pearl harbor research paper

Pearl Harbor at 75

Seventy-five years ago on the morning of December 7th, 1941, the Japanese attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaii Territory.

Seventy-five years ago, on the morning of December 7th, 1941, the Japanese attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaii Territory. In President Roosevelt’s address to Congress asking for a declaration of war, he called it a “day which will live in infamy.”

The Japanese hoped that the 184 aircraft in their first wave of attack would strike a paralyzing blow. They hit 24 American warships, including eight battleships (four of which sunk), destroyed several hundred aircraft, and killed 2,403 people. The blow, however, was far from paralyzing.

The attack has been called the worst military disaster ever suffered by the U.S. But political scientist John Mueller argues that, militarily, the attack was more of “an inconvenience than a catastrophe” for the U.S. He echoes the Navy Department’s official analysis: the attack only “temporarily disabled every battleship and most of the aircraft,” most of which were soon back in service or replaced many times over. Six of the eight damaged battleships actually saw service again. Only two ships hit at Pearl were complete losses.

The salvaged battleships—the youngest was 20 years old—mattered little in context of the unprecedented American industrial-military expansion unleashed by the war. Superior replacements in great numbers soon flooded the Pacific, where aircraft carriers were becoming infinitely more important than battleships in the new era of naval warfare. For airplanes, the situation was similar: in 1942, the U.S. produced 47,836 military aircraft, compared to Japan’s 8,86l.

The Japanese utterly failed to cripple the American navy. Some have argued that the attack was engineered to gain time for the simultaneous Japanese attacks on U.S. bases on the Philippines, Guam, and Wake, as well as on the British positions in Malaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Mueller and others respond that the U.S. was in no way prepared to fight those battles yet.

Weekly Newsletter

Get your fix of JSTOR Daily’s best stories in your inbox each Thursday.

Privacy Policy   Contact Us You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the provided link on any marketing message.

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, appointed chief of the Pacific Fleet just weeks after the attack, would later thank God that the antique fleet had been in Pearl Harbor rather on the open sea confronting a modern Japanese fleet. He felt the losses would have been far greater in those circumstances.

Mueller does go on to argue that “disaster” is a fitting word to describe Pearl Harbor if you look at the strategic and political consequences. It was certainly a monumental disaster for Imperial Japan. As an attempt to defeat the will of the American people, the attack “was phenomenally successful in its shock effect, but the shock was exactly the opposite the Japanese hoped for.”

JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. JSTOR Daily readers can access the original research behind our articles for free on JSTOR.

Get Our Newsletter

More stories.

• Pakistan’s Ambiguous Islamic Identity

• Zheng He, the Great Eunuch Admiral

Fredric Wertham, Cartoon Villain

The Power of the Veil for Spanish Women

Recent posts.

• Building Classroom Discussions around JSTOR Daily Syllabi
• Medieval Whalers, Smart Plants, and Space Mines
• Arakawa and Gins: An Eternal Architecture

Support JSTOR Daily

Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Home — Essay Samples — History — History of the United States — Pearl Harbor

Essays on Pearl Harbor

Pearl harbor essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: pearl harbor: the day that changed history.

Thesis Statement: This essay examines the events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the devastating consequences of the attack, and the pivotal role it played in shaping the course of World War II and international relations.

• Introduction
• The Background: Japan's Expansionist Policies and U.S.-Japanese Relations
• The Attack on Pearl Harbor: Timeline and Key Details
• Consequences of the Attack: Military, Political, and Social Impact
• Pearl Harbor and World War II: U.S. Entry and the Road to Victory

Essay Title 2: Remembering Pearl Harbor: Commemoration, Memory, and Lessons Learned

Thesis Statement: This essay explores how Pearl Harbor is commemorated, remembered, and the lessons it imparts, including the importance of vigilance, diplomacy, and the enduring commitment to peace and global cooperation.

• Commemorating Pearl Harbor: Memorials, Museums, and Ceremonies
• Collective Memory and Its Role in Shaping National Identity
• The Lessons of Pearl Harbor: Diplomacy, Preparedness, and Peacekeeping
• Pearl Harbor's Relevance in Contemporary International Relations

Essay Title 3: The Intelligence Failure at Pearl Harbor: Unraveling the Causes and Consequences

Thesis Statement: This essay investigates the intelligence failures that led to the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, analyzing the factors contributing to these failures and the far-reaching consequences they had on U.S. military strategy and intelligence practices.

• The Role of Intelligence in National Security
• Factors Contributing to the Intelligence Failure at Pearl Harbor
• Immediate and Long-term Consequences on U.S. Military Strategy
• Post-Pearl Harbor Reforms: Strengthening U.S. Intelligence Agencies

Pearl Harbor Attack Essay

A day of infamy: speech analysis, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Pearl Harbor Dbq

A history and effects of the attack on pearl harbor, the japanese attack on pearl harbor, research of why japan bombed pearl harbour, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Research of The Impact of The Bombing of Pearl Harbor on Hawaii

The effects of the pearl harbor attack, the bombing of pearl harbor and the awakening of america, japanese attack on naval base in pearl harbor, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

Pearl Harbor and Its Influence on The United States

An overview of the movie pearl harbor by michael bay, america’s darkest days: pearl harbor and 9/11, comparison of pearl harbor the movie vs the real-life attack, analysis on president franklin delano roosevelt's speech, analysis of battle for omaha beach, role of roosevelt during attack on pearl harbor, parallels between pearl harbor and 9/11 attack, ww2, pearl harbor and buffalo ny, the golden state of america, consequences of pearl harbor attack: manhattan project, why did the u.s. enter world war ii, why did japan bomb pearl harbor in 1941, the attack on pearl harbor, roosevelt's pearl harbor speech summary.

December 7, 1941

Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, U.S.

The historical backdrop surrounding the Pearl Harbor attack holds paramount importance in comprehending the unfolding events on December 7, 1941. During that time, escalating tensions between the United States and Japan were driven by conflicting interests in the Pacific region. Japan, aiming to expand its empire, particularly in Southeast Asia, faced economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. due to Japanese aggression in China. Amidst these mounting hostilities, Japan meticulously devised a plan to incapacitate the U.S. Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The element of surprise in the attack proved devastating, leading to the loss of countless American lives and the decimation of battleships, aircraft, and vital infrastructure. The assault on Pearl Harbor served as a catalyst for President Franklin D. Roosevelt's declaration of war against Japan, followed by subsequent declarations against Germany and Italy. The event profoundly influenced American public sentiment, galvanizing a unified national effort in support of the war.

Initial Air Assault: In the early hours of the morning, Japanese aircraft launched a surprise assault on the naval base. Waves of bombers and fighters targeted battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and aircraft stationed at Pearl Harbor. The attack resulted in extensive damage to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Battleship Row: The Japanese bombers focused their attention on Battleship Row, where many of the U.S. battleships were moored. Several battleships, including the USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma, were hit by torpedoes and bombs, leading to their sinking or severe damage. The USS Arizona became a symbol of the attack, as it remains submerged at the harbor as a memorial. Aerial Bombardment: The Japanese continued their assault, targeting other important military installations, airfields, and infrastructure around Pearl Harbor. Aircraft hangars, fuel storage facilities, and military aircraft were specifically targeted to incapacitate the U.S. forces. U.S. Response: Following the attack, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared war on Japan, leading to the United States' formal entry into World War II.

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto: As the mastermind behind the attack, Admiral Yamamoto was the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet. He meticulously planned and executed the surprise assault on Pearl Harbor, recognizing its potential impact on the Pacific War. Lieutenant Commander Mitsuo Fuchida: Fuchida led the first wave of Japanese bombers during the attack. He famously radioed the code words "Tora! Tora! Tora!" to signify the successful surprise attack. Fuchida later became known for his efforts to reconcile Japan and the United States after the war. Captain Mervyn Bennion: Serving as the commanding officer of the USS West Virginia, Captain Bennion displayed exceptional leadership and bravery during the attack. Despite sustaining fatal injuries, he remained at his post, issuing orders and providing guidance to his crew. Dorie Miller: Miller, a mess attendant on the USS West Virginia, emerged as a hero during the attack. Despite having no formal training, he manned an anti-aircraft gun and shot down several enemy aircraft, displaying courage and resourcefulness. Lieutenant General Walter Short: Short was the commander of the U.S. Army forces in Hawaii during the attack. His decisions regarding defense preparations and the positioning of aircraft and equipment came under scrutiny and were subject to investigation after the attack.

U.S. Entry into World War II: The attack directly led to the United States' entry into the global conflict. Following the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a powerful speech to Congress, resulting in a declaration of war against Japan. This marked a turning point, as the United States officially joined the Allied forces in their fight against the Axis powers. National Unity and Mobilization: The attack on Pearl Harbor united the American public like never before. It galvanized support for the war effort, with citizens rallying behind the government and military. The nation mobilized its resources and industries to meet the demands of the war, propelling the United States into a total war footing. Shifting Priorities and Strategies: The attack forced the United States to reassess its military strategies and prioritize the Pacific theater. The focus shifted from a primarily European-centered war effort to a more balanced approach that addressed the threat in the Pacific. The Pacific theater became a critical battleground throughout the rest of the war. Technological and Strategic Advancements: The attack on Pearl Harbor highlighted the vulnerabilities of traditional naval forces against aerial assaults. As a response, the United States invested heavily in aircraft carriers and advanced military technology. The war's subsequent naval battles in the Pacific showcased the importance of air power and aircraft carriers.

