanese Mistakes Attacked on a Sunday 9 out of 10 men were ashore Focused on Battleships did not attack dry docks Did not attack fuel supply 5 miles away, all the U.S. fuel in the Pacific
Effects U.S. Pacific fleet crippled no aircraft carriers damaged Japan begins attempt to control Pacific U.S. joins WWII U.S. and Britain declare war on Japan Dec. 8, 1941 Germany and Italy declare war on U.S. Dec. 11, 1941