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The Devastating Effects Of Japan's Attack On Pearl Harbor

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On December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is located near Honolulu, Hawaii. The attack on Pearl Harbor is also known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor. The Japanese unleashed this as a surprise. They were trying to convince the US to stand down from the war, but that just made the US angry. This battle was the historical event that brought the United States into World War II.

The barrage lasted just two hours, but it was devastating. The fire destroyed everything. The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships. It destroyed more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another …show more content…

It was inconvenient. Hawaii and Japan are 4,000 miles apart. All American Officials thought if Japan was tough enough to make the first move, the maved would be made on a relatively nearby European colonies in the South Pacific. Almost the entire Pacific Fleet was moored around Ford Island in the harbor, and hundreds of airplanes were squeezed onto adjacent airfields.

To the Japanese, Pearl Harbor was an irresistible target. Everything was close together, it only took one bomb. Japan’s plan was plain and simple. They wanted to destroy the Pacific Fleet. Then, Americans would not be able to fight back as Japan’s armed forces spread across the South Pacific. At about 8 a.m., Japanese planes covered the sky while Hawaii started raining bombs and bullets. At 8:10 a 1,800-pound bomb was dropped from a plane above. It smashed into a deck of the battleship that held more than 1,000 men. Torpedoes started piercing battleships that also contained soldiers. By the end of the attack every single USS battleship in Pearl Harbor –USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS California, USS West Virginia, USS Utah, USS Maryland, USS Pennsylvania, USS Tennessee and USS Nevada–had sustained significant

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