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970): This historical war film provides a detailed depiction of the events leading up to and including the attack on Pearl Harbor. It offers a balanced portrayal, showing both the American and Japanese perspectives. "Pearl Harbor" (2001): Directed by Michael Bay, this epic film dramatizes the attack on Pearl Harbor and its impact on the lives of fictional characters. While it incorporates fictional elements, it captures the intensity and devastation of the attack. "From Here to Eternity" by James Jones: This novel, published in 1951, explores the lives of U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Hawaii before the attack on Pearl Harbor. It delves into the personal struggles and relationships of the characters amidst the impending tragedy. "Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness" by Craig Nelson: This non-fiction book provides a comprehensive account of the attack, its aftermath, and the United States' response. It draws on various sources to present a detailed and well-researched narrative. "Pearl Harbor: The Day of Infamy" by Susan Wels: This children's book presents the events of the Pearl Harbor attack in a digestible and informative manner. It helps young readers understand the historical significance of the attack and its impact on American history.

1. The attack resulted in the death of 2,403 Americans, including 68 civilians, and the injury of 1,178 others. 2. The attack damaged or destroyed eight battleships, three cruisers, and four destroyers, while also causing significant damage to other ships and aircraft. 3. The Japanese attack destroyed or damaged 188 U.S. aircraft, primarily targeting the parked planes at airfields. 4. The main targets of the attack were the U.S. Pacific Fleet's battleships at Pearl Harbor, the Army Air Forces' airfields, and the Naval Station at Kaneohe Bay. 5. The entire attack on Pearl Harbor lasted approximately two hours, with the initial wave of Japanese planes striking just before 8:00 a.m. 6. The sunken battleship USS Arizona serves as a memorial to the attack, with the majority of its crew members still entombed within the ship. 7. The attack on Pearl Harbor is commemorated annually on December 7th as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in the United States.

The topic of the Pearl Harbor attack holds immense importance in understanding the course of World War II and its impact on the United States. Exploring this historical event in an essay allows for a deeper analysis of its significance. Firstly, the attack marked a pivotal moment in history as it propelled the United States into active participation in the war. It led to a fundamental shift in the nation's foreign policy, triggering a united response and shaping the outcome of the conflict. Secondly, studying the Pearl Harbor attack provides insights into the consequences of military unpreparedness and the importance of intelligence gathering and defense strategies. Additionally, the attack's enduring legacy serves as a reminder of the human cost of war and the need for vigilance in safeguarding national security. By examining the Pearl Harbor attack, one gains a comprehensive understanding of the historical, political, and social factors that influenced its occurrence, leaving a lasting impact on both the United States and the global stage.

1. Goldstein, D. M., & Dillon, K. V. (2005). The Pearl Harbor papers: Inside the Japanese plans. Brassey's. 2. Gordon, D. (2016). The Pacific War: A short history with documents. Routledge. 3. Hoyt, E. P. (2000). Pearl Harbor. Da Capo Press. 4. Lord, W. (2012). Day of infamy. Open Road Media. 5. Parshall, J., & Tully, A. (2007). Shattered sword: The untold story of the Battle of Midway. Potomac Books. 6. Prange, G. W., Goldstein, D. M., & Dillon, K. V. (1982). At dawn we slept: The untold story of Pearl Harbor. Penguin Books. 7. Smith, C. L. (2016). Japan at war: An encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. 8. Spector, R. H. (1990). Eagle against the sun: The American war with Japan. Vintage Books. 9. Toland, J. (2003). Infamy: Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Berkley Trade. 10. Zimm, A. J. (2011). Attack on Pearl Harbor: Strategy, combat, myths, deceptions. Casemate Publishers.

Relevant topics

• Great Depression
• Manifest Destiny
• Industrial Revolution
• Westward Expansion
• Civil Rights Movement
• American Revolution
• Frederick Douglass
• Imperialism

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• History Classics
• Your Profile
• Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window)
• This Day In History
• History Podcasts
• History Vault

Pearl Harbor

By: History.com Editors

Updated: December 6, 2022 | Original: October 29, 2009

Pearl Harbor is a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii, that was the scene of a devastating surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.

Japan and the Path to War

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise , but Japan and the United States had been edging toward war for decades.

The United States was particularly unhappy with Japan’s increasingly belligerent attitude toward China. The Japanese government believed that the only way to solve its economic and demographic problems was to expand into its neighbor’s territory and take over its import market.

To this end, Japan declared war on China in 1937, resulting in the Nanking Massacre and other atrocities.

American officials responded to this aggression with a battery of economic sanctions and trade embargoes. They reasoned that without access to money and goods, and especially essential supplies like oil, Japan would have to rein in its expansionism.

Instead, the sanctions made the Japanese more determined to stand their ground. During months of negotiations between Tokyo and Washington, D.C ., neither side would budge. It seemed that war was all but inevitable.

Where Is Pearl Harbor?

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii , is located near the center of the Pacific Ocean, roughly 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland and about 4,000 miles from Japan. No one believed that the Japanese would start a war with an attack on the distant islands of Hawaii.

Additionally, American intelligence officials were confident that any Japanese attack would take place in one of the (relatively) nearby European colonies in the South Pacific: the Dutch East Indies, Singapore or Indochina .

Because American military leaders were not expecting an attack so close to home, the naval facilities at Pearl Harbor were relatively undefended. 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 irresistibly easy target.

USS Arizona

The Japanese plan was simple: Destroy the Pacific Fleet. That way, the Americans would not be able to fight back as Japan’s armed forces spread across the South Pacific. On December 7, after months of planning and practice, the Japanese launched their attack.

At about 8 a.m., Japanese planes filled the sky over Pearl Harbor. Bombs and bullets rained onto the vessels moored below. At 8:10, a 1,800-pound bomb smashed through the deck of the battleship USS Arizona and landed in her forward ammunition magazine. The ship exploded and sank with more than 1,000 men trapped inside.

Next, torpedoes pierced the shell of the battleship USS Oklahoma . With 400 sailors aboard, the Oklahoma lost her balance, rolled onto her side and slipped underwater.

Less than two hours later, the surprise attack was over, and every 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 damage. (All but USS Arizona and USS Utah were eventually salvaged and repaired.)

Impact of the Pearl Harbor Attack

In all, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor crippled or destroyed nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes. Dry docks and airfields were likewise destroyed. Most importantly, more than 2,000 people died.

But the Japanese had failed to cripple the Pacific Fleet. By the 1940s, battleships were no longer the most important naval vessel: Aircraft carriers were, and as it happened, all of the Pacific Fleet’s carriers were away from the base on December 7. (Some had returned to the mainland and others were delivering planes to troops on Midway and Wake Islands.)

Moreover, the Pearl Harbor assault had left the base’s most vital onshore facilities—oil storage depots, repair shops, shipyards and submarine docks—intact. As a result, the U.S. Navy was able to rebound relatively quickly from the attack.

How Many People Died in Pearl Harbor? 

The attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 U.S. personnel , including sailors, soldiers and civilians. Additionally, 1,178 people were wounded. 129 Japanese soldiers were killed. 

Half of the dead at Pearl Harbor were on the USS Arizona. Today the sunken battleship serves as a memorial to all Americans who died in the attack.

'A Date Which Will Live in Infamy'

President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress on December 8, the day after the crushing attack on Pearl Harbor.

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

He went on to say, “No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.”

America Enters World War II

After the Pearl Harbor attack, and for the first time during years of discussion and debate, the American people were united in their determination to go to war.

The Japanese had wanted to goad the United States into an agreement to lift the economic sanctions against them; instead, they had pushed their adversary into a global conflict that ultimately resulted in Japan’s first occupation by a foreign power.

Did you know? The single vote against Congress's declaration of war against Japan came from Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana. Rankin was a pacifist who had also voted against the American entrance into World War I. "As a woman," she said, "I can’t go to war, and I refuse to send anyone else."

On December 8, Congress approved Roosevelt’s declaration of war on Japan . Three days later, Japan’s allies Germany and Italy declared war against the United States.

For the second time, Congress reciprocated, declaring war on the European powers. More than two years after the start of World War II , the United States had entered the conflict.

HISTORY Vault: Pearl Harbor - 75 Years Later

Journey through the "day that will live in infamy" by exploring the details that still surprise us 75 years later, including accounts from experts, military minds, and even those who lived through it.

Sign up for Inside History

Get HISTORY’s most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details : Privacy Notice | Terms of Use | Contact Us

Maryland State Library Resource Center

Enoch pratt free library.

• African American Department
• Best and Next Department
• Business Center
• Business, Science, and Technology Department
• Children's Department
• Fiction Department
• Fine Arts and Music Department
• Grants Collection
• H. L. Mencken Collection
• Humanities Department
• Job & Career Information Center
• Maryland Department
• Maryland State Publication Depository & Distribution Program
• Periodicals Department
• Social Science and History Department
• Special Collections Department
• Teen Center
• Collections
• Departments
• Maryland Public Library Directory
• Finding Aids and Inventories
• African American Funeral Programs
• Pamphlet Play Index
• Research Databases
• Research Guides
• Get an Interlibrary Loan
• Digital Reproductions and Permission to Publish
• Maryland Monthly Employment Statistics
• Public Program Catalog
• Conferences
• SLRC Webinars
• Archived Webinars
• Library Associate Training Institute (LATI)
• Catalog of Training for Librarians
• Governance, Plans, & Reports

  Pearl Harbor - Primary Sources

"December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Day of Infamy" Speech , December 8, 1941

A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study.  These sources offer an inside view of a particular event.  Princeton University  

The Central Enoch Pratt Free Library/ Maryland State Library Resource Center has a large collection of primary source materials available.

Library of Congress American Memory includes primary source information for the air raid on Pearl Harbor. 

The Pearl Harbor Museum website provides information on the heroes, ships and the attack. Also included are maps.

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument is home to the USS Arizona Memorial. The website includes photos and video's and history about the attack.

Diaries and Related Personal Narratives

Evans, David C., ed. & trans. The Japanese Navy in World War II: In the Words of Former Japanese Naval Officers . 2nd ed. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1986. D777.J3 1986 Evans reprints memoirs written by Japanese officers. 

Grew, Joseph C. Report from Tokyo: A Message to the American People . New York: Simon and Schuster, 1942. DS889.G7Q

Grew, Joseph C. Ten years in Japan: A Contemporary Record Drawn from the Diaries and Private and Official Papers of Joseph G. Grew, United States Ambassador to Japan, 1932-1942. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1944. DS849.U6G7 Grew served as U.S. ambassador to Japan from 1932 through 1941.

Kimmel, Husband Edward, 1882-1968. Admiral Kimmel's Story . Chicago: H. Regnery, 1955. D767.92.K54 Kimmel was Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. 

King, Ernest J., and Walter Muir Whitehill. Fleet Admiral King: A Naval Record . New York: W. W. Norton, 1952. E928.K56

U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey [Pacific]. Naval Analysis Division. Interrogations of Japanese Officials. 2. vols. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1946. XD767.2.U5 v.1-2 Testimony from Mitsuo Fuchida, air group commander of the carrier Akagi, who led the attack.

Newspaper and Magazine Articles

"Blitz Chronology: Swift Stroke by Japanese Caught U.S. Forces Unawares." Newsweek , vol. 18, no. 24, December 15, 1941, pp. 19-21. An early description of the first days of the Pacific war.

Burns, Eugene. "Japs Declare War on U.S.: Honolulu, Manila Bombed; Naval Battle Off Hawaii." Sun (Extra Edition), December 7, 1941, page 1. Available online in the Baltimore Sun, Historical (1836-1990) Database (with library card).

"Forcing Showdown With Japan: Why U.S. is Pressing Tokyo for Quick Decision on War or Peace." United States News , vol. 11, no. 10, September 5, 1941, pp. 14-15. Written more than three months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, this article suggests that President Roosevelt was forcing Japan to decide the question of war or peace. 

Hale, William Harlan. "After Pearl Harbor." New Republic , vol. 105, no. 24, December 15, 1941, pp. 816-817.

"Nation's Full Might Mustered for All-Out War; Initial Reverse Stirs Demand for Investigation; Washington Banks on Its Long-Range Strategy." Newsweek, vol. 18, no. 24, December 15, 1941, pp. 15-17. This early assessment focuses on the military aspects of the war.

Stone, I. F. "War Comes to Washington." Nation , vol. 153, no. 24, December 13, 1941, pp. 603-604. Writing on December 8, 1941, liberal journalist I. F. Stone reflects on the failure of U.S.-Japanese negotiators in preventing war.

"Untold Damage Done Honolulu, Witness Says." Sun (Extra Edition), December 7, 1941, page 1. Written by an NBC observer while the Japanese attack on Hawaii was still in progress. Available online in the Baltimore Sun, Historical (1836-1990) Database (with library card).

"The U.S. at War." Time , vol. 38, no. 24, December 15, 1941, pp. 17-27.

A good overview of the events of December 7, 1941 and its immediate aftermath.

"The White House: M-Day Log." Newsweek , vol. 18, no. 24, December 15, 1941, p. 18. This article summarizes activity at the White House on Sunday, December 7, 1941.

Government Publications and Related Official Sources

Gantenbein, James W., comp. and ed. Documentary Background of World War II . New York: Octagon, 1975. D735.G25 Gantenbein offers reprints of numerous official publications relating to the outbreak of war.

Japan's Decision for War: Records of the 1941 Policy Conferences . Translated and edited by Ike Nobutaka. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1967. D754.J3I4 "Invaluable records of 62 conferences held in Tokyo between March and December of 1941" - Inside ft. cover.

U.S. Congress. Official Congressional Documents Relating to the U.S. Declaration of War against Japan. D767.92.U6

U.S. Department of State. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States - Japan: 1931-1941 . 2 vols. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1943. E183.8.J3U6

U.S. War Department. Army Pearl Harbor Board. Report of Army Pearl Harbor Board, Appointed by the Secretary of War . . . to Ascertain and Report the Facts Relating to the Attack Made by Japanese Armed Forces Upon the Territory of Hawaii on December 7, 1941 . n.p., [1945]. D767.92.U64

Photographs

Goldstein, Donald M., Katherine V. Dillion, and J. Michael Wenger. The Way it Was: Pearl Harbor - The Original Photographs . Washington, DC: Brassey's (US), 1991. XD767.92G65 1991Q

Dye, Bob. Hawai'i Chronicles III: World War Two in Hawaii, from the pages of Paradise of the Pacific . Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2000. D767.92.H376 2000

If You Need More Help 

Contact us through our  Ask A Librarian Service , call (410) 396-5430, or write:

Enoch Pratt Free Library State Library Resource Center 400 Cathedral Street Baltimore, MD 21201

Or, if you are outside of Maryland, contact your local library.

Recent Guides

Statewide training & events.

From Merlin , the learning community for Maryland library staff

• Accessibility
• © 2024, Maryland State Library Resource Center

• Student Opportunities

About Hoover

Located on the campus of Stanford University and in Washington, DC, the Hoover Institution is the nation’s preeminent research center dedicated to generating policy ideas that promote economic prosperity, national security, and democratic governance. 

• The Hoover Story
• Hoover Timeline & History
• Mission Statement
• Vision of the Institution Today
• Key Focus Areas
• About our Fellows
• Research Programs
• Annual Reports
• Hoover in DC
• Fellowship Opportunities
• Visit Hoover
• David and Joan Traitel Building & Rental Information
• Newsletter Subscriptions
• Connect With Us

Hoover scholars form the Institution’s core and create breakthrough ideas aligned with our mission and ideals. What sets Hoover apart from all other policy organizations is its status as a center of scholarly excellence, its locus as a forum of scholarly discussion of public policy, and its ability to bring the conclusions of this scholarship to a public audience.

• Scott Atlas
• Thomas Sargent
• Stephen Kotkin
• Michael McConnell
• Morris P. Fiorina
• John F. Cogan
• China's Global Sharp Power Project
• Economic Policy Group
• History Working Group
• Hoover Education Success Initiative
• National Security Task Force
• National Security, Technology & Law Working Group
• Middle East and the Islamic World Working Group
• Military History/Contemporary Conflict Working Group
• Renewing Indigenous Economies Project
• State & Local Governance
• Strengthening US-India Relations
• Technology, Economics, and Governance Working Group
• Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region

Books by Hoover Fellows

Economics Working Papers

Hoover Education Success Initiative | The Papers

• Hoover Fellows Program
• National Fellows Program
• Student Fellowship Program
• Veteran Fellowship Program
• Congressional Fellowship Program
• Media Fellowship Program
• Silas Palmer Fellowship
• Economic Fellowship Program

Throughout our over one-hundred-year history, our work has directly led to policies that have produced greater freedom, democracy, and opportunity in the United States and the world.

• Determining America’s Role in the World
• Answering Challenges to Advanced Economies
• Empowering State and Local Governance
• Revitalizing History
• Confronting and Competing with China
• Revitalizing American Institutions
• Reforming K-12 Education
• Understanding Public Opinion
• Understanding the Effects of Technology on Economics and Governance
• Energy & Environment
• Health Care
• Immigration
• International Affairs
• Key Countries / Regions
• Law & Policy
• Politics & Public Opinion
• Science & Technology
• Security & Defense
• State & Local
• Books by Fellows
• Published Works by Fellows
• Working Papers
• Congressional Testimony
• Hoover Press
• PERIODICALS
• The Caravan
• China's Global Sharp Power
• Economic Policy
• History Lab
• Hoover Education
• Global Policy & Strategy
• National Security, Technology & Law
• Middle East and the Islamic World
• Military History & Contemporary Conflict
• Renewing Indigenous Economies
• State and Local Governance
• Technology, Economics, and Governance

Hoover scholars offer analysis of current policy challenges and provide solutions on how America can advance freedom, peace, and prosperity.

• China Global Sharp Power Weekly Alert
• Email newsletters
• Hoover Daily Report
• Subscription to Email Alerts
• Periodicals
• California on Your Mind
• Defining Ideas
• Hoover Digest
• Video Series
• Uncommon Knowledge
• Battlegrounds
• GoodFellows
• Hoover Events
• Capital Conversations
• Hoover Book Club
• AUDIO PODCASTS
• Matters of Policy & Politics
• Economics, Applied
• Free Speech Unmuted
• Secrets of Statecraft
• Pacific Century
• Libertarian
• Library & Archives

Support Hoover

Learn more about joining the community of supporters and scholars working together to advance Hoover’s mission and values.

What is MyHoover?

MyHoover delivers a personalized experience at  Hoover.org . In a few easy steps, create an account and receive the most recent analysis from Hoover fellows tailored to your specific policy interests.

Watch this video for an overview of MyHoover.

Log In to MyHoover

Forgot Password

Don't have an account? Sign up

Have questions? Contact us

• Support the Mission of the Hoover Institution
• Subscribe to the Hoover Daily Report
• Follow Hoover on Social Media

Make a Gift

Your gift helps advance ideas that promote a free society.

• About Hoover Institution
• Meet Our Fellows
• Focus Areas
• Research Teams
• Library & Archives

Library & archives

Events, news & press.

Planning Pearl Harbor

Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku opposed war with the United States, but once the decision was made, he did his duty, laying meticulous plans for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hoover fellow Mark R. Peattie joins David C. Evans in describing how Yamamoto achieved a brilliant tactical success—only to set in train the events that would lead to Japanese defeat.

Kaigun . The word means "navy" in Japanese. But to older Japanese, the English translation hardly

encapsulates the enormous difference between the Nihon Teikoku Kaigun--the Imperial Japanese Navy--which opened the Pacific War in December 1941, and the small Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), which today plays a modest role in cooperating with the U.S. Navy to preserve the security of Japan's home waters.

The old navy constituted a mighty fighting force. At the opening of the Pacific War, it comprised 10 battleships; 10 aircraft carriers; 38 cruisers, heavy and light; 112 destroyers; 65 submarines; and numerous auxiliary warships of lesser size. At the time, Japanese naval aviation was world class: Its fighter aircraft and medium bombers were among the world's finest, and among the major navies, its air crews were unquestionably the best trained and most experienced. To have observed the Japanese battle line in column on maneuvers in the northern Pacific during the interwar years, to have viewed the vast bulk of the superbattleship Yamato anchored in Truk lagoon, or to have watched the clouds of fighters and attack aircraft lift off the decks of six carriers in the early morning of December 7 must have been among the great spectacles in modern naval history. Never again will Japanese naval power be so visually impressive.

The Imperial Japanese Navy was emblematic of the rise of Japan as a world power. Yet the overriding aspect of the Japanese navy is its ultimate defeat. Indeed, it was not just beaten by the U.S. Navy; it was annihilated. To Americans of an older generation, particularly those who fought against Japan's navy, that defeat has been a cause of considerable satisfaction and pride. To older Japanese, particularly those who served in their navy, it is a source of humiliation and regret. For those scholars on both sides of the Pacific who study the Japanese navy, its ultimate defeat is the ineluctable fact in assessing its capabilities, its combat performance, even its victories. The Imperial Japanese Navy set in train the events that would lead to its annihilation, rousing the United States against it with a brilliant tactical success and a strategically disastrous provocation, the attack on Pearl Harbor. It is an irony that the attack was planned by a man who opposed war with the United States, Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku.*

Earliest Conceptual Origins

The conceptual origins of the preemptive aerial strike against the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor--when and how it was conceived, how it evolved, and along what lines--are not entirely clear to this day. Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Combined Fleet, is usually identified as the creator of the concept. Hard evidence suggests, however, that before Yamamoto proposed it early in 1941, the idea had been propounded in varying degrees of detail and similarity to the actual attack.

At least some of those conceptual precedents may have stimulated Admiral Yamamoto's thinking on the subject. At furthest remove are the civilian writings of the 1920s and 1930s--Japanese, American, and British--on the possible course of a Japan-U.S. war in the Pacific. Some of this speculation was informed, some of it merely sensational. But references to a Japanese attack on Hawaii were so generalized and so diverse in assumed conditions and outcomes that their existence demonstrates only that such vague ideas were floating about in public during these decades.

A Japanese officer like Yamamoto was probably more influenced by studies undertaken by fellow professionals in his own navy than by any other source. And, indeed, several other Japanese naval officers had tested, written about, or spoken about the concept by the time it was taken up by Yamamoto. It is logical to assume that, over time, Yamamoto became conversant with their assessments. But if Yamamoto did not originate the concept, it took someone in the Japanese naval high command of his position, stature, and heretical outlook to make the argument at the highest levels and then push it through to activation.

Yamamoto Decides

It was the results of the fleet's naval air training in 1939–1940, however, that provided the immediate stimulus for the formation of Yamamoto's Pearl Harbor plan. Because of Yamamoto's efforts, the fleet had begun to emphasize air power in its annual training and maneuvers, which brought together the various air units of the fleet. Of special interest was a simulated raid by carrier-based torpedo planes against warships in the harbor at anchor. Although there was much disagreement on the results of that particular exercise, Yamamoto was evidently persuaded that such an attack, if coupled with surprise, would be a success. By the end of the maneuvers in the spring of 1940, Yamamoto had realized that the range and firepower of Japanese naval aviation could make possible a telling first blow against the American enemy, even in his home waters.

About this time, too, his ideas may have been furthered by a memorandum from his senior staff officer, Captain Kuroshima Kameto, on the possible opening moves of a Japan-U.S. war. Although making no reference to Hawaii, Kuroshima proposed a long-range surprise attack by carriers against the enemy's battle force.

In reflecting on the evolution of the preemptive strike concept, it is important to understand its rationale in Yamamoto's thinking. Abundant evidence suggests that Yamamoto was fundamentally opposed to a war with the United States and Britain. Yet, as commander of the Combined Fleet, he had a keen sense of responsibility that he must have at hand the most effective means for victory if war came. In Yamamoto's view, the navy's strategic orthodoxy--the wait-and-react strategy--was a recipe for ultimate defeat. Unable to bring the U.S. Navy to battle on Japanese terms, the Combined Fleet would simply be worn down in a long war in which the United States would eventually bring its vastly superior industrial might--and thus overwhelmingly superior naval strength--to bear.

But what concrete alternatives were there? Air power suggested a solution, but the Japanese navy had too little of it. This being the case, how best to use air power most effectively? The advance of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Pearl Harbor in May 1940 probably furthered the preemptive strike idea in Yamamoto's thinking. As late as the end of October of that year, however, he still apparently considered the idea too dangerous. Perhaps the remarkable success of the British torpedo bombing attack on Italian ships at anchor at Taranto convinced him that the potential gain was worth the risk. In any event, sometime in November, judging from his communications to a few trusted colleagues, he concluded that a preemptive aerial attack on the Pacific Fleet at its Pearl Harbor base offered the Japanese navy its best chance in a war against great odds.

On January 7, 1941, Yamamoto committed his ideas to paper in his blandly titled memorandum Gumbi ni kansuru shiken (Views on military preparations) to the navy minister, Oikawa Koshiro. Its first major point was that the navy needed to greatly expand its air forces. Second, he noted that although fleet training had been based on the wait-and-react strategy leading up to the classic gun battle in past war games and maneuvers, the navy had never succeeded in winning such an encounter. Usually, the exercises were called off before umpires deemed the navy's strength exhausted. Moreover, Yamamoto argued, the power of aircraft and submarines made it unlikely that a decisive gun battle would ever take place. Hence, the navy needed to give its commanders better training in small-unit tactics for the numerous smaller engagements that would most likely occur.

Most of all, in Yamamoto's view, it was essential to change the navy's basic strategy. As a quantitatively inferior naval power, Japan's best hope lay in a qualitatively superior strategy: a violent and crippling first blow at America's main battle force in the first few hours of the war. Time, distance, and geography dictated that this could best be accomplished by an air attack by several carrier divisions on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Yamamoto did not downplay the enormous risks involved in the operation. Although he had complete confidence in the technical and combat skills of the navy's carrier forces, the enormous distance involved--far greater than any operation in the navy's history--and the great risks of discovery made executing the operation a dangerous proposition. The plans for the surprise attack on Russian naval forces at Port Arthur in 1904 had been far less complicated, far less taxing, and far less hazardous, and yet the objectives had been met only incompletely. It was why, originally, Yamamoto wished to lead the Pearl Harbor strike force himself.

The General Staff Resists

Since the beginning of 1941, the general staff had been proceeding with its planning for a war with the United States on the basis of that year's annual operational plan. This in turn was predicated on the wait-and-react strategy, governed largely by the priorities of the "southern operations" to secure Southeast Asia and its resources for Japan. In heated arguments during the summer of 1941 between the general staff and Yamamoto's Combined Fleet staff over the wisdom and propriety of the Hawaii operation, the chief of the staff's Operations Section, Captain Tomioka Sadatoshi, provided an extensive list of objections to the Hawaii plan. In sum, he argued that the Japanese navy could not afford to wager its carefully built-up naval air strength in such a desperately risky venture, particularly in view of the fact that it would be needed in other major operations. More than anything else, Tomioka feared that diverting surface and air strength to the Hawaii attack would critically undermine the southern operations and, hence, the major objectives of the coming war. Even if the navy were willing to undertake such an enormous gamble, in Tomioka's view, the Pearl Harbor strike was not truly necessary. Of course, there was the danger that the U.S. Pacific Fleet might try to hit the southern operations in the flank, but Tomioka argued that the enemy would far more likely launch an attack on the Marshall Islands. That would be all to the good since the navy had great confidence that it could intercept the enemy there and launch a smashing counterattack.

The bitter controversy between the general staff and the Combined Fleet staff was not resolved during the summer of 1941, even as training and preparations for the Pearl Harbor operation continued. Nor was it resolved during the September map exercises at the staff college or in October aboard the Nagato ; those discussions and exercises relating to the Hawaii operation were held separately and were accessible only to those few naval officers who would be involved in carrying it out. Of all the points of contention, the sharpest concerned the number of aircraft carriers to be used in the attack. Yamamoto had originally proposed four; the September map exercises simulated an attack with three, which the umpires judged to have achieved only marginal results. But those on the general staff working out the details for the invasion of Southeast Asia insisted on reserving some carriers for the southern operations since the navy's land-based air power, specifically its fighters, did not have the range to reach the necessary targets and return.

The Plan Falls into Place

Then, in early October, the navy general staff was brought around to Yamamoto's idea. There were several reasons for this volte-face, some operational, some bureaucratic. To begin with, the compromise between the army and navy on nearly simultaneous attacks on the Philippines and Malaya eased navy planning considerably. The availability of the splendid new carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku in late September permitted two other carriers to be released for the southern operations and thus eliminated one of the general staff's key objections to the Yamamoto plan. Finally, Yamamoto had carefully and quietly passed the word to the high command that rejection of the Pearl Harbor plan would result in his resignation. Keenly aware of Yamamoto's popularity and prestige within both the navy and the government and faced with the prospect of disharmony, the general staff gave in.

Later in the month, however, a new storm of controversy broke when Yamamoto insisted that the Hawaii operation employ all Japan's fleet carriers then in commission. He based his views on the map exercises aboard the Nagato , which used six carriers; the results with six carriers were judged far more impressive than with only four carriers. Opposition from the general staff might have derailed the Pearl Harbor strike once and for all, had it not been for the success of tests in the Eleventh Air Fleet, which demonstrated that engine adjustments to the Zero fighters based on Taiwan made them operational for flights to and from the Philippines. Now that the task forces involved in the southern operations would be supplied with adequate air cover, the last barrier to the Yamamoto plan came down.

On November 5 the Combined Fleet's Operations Order No. 1 secretly briefed senior officers on the impending war plans, including the cryptic statement, "To the east, the American fleet will be destroyed." Vice Admiral Nagumo, commander of the First Air Fleet and overall commander of the Pearl Harbor strike force, received his final instructions six days later. On November 22 the strike force began to assemble in its cold and lonely rendezvous, Hitokappu Bay in the Kurile Islands: six carriers, two battleships, two heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, nine destroyers, three submarines, and eight tankers and supply ships. Four days later, in heavy fog, the advance elements of the strike force, including the carriers, departed Hitokappu and sailed into history.

Excerpted and adapted from Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887–1941 , published by the Naval Institute Press. To order, call 800-233-8764. Available from the Hoover Press is the Hoover Essay A Historian Looks at the Pacific War , by Mark Peattie. To order this essay, call 800-935-2882.

View the discussion thread.

Join the Hoover Institution’s community of supporters in ideas advancing freedom.

Skip to Main Content of WWII

Pearl harbor attack, december 7, 1941.

The National WWII Museum commemorates the Day That Will Live in Infamy through articles, oral histories, artifacts, and more. 

Remembering Pearl Harbor

No moment in the history of the United States casts a longer shadow than Pearl Harbor. “Remembering” it has become a national imperative, a patriotic duty for the American people, and reminding us of that duty has become a ritual of media and political discourse—repeated so often and in so many ways that it’s become part of the routine of our communal life. 

- Rob Citino, PhD

Quick Links

• Overview of Attack
• Special Exhibit
• Path to Pearl Harbor EFT

Featured Articles

Featured videos.

By Rob Citino, PhD Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Historian

The Long Fuse: Japan, the United States, and the Hawaiian Islands

The tangled relationship between the United States and Japan began with the forced opening of Japan in the nineteenth century, courtesy of Commodore Matthew Perry and this “black ships” of his squadron. Japan’s sudden exposure to the outside world, after centuries of isolation, generated a helt-er-skelter period of transformation, a revolutionary era in which Japan threw overboard many of its oldest traditions and built itself into a technologically advanced industrial state, with modern systems of administration and government—and a powerful military.

Japan’s rise to Great Power status was rapid, with victorious wars over China (1894-95) and Russia (1904-5), as well as successful, if subsidiary role on the side of the Allies in World War I (1914-1918). Again and again, Japan struck quickly to win wars over larger and theoretically more powerful opponents. The very success Japan enjoyed, however, placed the island empire squarely in the sights of the other Great Powers, and generated an increasingly tense strategic rivalry with the United States for domination of the Pacific. That was the “long fuse” of the Great Pacific War (1941-45), the long-term background to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.

Sitting in the Japanese crosshairs that fateful Sunday morning was not only the US Pacific Fleet, but the Hawaiian Islands. An independent kingdom with a long and proud history of its own, then “discovered” by the West and dubbed the Sandwich Islands, Hawaii had only become a US possession in the 1890s, when a rebellion by the Anglo population of the islands rose up in revolt against the rule of Queen Liliuokalani. Declaring a Republic of Hawaii, the rebels then requested annexation by the United States, which took place in 1898. Since then, a new society had grown up of native islanders, Americans, and Japanese immigrants. The economy was robust, based on the islands’ numerous sugar cane plantations. Hawaii also saw an increasingly strong US naval presence. A crucial moment came in 1940. As tensions built between the United States and Japan, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the US Pacific Fleet to transfer from its homeport in San Diego, CA to Pearl Harbor, HI.

It was a fateful decision for all parties concerned: the United States, Japan, and Hawaii itself.

The Short Fuse 1940-1941: The Fate of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor

From mid-1940, when FDR moved the US Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Pearl Harbor, long-simmering tensions between the United States and Japan reached a new state of intensity. Japan had been embroiled in a brutal war of conquest in China since 1937. It had overrun much of north China, as well as most of the port cities along China’s long coastline. The Japanese army was badly overstretched, however. It could neither protect its supply lines to the rear, nor effectively control the territories it occupied. Its response was terror against Chinese civilians, hoping to cow them into submission. The policy of the “three alls” was the order of the day: “kill all, burn all, loot all.” Cities who resisted, like Nanjing in 1937, suffered the consequences, with Japanese troops slaughtering hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.

Still, China fought on under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalist Army, along with their allies, the Communist forces of Mao Tse-tung. Determined to help China and to halt Japanese aggression on the Asian mainland, FDR waged economic warfare against Japan. He hoped that embargoes on arms (1937), scrap iron (1938), and eventually oil (1941) would wound the Japanese economy sufficiently to halt Japan’s war in China. His own advisors were unsure how to proceed. Should the United States follow a policy of strength, warning the Japanese against the consequences of continued aggression? Or should there be a more conciliatory approach of negotiations leading to a long-term understanding?

Japan, for its part, was growing impatient. Stalemated by Chinese resistance, with over 1 million Japanese troops trapped in the quicksand of a war they could not win, Japan needed to find a solution to its strategic crisis. As Adolf Hitler’s armies rampaged across Europe, overrunning Germany’s neighbors in 1939-40 and threatening to invade the British Isles, the European colonial empires in Asia lay nearly undefended, ripe for the picking: the Malay Peninsula, the Dutch East Indies, Indochina. Rich sources of raw materials lay in all of them, rubber, tin, and especially oil, the precious lifeblood of any modern economy. Perhaps the time had come to reach out, pluck these “balls of rice” off the shelf, and final secure the resources necessary to end the war in China. At the same time, Japan’s leaders knew that such a policy would lead to war with the United States. As Japanese negotiators came to Washington for talks with US Secretary of State Cordell Hull in late 1941, military planners back in Tokyo had already decided to roll the iron dice. They needed to launch a great strike, one that would both seize the western colonies and ensure that the US could not and would not intervene.

As they surveyed a map of the Pacific, their gaze came to rest on one tiny spot in the great ocean.

Pearl Harbor.

The Great Pacific War: Then and Now

Pearl Harbor was a great gamble for Japan, and especially for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was also a piece of skilled military planning, the work of Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto. Japan dispatched all six of his precious “fleet carriers” across 3,000 miles of open ocean in total secrecy, with the fleet arriving a few hundred miles north of the Hawaiian islands. The carriers launched their aircraft early on a Sunday morning. US forces were completely unprepared, and in less than ninety minutes, Japanese planes destroyed or damaged 19 US warships and 300 aircraft, and killed over 2,400 US servicemen. Almost half of the dead were crewmen from the battleship USS Arizona , which sank within minutes after a bomb struck its forward magazine, igniting more than a million pounds of ammunition. The ship’s remains still lie in the waters of Pearl Harbor, a constant memorial to that terrible morning.

With the US Navy temporarily out of the way, a massive Japanese offensive overran the European and colonial empires in Asia: Hong Kong, Malaya, the Dutch East EI; New Guinea. US possessions, too, came under attack: the Philippines, the major US base in Asia; Guam; and Wake Island. The Japanese assault seemed irresistible, and at two places there were mass surrenders. At Singapore on the tip of Malaya, 80,000 British, Indian, and Australian troops went into captivity in February 1942. On the Philippines, attacking Japanese forces outmaneuvered a combined US/Filipino army under General Douglas Macarthur. The defenders retreated into the Bataan Peninsula and finally onto tiny Corregidor Island. Macarthur evacuated the islands (vowing, however, “I shall return”), but his entire force of 75,000 men surrendered in April 1942, the worst military defeat in US history. Their Japanese captors now subjected them to a brutal 65-mile forced march to POW camps in the Philippines. Hence, the infamous Bataan Death March. In the course of just five days, at least 5,000 died, and perhaps many more, a grisly sign of what was to come in what the Japanese called the Great Pacific War.

Victory, defeat, shame, “infamy”: even today, the memory of these events is contradictory and contested. Different societies tend to “remember” events in their history differently, and that is especially true of traumatic moments. Japan and the United States have been friends and allies for decades, a welcome change from the 1930s and 40s. Nevertheless, the lessons, legacies, and memory of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor will continue to influence contemporary politics, diplomacy, and strategy into the future.

The Road to Pearl Harbor: The Long Fuse

The Road to Pearl Harbor: The Short Fuse

Remember Pearl Harbor!

Features from the collection.

Tropically Delicious: Holidays on Oahu

Routine in Paradise: The US Navy in Pearl Harbor

Sibling Witnesses to the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Shirley Temple in Hawaii

Road to Pearl Harbor: Asia Aflame 1937-1941

Hawaiian Monarchy at Iolani Palace

First-Generation Japanese American (Issei) Experience in Hawaii

Kualoa Ranch and the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Island of O'ahu after the Pearl Harbor Attack

USS Oklahoma Identification of Remains

Curtiss P-40 at The National WWII Museum

M3A1 Stuart Tank at The National WWII Museum

M3A1 Scout Car at The National WWII Museum

Related Content

The Fallen Crew of the USS Arizona and Operation 85

The Operation 85 project aims to identify unknown servicemen who perished aboard the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Pearl Harbor Commemorative Ceremony

Early on December 7, 1941, citizens and servicemembers alike in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, faced terror as Japanese planes rained fire on the island in a stunning surprise attack.

Call for more info

Our War Too: Women in Service

Our War Too: Women in Service , a groundbreaking special exhibit honoring the nearly 350,000 American women who answered the call to serve their country during World War II, is on display in the Senator John Alario, Jr. Special Exhibition Hall from November 11, 2023, through July 21, 2024.

The Go for Broke Spirit: Legacy in Portraits

A selection of photographer Shane Sato’s powerful portraits of Japanese American veterans of World War II are showcased in The Joe W. and Dorothy D. Brown Foundation Special Exhibit Gallery from June 30, 2023, through March 31, 2024.

Valor at Pearl Harbor: Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd’s Medal of Honor

Bravery—even unto death—was evident everywhere as Imperial Japan’s air and sea forces struck the US naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

During this year’s commemorative ceremony, pay tribute to those who lost their lives on December 7, 1941, through a moving program that brings to life the enduring significance and legacy of this day, its heroic Medal of Honor actions, and its relevance today.

In Real Times. Arthur Szyk: Art & Human Rights

A special exhibit examining the work of artist, illustrator, and political cartoonist Arthur Szyk will be on display at The National WWII Museum starting September 1, 2022.  In Real Times. Arthur Szyk: Art & Human Rights  will showcase more than 50 of Szyk’s original works, which focus on humanitarian issues that faced the world in the early 20th century—including issues that remain relevant today.

A Shared Enmity: Germany, Japan, and the Creation of the Tripartite Pact

Shared enmity toward Franklin D. Roosevelt’s United States of America is what brought Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan together again in the early fall of 1940 to certify a new agreement.  

Meet the Author "Bound By War: How the United States and the Philippines Built America's First Pacific Century"

Join us for the concluding event of our 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor programming, a discussion that covers a sweeping history of America’s long and fateful military relationship with the Philippines amid a century of Pacific warfare.

Pearl Harbor: The Aftermath

A panel discussion of historians from members of The Institute for the Study of War and Democracy in The National WWII Museum’s US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center

Pearl Harbor 80th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony

Early on December 7, 1941, citizens and servicemembers alike in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, faced terror as Japanese planes rained fire on the island in a stunning surprise attack. The assault quickly plunged the United States into a world-changing war. Each year, The National WWII Museum commemorates those who lost their lives on that fateful December day.

Lunchbox Lecture: The Raid at Pearl Harbor

While US strategy in 1941 was largely focused on the war in Europe, the bold carrier raid seized the initiative against increasing US pressure over Japan’s ongoing war in China. Captain Rick Jacobs will discuss the events of that terrible, heroic day—from the opening of Japan by Commodore Mathew Perry in the 1850’s through the devastation at Pearl Harbor on December 7.

Location Closure The Herring Run Branch will be closing Monday, May 20 for renovations. Learn more.

Location Closure The Forest Park Branch is closed for renovations. The Washington Village Branch is closed for facility maintenance. The Walbrook Branch is closed for HVAC repairs.

• Pearl Harbor

The following are a selection of primary resources available at the Pratt Library that include first-hand accounts of the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

• Charles Lindbergh's Transatlantic Flight
• The Civil War in Maryland
• Sinking of the Titanic
• Thurgood Marshall
• World War II in Maryland

"December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." - Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Day of Infamy" Speech , December 8, 1941. Explore the primary sources below to read more about the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

Library of Congress American Memory includes primary source information for the air raid on Pearl Harbor.

The Pearl Harbor Museum website provides maps and information on the heroes, ships and the attack.

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument is home to the USS Arizona Memorial. The website includes photos and videos and history about the attack.

Diaries and Related Personal Narratives

Evans, David C., ed. & trans. The Japanese Navy in World War II: In the Words of Former Japanese Naval Officers . 2nd ed. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1986. D777.J3 1986

Grew, Joseph C. Report from Tokyo: A Message to the American People . New York: Simon and Schuster, 1942. DS889.G7Q

Grew, Joseph C. Ten years in Japan: A Contemporary Record Drawn from the Diaries and Private and Official Papers of Joseph G. Grew, United States Ambassador to Japan, 1932-1942. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1944. DS849.U6G7

The Memoirs of Cordell Hull . 2 vols. New York: Macmillan, 1948. E748.H93A3

Kimmel, Husband Edward, 1882-1968. Admiral Kimmel's Story . Chicago: H. Regnery, 1955. D767.92.K54

King, Ernest J., and Walter Muir Whitehill. Fleet Admiral King: A Naval Record . New York: W. W. Norton, 1952. E928.K56

U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey [Pacific]. Naval Analysis Division. Interrogations of Japanese Officials. 2. vols. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1946. XD767.2.U5 v.1-2

Newspaper & Magazine Articles

"Blitz Chronology: Swift Stroke by Japanese Caught U.S. Forces Unawares." Newsweek, vol. 18, no. 24, December 15, 1941, pp. 19-21.

• An early description of the first days of the Pacific war.

Burns, Eugene. "Japs Declare War on U.S.: Honolulu, Manila Bombed; Naval Battle Off Hawaii." Sun(Extra Edition), December 7, 1941, page 1.

• Available online in Historical Newspapers (with library card).

Hale, William Harlan. "After Pearl Harbor." New Republic, vol. 105, no. 24, December 15, 1941, pp. 816-817.

• Written more than three months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, this article suggests that President Roosevelt was forcing Japan to decide the question of war or peace.

"Forcing Showdown With Japan: Why U.S. is Pressing Tokyo for Quick Decision on War or Peace." United States News, vol. 11, no. 10, September 5, 1941, pp. 14-15.

"Nation's Full Might Mustered for All-Out War; Initial Reverse Stirs Demand for Investigation; Washington Banks on Its Long-Range Strategy." Newsweek, vol. 18, no. 24, December 15, 1941, pp. 15-17.

• This early assessment focuses on the military aspects of the war.

Stone, I. F. "War Comes to Washington." Nation, vol. 153, no. 24, December 13, 1941, pp. 603-604.

• Writing on December 8, 1941, liberal journalist I. F. Stone reflects on the failure of U.S.-Japanese negotiators in preventing war.

"Untold Damage Done Honolulu, Witness Says." Sun (Extra Edition), December 7, 1941, page 1.

• Written by an NBC observer while the Japanese attack on Hawaii was still in progress. Available online in Historical Newspapers (with library card).

"The U.S. at War." Time, vol. 38, no. 24, December 15, 1941, pp. 17-27.

• A good overview of the events of December 7, 1941 and its immediate aftermath.

"The White House: M-Day Log." Newsweek, vol. 18, no. 24, December 15, 1941, p. 18.

• This article summarizes activity at the White House on Sunday, December 7, 1941.

Government Publications & Related Official Sources

Gantenbein, James W., comp. and ed. Documentary Background of World War II . New York: Octagon, 1975. D735.G25

• Gantenbein offers reprints of numerous official publications relating to the outbreak of war.

Japan's Decision for War: Records of the 1941 Policy Conferences. Translated and edited by Ike Nobutaka. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1967. D754.J3I4

• "Invaluable records of 62 conferences held in Tokyo between March and December of 1941" - Inside ft. cover.

U.S. Congress. Official Congressional Documents Relating to the U.S. Declaration of War against Japan. D767.92.U6

U.S. Department of State. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States - Japan: 1931-1941 . 2 vols. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1943. E183.8.J3U6

U.S. War Department. Army Pearl Harbor Board. Report of Army Pearl Harbor Board, Appointed by the Secretary of War . . . to Ascertain and Report the Facts Relating to the Attack Made by Japanese Armed Forces Upon the Territory of Hawaii on December 7, 1941 . n.p., [1945]. D767.92.U64

Photographs

Goldstein, Donald M., Katherine V. Dillion, and J. Michael Wenger. The Way it Was: Pearl Harbor - The Original Photographs . Washington, DC: Brassey's (US), 1991. XD767.92G65 1991Q

Dye, Bob. Hawai'i Chronicles III: World War Two in Hawaii, from the pages of Paradise of the Pacific . Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2000. D767.92.H376 2000

If you would like to know more, try our Live Chat with a Librarian service, or contact us .

Sharing teaching and learning resources from the National Archives

Education Updates

Pearl Harbor Primary Sources & Teaching Activities

As the Pearl Harbor anniversary approaches, we’re sharing historical documents, posters, photographs, and more related to the attack and its impact on U.S. History.

On DocsTeach, the online tool for teaching with documents from the National Archives, you can find primary sources like maps and speeches – even images taken by the Japanese military during the attack that were later captured.

DocsTeach also includes posters that used the attack on Pearl Harbor as a rallying cry for a variety of war efforts, like joining the Coast Guard, buying war bonds, or working harder in a factory.

We also have online teaching activities related to Pearl Harbor. In Pearl Harbor Dispatch Analysis , students analyze the “This is Not Drill” naval dispatch sent from the Commander in Chief of the Pacific that announced the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The activity forces students to look for evidence to decode the true meaning of the message.

Or students can explore one of the most famous presidential speeches of all time – FDR’s “Day of Infamy” speech – by comparing it with its first draft in Two Versions of FDR’s Infamy Speech .

Can you find the first major edit?

DocsTeach also includes audio, like this recording of FDR’s Fireside Chat After the Declaration of War on Japan . 

You can find more of FDR’s Fireside Chats on DocsTeach as well.

Share this:

2 thoughts on “ pearl harbor primary sources & teaching activities ”.

Great Post. Thank you for sharing.

I agree thanks a lot for sharing this breathtaking information!!!!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

The Center for Legislative Archives

Attack on Pearl Harbor

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese bombers staged a surprise attack on U.S. military and naval forces in Hawaii. In a devastating defeat, the United States suffered 3,435 casualties and loss of or severe damage to 188 planes, 8 battleships, 3 light cruisers, and 4 miscellaneous vessels. Japanese losses were less than 100 personnel, 29 planes, and 5 midget submarines.

The day after the attack, before a joint session of Congress, President Roosevelt asked Congress for a declaration of war against Japan. 

Four years after the attack, Congress established the Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack. Their task was to make a full and complete investigation of the facts relating to the events and circumstances leading up to or following the attack. In its investigation, the committee sought to determine whether shortcomings or failures on the U.S. side might have contributed to the disaster and, if so, to suggest changes that might protect the country from another attack in the future. The committee's public hearings began on November 15, 1945, and continued until May 31, 1946.

The Radar Plot of Detector Station Opana was an exhibit of the Joint Committee. The 22 x 31-inch radar plot was made by Private Joseph L. Lockard at the Opana Radar Station on the morning of December 7, 1941. It indicated a large number of aircraft approaching the island of Oahu. The control officer believed the radar signals announced the approach of American B-17s scheduled for arrival the same day, but the signals actually tracked the first wave of Japanese bombers and torpedo planes that attacked Pearl Harbor.

Visit our featured document the  Day of Infamy Address  for additional information.

Radar Plot from Station Opana, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 1941, RG 128, Records of the Joint Committees of Congress, National Archives.

View in National Archives Catalog

If you have problems viewing these images, please contact  [email protected] .

More Featured Documents

Why Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor? Research Paper

Despite the great industrialization of the Japan, it has never had any natural resources such as petroleum and Ores. Therefore, it had always depended on importation of ores and petroleum in order to supply its industries with the needed raw materials. Before 1939, the United States of America was Japan’s major supply of ores and petroleum. Nevertheless, the situation changed when Japan continued its hostility towards China.

In an effort to stop the hostility of Japan towards China, the president of United States of America president Roosevelt and the Secretary of States Cordell Hull exerted pressure on Japan. When Japan refused to yield up to their demand, the United States of America stopped supplying Japan with the raw materials that were needed to run their industries.

Japan’s refusal to heed to the demand of the American government was highly attributed to the fact that Japan was not willing to give up the control of the Manchuria region in China that acted as a very strategic location, where it could get unlimited supply of raw materials for its industries as well as a strategic market for its manufactured products. Japan had always coveted the rich resources that were present in British and Dutch colonies of Southeast Asia.

Thus, with the shutdown of U.S.A. supply, Japan increasingly looked southwards for the supply of raw materials for its industries. Japan considered the U.S. as its only hindrance in its effort of obtaining raw materials from the Southeast and especially its naval base at Pearl Harbor (U.S. Army Center for Military History par. 2-4)

The United States of America Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor was the only existing power that could negate Japan’s navy. From a long time association of Americans and Japanese as they transacted business along the Pacific, the Japanese knew that the American had established a very strong naval base at Pearl Harbor.

Therefore, they knew that by bombing the Pearl Harbor which held Americans naval force, they will be able to completely destroy the American military force in Pacific region. Subsequently, the bombing of the Pearl Harbor surely enabled the Japanese to completely cripple down any American immediate retaliation effort.

The Japanese also understood that the American military bases at Philippines could also interfere with their effective communications between Japan home Island and the East Indies. Therefore, after bombing the Pearl Harbor, Japan proceeded with an immediate attack of the American military bases that were located in Philippines in order to negate any immediate Americans retaliation force (Answers. Com par. 3).

Every oil tanker that was heading to Japan had to pass through the Pearl Harbor that was heavily manned by the American troops. Consequently, the Japanese did not have another option, but to attack the Pearl Harbor in order to weaken the U.S. fleet that was based there.

The Japanese organized a surprise attack on the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor in order neutralize the American fleet at the Harbor. Consecutively, Japan had planned to destroy American central pacific bases at Guam and Wake Island as well as those located in Philippines. Japan believed that by crippling the American naval power at Pearl Harbor, Japan will be better placed to conquer Malaya, Singapore, Burma as well as Dutch East Indies.

Through this process, Japan had anticipated to establish a defensive ring around its conquered areas by fortifying island in the south and Central Pacific. The attack of the Pearl Harbor was meant to convince the Americans to participate in World War II, which Japan anticipated was a strategic move that will force America to accept a negotiation of peace in the Pacific region (Christie 85).

The Pearl Harbor was preferred as the best Japanese striking spot because of its strategic location. The Japanese had other options where they had planned to strike the Americans. San Francisco as well as the large costal cities were among the other options that Japan had anticipated to strike.

They opted for Pearl Harbor due to its proximity to Japan than other alternatives they had considered. Those Islands that comprised of Philippines and Pearl Harbor were located 8,000 miles from the American west cost, but only 200 miles away from Japan. Therefore, Japan troops had had considered that they had lesser distance to travel compared to the American troops. Japan knew that the closer they came to American coasts, the higher their risks of being detected was.

They also realized that they could not attack Americans from the mainland because they had to pass the Hawaii on their way back which will make the Americans retaliation force catch up with them. Therefore, by Japan considering all those factors, they opted for the Pearl Harbor as the most strategic location for striking.

Japan had anticipated that by striking the U.S Pacific Fleet that opposed its conquest of the South East Asia and the Pacific Island, they would be successful to conquer all the territory they had desired to conquer. They believed that even if the American will be able to rebuild their Fleet back, they will not be in a position to dislodge the Japanese from their conquered territories.

America had established an international movement to isolate Japan economically in order to force it to withdraw its control over Manchuria in China. Subsequently, the USA had already taken some appropriate measures by cutting off credit to Japan that was tailored to make Japan economically unstable to afford to purchase petroleum which was a vital resource for its industries and military. Japan petroleum mainly originated from USA, Dutch East Indies and Burma with the last two being British colonies.

Japan knew that by destroying the USA naval forces in the Pacific region, Japan navy will then be the strongest in the pacific region which will help Japan to overcome the economical consequences of the USA ultimatum. By defeating the USA navy, Japan had anticipated to conquer the Dutch East Indies as well as Burma and control the oil that was produced there in order to use it in their industries and military.

The striking of the Pearl Harbor was as anticipated by Japan. Japan was successful in crippling the American Fleet. Consecutively, Japan was successful in defeating the Dutch East Indies and Burma. The British navy under the instructions from Churchill tried to intervene and contain the Japan naval, but was not successful to fight the Japan strong navy. Therefore, Japan eventually succeeded to control all the oil producing areas in Southeast Asia (Marshall 216).

In addition, Japan opted to attack the Pearl Harbor because they believed that since America was a nation that was comprised of diverse races of people that Americans could not act as a united singular force. This was a mistake for the Japan, because when Japan continued with their attacks on US navy and Air forces in order to extend their territory to include China; the United States of America was successful in negating Japan’s efforts and thus defeated Japan when it bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki towns in Japan that led Japan to surrender (Rosenberg par. 3).

Works Cited

Answers. Com. “Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor?” 2011.

Christie, Clive. Southeast Asia in the twentieth century . New York: Tauris Publishers.

Marshall, Jonathan. To Have and Have Not: Southeast Asian Raw Materials and Source of Pacific War . California: University of California Press, 1995

Rosenberg, Jennifer. Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 2011.

U.S. Army Center for Military History. “A Brief History of WWII: Japan on the Offensive.”2011.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2020, April 28). Why Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor? https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-did-the-japanese-attack-pearl-harbor/

"Why Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor?" IvyPanda , 28 Apr. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/why-did-the-japanese-attack-pearl-harbor/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Why Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor'. 28 April.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Why Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor?" April 28, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-did-the-japanese-attack-pearl-harbor/.

1. IvyPanda . "Why Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor?" April 28, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-did-the-japanese-attack-pearl-harbor/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Why Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor?" April 28, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-did-the-japanese-attack-pearl-harbor/.

• Pearl Harbor Attack: U.S. and Japan
• Attack on Pearl Harbor: Foreign Policy Biases' Effects
• Seven Principles of Mission Command After the Pearl Harbor Attack
• Dwight D. Eisenhower's Role in World War II
• WWII History: How Hitler Died
• Entering the Great War in War is a Blessing, Not a Curse
• Origins of the "Final Solution"
• The Jewish Freedom Fighter Recollection

• Skip to global NPS navigation
• Skip to this park navigation
• Skip to the main content
• Skip to this park information section
• Skip to the footer section

Exiting nps.gov

Alerts in effect, science & research.

Last updated: April 10, 2019

Park footer

Contact info, mailing address:.

National Park Service Pearl Harbor National Memorial 1 Arizona Memorial Place Honolulu, HI 96818

808 422-3399

Stay Connected

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

Internet Archive Audio

• This Just In
• Grateful Dead
• Old Time Radio
• 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
• Audio Books & Poetry
• Computers, Technology and Science
• Music, Arts & Culture
• News & Public Affairs
• Spirituality & Religion
• Radio News Archive

• Flickr Commons
• Occupy Wall Street Flickr
• NASA Images
• Solar System Collection
• Ames Research Center

• All Software
• Old School Emulation
• MS-DOS Games
• Historical Software
• Classic PC Games
• Software Library
• Kodi Archive and Support File
• Vintage Software
• CD-ROM Software
• CD-ROM Software Library
• Software Sites
• Tucows Software Library
• Shareware CD-ROMs
• Software Capsules Compilation
• CD-ROM Images
• ZX Spectrum
• DOOM Level CD

• Smithsonian Libraries
• FEDLINK (US)
• Lincoln Collection
• American Libraries
• Canadian Libraries
• Universal Library
• Project Gutenberg
• Children's Library
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Books by Language
• Additional Collections

• Prelinger Archives
• Democracy Now!
• Occupy Wall Street
• TV NSA Clip Library
• Animation & Cartoons
• Arts & Music
• Computers & Technology
• Cultural & Academic Films
• Ephemeral Films
• Sports Videos
• Videogame Videos
• Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

• Wayback Machine (iOS)
• Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

• Explore the Collections
• Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

• Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

The Pearl Harbor papers : inside the Japanese plans

Bookreader item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

• Graphic Violence
• Explicit Sexual Content
• Hate Speech
• Misinformation/Disinformation
• Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
• Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

240 Previews

5 Favorites

Better World Books

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

No suitable files to display here.

EPUB and PDF access not available for this item.

IN COLLECTIONS

Uploaded by Unknown on December 2, 2011

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

Pearl Harbor - List of Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Pearl Harbor, known for the surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States at the naval base in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, holds a significant place in U.S. history as it led to the country’s entry into World War II. Essays on this topic could explore the historical events leading up to the attack, the political and military strategies involved, the aftermath and its impact on the course of the war, and the memories and commemorations of the event over time. Analyzing different historical interpretations, personal narratives, and the broader geopolitical implications of the attack on Pearl Harbor can also provide a comprehensive understanding of this critical historical event. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Pearl Harbor you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation

The speech was made by president Franklin Delano Roosevelt to a joint session of congress on Monday, December 8, 1941, in Washington, D.C. (Roosevelt's 'Date of Infamy' Speech, 2012) The president had two purposes for the speech he was delivering (1) He wanted congress to declare war on Japan (2) He wanted the support of the American citizens of the upcoming war. I believe that the president was very clever on how he worded his whole speech. I noticed that […]

Story of Pearl Harbor

One ordinary morning in Hawaii, at the United naval base at Pearl Harbor, active military men and community members were woken with an unexpected surprise. December 7, 1941 the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service bombed Pearl Harbor. Our nation was devastated and we lost many brave man and civilians during this surprise attack. The next day our president at the time, Franklin Roosevelt, gave the speech "Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation" to inform the United States about this misfortune […]

Major Events in Aviation History

The Attack On Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is a U.S naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, at around 8:00 a.m. there was a surprise attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor. Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes (including fighters, level and dive bombers, and torpedo bombers) descended on the base and provoked what turned out to be one of the greatest wars in U.S history. In this attack, the Japanese destroyed nearly 20 American naval vessels. This included […]

We will write an essay sample crafted to your needs.

The Battle of Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor is a United States naval base located around six miles west of the Hawaiian island Honolulu. The naval base itself is on the southside of the island O'ahu. The Japanese attack, also called the Battle of Pearl Harbor, was first thought of in January of nineteen forty-one, by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto of Japan. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was a military officer who believed that in order to shatter the hopes of the American people, the American aircraft carriers must […]

Impact of Pearl Harbor

During the 1940s many lives were lost after an attack at Pearl Harbor, it had a large impact on the U.S. such as: it being the leading cause to the start of World War II, which also led to more drastic event, and the many people's lives who were lost. Pearl Harbor, U.S. naval base in Hawaii, was the setting of the attack that occurred by the Japanese forces. It occurred on December 7, 1941, a date according to President […]

Effects of the Attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack on the Pearl Harbor, a naval base belonging to the United States, was the bombing of the base by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, in a surprise attack. The Japanese had been in a rivalry with the United States and planned this attack as a way to eliminate the risk that the US naval base posed. The attack astonished the people leading many to believe the constant tension between the two nations made war inevitable, and simply […]

Pearl Harbor Issues

On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces launched a devastating surprise attack on the United States Naval base, Pearl Harbor. The aftermath resulted in the loss of 2,500 U.S. servicemen, 200 aircraft, 5 battleships, and damage to various other vessels. President Franklin Roosevelt described it as "a date which will live in infamy." The Japanese naval and air forces, armed with bombs and bullets, executed the strike with the goal of demolishing the Pacific fleet to keep the U.S. from impeding […]

The Bombing of Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor was a very devastating event in history, which heightened tension between Japan and the United States. There were several events that led up to the bombing, as well as a lot that went on during this horrible day in history. There were many casualties and devastations as a result. Many crucial events led up to the actual bombing. Problems between Japan and the United States ultimately caused the bombing. The United States was allies with China, while Japan […]

Pearl Harbor: Truth or Lies

Would a country deceive its people in such a way that it is willing to sacrifice the lives of its own to accomplish the governments secret agenda? This is the question for many conspiracy theorists on the attack that took place December 7, 1941. The assault on the American naval base of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was a devastating event that crippled the United States pacific fleet, but the events of the previous years may have provided insight to what was […]

Attack on the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The surprise attack by the 350 Japanese aircraft either sank or severely damaged nineteen US naval vessels, including eight battleships, and destroyed 300 US aircraft. The attack by Japan killed 2,403 Americans who were neither notified nor prepared for an attack. Americans were left shocked, angered, and devastated after the attack; Japan offered them no explanation. The people of the United States turned […]

Why Pearl Harbor? Unraveling the Motives and Triggers

On December 7th, 1941, a devastating surprise attack occurred on Pearl Harbor. Nearly 2400 Americans were killed during this attack, and an additional 1000 people were injured. Pearl Harbor was a U.S. naval base situated near Honolulu, Hawaii. On 0750 hours, hundreds of aircraft from the Imperial Japanese Navy descended upon the sleeping base and started to attack. For the next two hours and a half hours, "the planes executed well planned, well rehearsed strikes against ships of the Pacific […]

Pearl Harbor: United States against Japan

The tension between the United States and Japan began during the Great Depression. Japan wanted to fix their "...economic and demographic woes by forcing... [their] way into China, starting in 1931 with an invasion of Manchuria." "...[The United States wanted to stop Japan's Global Expansion so they] began passing economic sanctions against Japan, including trade embargoes on aircraft exports, oil and scrap metal, among other key goods, and gave economic support to Guomindang forces." September of 1940 the Tripartite Pact […]

History of the Attack on Pearl Harbor

It all happened all of a sudden. At 7:55am, Sunday, December 7th, 1941, the first two waves of Japanese aircrafts started their deadly attack on the US Pacific fleet. Within two hours, five battleships were destroyed, another 16 damaged, and 188 aircrafts destroyed. The attacks killed under 100 Japanese soldiers but over 2,400 American soldiers, with another 1,178 injured. There were three reasons that lead to the attack on Pearl Harbor. They were: Japan's relations with the US, an ill-prepared […]

Horror of Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. This is where a  surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. A little  before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes dived towards the base. They managed to destroy/damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes.Over  2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the attack, President Franklin […]

Depiction of the Attack on Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack against the United States in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This attack would catapult the United States into entering World War II. This strategic move was designed to cripple the United States Pacific Fleet in order for Japan to continue their bigger picture of conquering South East Asia.Tensions were rising after the Imperial state withdrew from the League of Nations. War between the United States and Empire of Japan was […]

Pearl Harbor: a Brief Overview of the Day that Changed History

President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "This date will live in infamy." It was December 7, 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service launched a surprise military attack on the US naval facility at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This strike had significant ramifications for both the United States and the larger World War II scenario. In order to provide a succinct overview of Pearl Harbor's events, this article will examine the reasons for the assault, the specifics of the incident, […]

The USS Utah: Silent Sentinel of Pearl Harbor

Nestled in the annals of American naval history is the USS Utah, a ship that bore witness to one of the most transformative events in the 20th century. While many are familiar with the USS Arizona and its poignant memorial at Pearl Harbor, the Utah remains a somewhat lesser-known yet equally compelling testament to the sacrifices of that fateful day. The USS Utah's story begins much before the events of December 7, 1941. Commissioned in 1911, the ship was initially […]

Why Japan Attacked the United States in 1941

The morning of December 7, 1941, marked a turning point in global history, as Japanese fighter planes descended on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. This attack thrust the United States wholeheartedly into World War II, a war that until then had been largely fought across the oceans. But what drove Japan, a nation thousands of miles away, to launch such a bold, seemingly unprovoked attack on American soil? The reasons stretch far beyond a simple act of aggression, […]

The Profound Consequences of Pearl Harbor: Shaping Modern America

December 7, 1941, etches itself as a pivotal juncture in the annals of American history. Upon this date, the Imperial Japanese Navy orchestrated an audacious assault on the U.S. Naval Base ensconced in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This brazen incursion exacted a heavy toll in both lives lost and equipment decimated, unfurling a cascade of profound and far-reaching repercussions, not merely confined to the United States but rippling across the global panorama. While the immediate military rejoinder is widely acknowledged, the […]

The Strategic Imperatives Behind the Pearl Harbor Attack

On a quiet Sunday morning in December 1941, Japan's sudden attack on Pearl Harbor jolted the United States from its non-combatant stance straight into the throes of World War II. This bold move wasn't just a surprise military strike; it was the culmination of a series of economic squeezes, geopolitical ambitions, and strategic calculations that had been brewing for years. Japan, in its quest to become the dominant power in Asia, was eyeing rapid expansion both territorially and economically. Yet, […]

Pearl Harbor: Echoes of a Decisive Moment

In the annals of history, December 7, 1941, stands out as a day that shook the very foundations of the United States. The peaceful morning at Pearl Harbor was shattered by a sudden and devastating assault, thrusting the nation into the midst of World War II in a manner unforeseen and unparalleled. The events of that day unfolded with a swift and calculated precision, as Japanese aircraft launched a surprise attack on the unsuspecting naval base. The thunderous roar of […]

Behind the Bombs: Unpacking Japan’s Decision to Attack Pearl Harbor

Let's take a trip back to December 7, 1941 – a date which, as President Roosevelt famously said, will live in infamy. This was the day Japan decided to wake the sleeping giant, the United States, with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. But what was going through the minds of the Japanese leadership to make such a bold move? It wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was a calculated risk, a roll of the dice in a high-stakes game […]

Unraveling the Reasons Behind Japan’s Attack on Pearl Harbor

The date December 7, 1941, is etched in history as a day of infamy when Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. This audacious act catapulted the United States into World War II and changed the course of history. To comprehend why Japan took this drastic step, we must explore the intricate web of circumstances, ambitions, and decisions that culminated in this pivotal event. Japan's journey to Pearl Harbor began decades earlier, as the […]

Additional Example Essays

• Hitler's Rise to Power in History
• The Importance of Professional Bearing in the Military
• Research Paper #1 – The Trail of Tears
• “Allegory of the Cave”
• Rosa Parks Vs. Harriet Tubman
• History of Mummification
• Great Depression vs. Great Recession
• Was the American Revolution really Revolutionary?
• The pyramids of Egypt
• 1984 Compared to Today
• Should Same-sex Marriage Be Legalized?

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers