Annotated Bibliography Alison Chang, Selena Lu, and Amy van Ee Primary Sources: Journal: Ginger. "Sunday, December 7. 1941." Ginger's Diary (n.d.): 1. Essential Pearl Harbor. Osprey Publishing, 2008. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. These excerpts from Ginger’s diary helped us understand his point of view of the bombing. He was a 17 year old senior in high school who lived in Hickam Field, Hawaii. When he woke up on Sunday morning of the bombing, Ginger thought that something exciting was happening. He noticed black smoke and explosions outside, and when he went outside of his house with his mom, he observed three planes flying in the sky. There was fire on the barracks, which housed the soldiers, and a whole hangar line was destroyed. When driving on the road, Ginger and his family had to move aside every now and then to let ambulances pass by.
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Annotated BibliographyAlison Chang, Selena Lu, and Amy van Ee
Primary Sources:
Journal:
Ginger. "Sunday, December 7. 1941." Ginger's Diary (n.d.): 1. Essential Pearl Harbor. Osprey
Publishing, 2008. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
These excerpts from Ginger’s diary helped us understand his point of view of the
bombing. He was a 17 year old senior in high school who lived in Hickam Field,
Hawaii. When he woke up on Sunday morning of the bombing, Ginger thought that
something exciting was happening. He noticed black smoke and explosions outside, and
when he went outside of his house with his mom, he observed three planes flying in the
sky. There was fire on the barracks, which housed the soldiers, and a whole hangar line
was destroyed. When driving on the road, Ginger and his family had to move aside
every now and then to let ambulances pass by.
Photos:
"Air Raid Pearl Harbor This Is No Drill !!!" Air Raid Pearl Harbor. US Navy, National
Archives, NHC Naval Historical Center, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
Many of the pictures show the resulting damage and/or explosions on the ships. There
are also pictures of each damaged ship such as the USS Nevada, Oklahoma, West
Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, Arizona, and many more. The website containing these
pictures includes one colored picture of the minelayer Oglala.
N.d. Photograph. Military History. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
This black and white photograph is of an explosion taking down a ship that is likely to
be the American USS Arizona due to the large explosion. The explosion was
exceptionally violent because of the ignition of over a million pounds of gunpowder.
The gunpowder was stored in the basement of the ship.
Interviews:
Gano, Margaret Ellen, and Hubert Gano. "About Our Experience." Interview. Interview with
Pearl Harbor Eyewitnesses. Scholastic, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <Gano, Margaret Ellen. "About
Our Experience." Interview with Pearl Harbor Eyewitnesses. Scholastic, n.d. Web. 27 Nov.
2013.>.
This interview was about Hubert ‘Dale’ Gano, who was a retired US Navy Commander,
and his spouse Margaret Ellen ‘Johnie’ Gano who both witnessed the bombing of Pearl
Harbor. Both were 25 years of age and lived in Pearl City, on a peninsula which
stretched towards Pearl Harbor. Johnie saw sunken US Navy ships and, when she
reached Ford Island, she saw several dead or wounded sailors on the ground. Both Dale
and Johnie were in a state of shock as they watched Pearl Harbor being attacked and
damaged and thousands of people dying. When the bomb fell, Johnie and Dale were
deciding on whether or not to go to church. The couple didn’t see any bombs, but they
did see tracers, or ammunition that, when shot, left a trail of smoke behind. Dale was not
assigned to a ship, but to the Naval Air Station. Damage to building to this station was
very minor. Although ships and airplanes were destroyed, no buildings were bombed.
After the attack, all Japanese Americans were moved to internment camps in California.
Dale blamed President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his supporters for their
unpreparedness. He believed that the president should have been suspecting an attack
from Japan.
Miller, Jim D., G. S. Flannigan, W. J. Bush, A. R. Schubert, J. S. Doherty, and S. Q. Fuqua.
"USS Arizona (BB-39) Action Report: 7 Dec 1941." USS Arizona (BB-39) Action Report: 7 Dec
1941. Naval Historical Center, 11 June 2001. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
From these interviews, we learned that the raid alarm of the USS Arizona was supposed
to signal three blasts, although most people only heard one before the explosion
happened. According to Jim D. Miller, the captain was not on the ship at the time of the
attack. To G. Flannigan, there was nothing on the speaker system and there was too
much smoke to see anything. Another man named W. Bush had desperately tried to
extinguish the fires, but there were no available supplies on hand. A. Schubert was on
deck when the attack started, and so he saw low-winged monoplanes with the
“meatballs” (the Japanese red disc symbolizing the sun) on the underside of the wings.
To Doherty, the air raid alarm had sounded too late, at the exact same time the bombing
started. At 7:55, fifteen torpedo planes, a dive bomber, and around thirty other planes
were spotted attacking USS Arizona. Another man onboard the ship named S. Fuqua
recalled that around 9:00 AM, USS Arizona had run out of anti-airplane ammunition,
and everyone had to abandon ship.
"Oral History Pearl Harbor Attack: Oral History: LT Erickson." Oral History Pearl Harbor
Attack: Oral History: LT Erickson. Naval History and Heritage Command, n.d. Web. 18 Nov.
2013.
This interview was about a nurse named Ruth Erickson, who tended to injured survivors
of the bombing. We learned that normally, there were aircraft practices on weekends for
the military and that at first, the people weren’t bothered by the planes. The civilians
went on with life, thinking that the deadly planes were part of a normal drill. Erickson
had many patients who were burnt on their faces, arms, and legs.
Newspapers:
"Allies Open Rome Drive." New Castle News 26 May 1944: 1. World War 2 Articles. Web. 25
Nov. 2013.
This newspaper gave us more information on the Allied forces’ movement through Italy.
The newspaper expressed the importance of the Allied troops fighting the Axis, or
Germans and Italians, to gain control over the Italian peninsula. It is stated that the
Allied forces were rather successful in this fight. The Allied soldiers also gained Rome
from Germany in a battle. Liberated Italians greeted the American troops with much
gratitude. When General MacArthur of the United States’ side led his troops to Dutch
New Guinea’s Maffin Bay to take control over the airdrome, which is an airplane
operation area, situated there, they encountered Japanese troops. By the end of the battle,
the number of Japanese casualties was greater than American casualties by a large
amount.
"Japan Wars on US and Britain; Makes Sudden Attack on Hawaii; Heavy Fighting at Sea
Reported." The New York Times, 8 Dec. 1941. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.
To the minority of the American citizens, it seemed that the Japanese had attacked Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, with no real reason or valid ulterior motive. This attack came as a
complete surprise to Americans, as they did not make provisions for such an offense.
The attack inspired confusion, unity, anger, anxiety, and determination among the
Americans.
"Reds Drive Deeper into Berlin." Joplin Globe 25 Apr. 1945: 1. World War 2 Articles. Web. 25
Nov. 2013.
This newspaper helped us understand how the Germans and Russians surrendered. The
day that Soviet and American soldiers met at the Elbe River, in Germany, to march to
Munich was the day that the troops took control over Ulm, which was a major
communications center for Germany. It was reported that Berlin was in flames, with
Russian armies together to make a final stand as a Nazi army. 20, 000 to 30, 000
disarmed Germans marched towards the Allied lines in surrender. This was one of the
largest surrenders ever to have taken place. Although it was believed that Hitler went
into hiding, there were reports that he remained in Berlin. The Allied forces also
captured the 125-mile long defense line in Italy. They captured cities and military bases,
marking a major turning point in the World War II.
"Second World War Breaks." Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 4 Sept. 1939: 1. World War 2
Articles. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
This newspaper helped us to understand how people in Alaska, more specifically
Fairbanks, processed the events taking place during that time. In London, on September
4, which was Chamberlain Sunday, it was stated that Britain was at war with Germany.
Germany didn’t respond to the ultimatum before its expiration, leading to Britain and
France’s declaration of war. Soon following was New Zealand, Egypt, and Australia.
Britain began sending military forces to China, attacking Germans at the German Tennis
Club in Shanghai. France began sending troops and help to Poland to try to force the
German troops to leave. The current president of the United States, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, also mentioned that the US was to remain neutral and to not get involved in
the war. Germany performed a torpedo attack on the British ship powered on steam
engines Athenia, killing approximately 1,400 refugees, mainly from Canada. The ship
was bombed only 300 miles east of the country of Scotland.
"YesterYear Once More." YesterYear Once More. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
The Americans saw the bombing of Pearl Harbor as a horrid massacre, and newspapers
did not mention anything about self-defense, which gave the impression of being
defenseless. The pictures in the newspaper depict neither Americans holding guns nor
American war planes. This was a tactic to show the American citizens that the Japanese
were brutal and could not be trusted. Also, there were many pictures of navy men
placing objects on memorials and pictures of annihilated and destroyed ships, planes,
and more. Overall, the American newspaper articles were very biased towards their own
side.
"U.S. Declares War." Manitowoc Herald Times 8 Dec. 1941: 1. Pearl Harbor Articles &
Newspaper. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
This newspaper gave us more information about the US Congress declaring war on
Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor. On December 8, 1941, Congress declared war on
Japan. Washington admitted that over 3, 000 Americans were either hurt or killed, and
that aircraft and naval ships were damaged, but how many it did not mention.
Secondary Sources
Books:
Allen, Thomas B. Remember Pearl Harbor: American and Japanese Survivors Tell Their Stories.
Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2001. Print.
From this book, we learned that America was friends with China, so when Japan
invaded China, Japan became America’s enemy. Germany had been allies with Japan,
and Germany allowed Japan to take over the Pacific colonies. When the Americans
realized, Franklin D. Roosevelt moved US Navy‘s Pacific Fleet from California to Pearl
Harbor. Later, Japanese troops went into Indochina, and the US cut off all oil exports
from the US and China to Japan. So, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto thought that if Japan
were to attack the US Navy ships, then the US would have to surrender, negotiate, and
let Japan extend its empire and get its oil. During the attack on December 7, 1941,
Mitsuo Fuchida sent out two messages: to and ra, which meant to launch the attack and
that the attack’s element of surprise was successful, respectively. The main targets of the
attack were the Navy battleships Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland,
Oklahoma, and California. Kazuo Sakamaki and Chief Warrant Kiyoshi Inagaki were in
a midget submarine, which was caught in a coral reef. As a result, Kiyoshi drowned
while trying to swim to shore, and Kazuo became the first American prisoner of war.
Burgan, Michael. Perspective: The Attack on Pearl Harbor | US Entry into WW II |. Selangor
Darul Ehsan: Benchmark, 2011. Print.
From this book, we learned that warfare is based on deception. On the Sunday of
December 7, 1941, Japan released 182 aircrafts into the air, commanded by Mitsuo
Fuchida. The leading captain of the first wave of airplanes, Fuchida and his pilots
announced the success of the element of surprise by saying, “Tora, tora, tora,” which
translates to “Tiger, tiger, tiger.” The later signal, “To, to, to,” which is an abbreviation
for totsugeki, means “charge” in Japanese. Although some aircrafts were detected by the
United States, they made no effort to stop the attacks. Five minutes to 8:00 AM, the
Japanese pilots dropped bombs on Oahu, aiming for the US war planes stationed there.
The bombing lasted until about 8:30 AM and the final result was that approximately
2,400 people died and 1,200 were critically hurt. Also, 21 US Navy ships were either
sunk or had been damaged, with over 300 warplanes destructed.
Davenport, John. The Attack on Pearl Harbor: The United States Enters World War II. New
York: Chelsea House, 2009. Print.
This book helped give us a better understanding of what events preceded the Japanese
bombing Pearl Harbor. To begin, Japan was in war with Russia, called the Russo-
Japanese War, during the years 1904 and 1905. Observing the Japanese military’s tactics
and skills, US president Franklin D. Roosevelt admired the Japanese. However, the
majority of the US did not. Japanese immigrants were discriminated against. In fact,
some of the Japanese Americans were forced to go to school with the Chinese rather
than the Caucasians. In fear of war, Roosevelt tried to end this discrimination against
Japanese. Japan, in return, agreed to discourage its people from moving to America.
Despite this negotiation, resentment lingered. Consequently, both Japan and the US
anticipated war. America had it War Plan Orange while Japan had its plan of attacking
Hawaii, specifically Pearl Harbor. Looking back at World War I, both Japan and
America had come out as winners. As well as both being champions, both empires were
looking to expand their influence over China and trade with them. Since the first world
war weakened any other non-Asian rivalries, it was only America against Japan in terms
of gaining trade-control over China. Soon, Japan was gaining influence over China.
Despite China being upset with the Twenty-One Demands placed on them by Japan and
America’s objections, China gave Japan full economic and military power over itself in
May, 1915. Although, right after World War I, there was some settlement between Japan
and the US, there was none during the 1920s and 1930s. Soon, there would be war in
Asia and Europe.
Nevertheless, Japan and America sought accommodation between themselves in hope of
preventing war. Eventually, however, their influence over the Pacific was expanding to a
point of near collision. As a result, the US was deciding over how to limit Japan,
specifically by the use of weapons. In the meantime, Japan was concerned with the Paris
Peace Conference of 1919. In this agreement, Japan felt that they didn’t earn enough
from having contributed in defeating Germany in World War I. While the US and
Britain earned 500,000 tons worth of ships, Japan only received 300,000 tons, and Japan
felt insulted. For the status it would give, Japan wanted equality with the US and Britain.
They felt that this inequality was US’ hostility. Rather accurately, as future events have
shown, Brigadier General Billy Mitchel predicted that Japan would put a surprise attack
on Pearl Harbor. Planning for the attack, Japanese naval officer Isoroku Yamamoto
proposed that torpedoes, dropped from airplanes, should attack the American warships
at Pearl Harbor. Throughout the 1920s, the US and Japan monitored each other. While
America tried to break Japan’s military code, Japan tried to learn about the U.S. During
this time period, Japan began to think about being Asia’s dominant power. Because they
had gained some control over China, Japan was able to use China as its food source.
Soon, China became the center of Japan’s foreign policy. By having military control in
China, Japan had the ability to fight any American military forces trying to gain Asian
lands. Using their only available “weapon” to fight against Japan’s ambitions, US
Congress put an embargo on Japan on exports of high grade scrap metals and high-
octane fuel for Japan.
Dolan, Edward F. America in World War II: 1941. Brookfield: Millbrook, 1991. Print.
In this book, we learned more information about figures involved in the bombing of
Pearl Harbor as well as some events that followed the attack. General Hideki Tojo was
the first in rank of Japan during the time of the attack. While many Japanese officials
were against it, Tojo proposed the attack on Pearl Harbor. Some of the officials
opposing such an idea were former Prime Minister Fuminaro Konoye and Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto. Yamamoto led the Japanese Navy during the early stage of World
War I. Although he was ordered to plan and command the attack on Pearl Harbor as well
as the air force on Oahu, Yamamoto was strongly against entering war with a strong
nation like the US. In 1943, two years after the Pearl Harbor attack, Yamamoto was
killed in the South Pacific in air ambuscade. In America, Admiral Husband E. Kimmel
was in charge of the US Pacific Fleet while Lieutenant General Walter C. Short was in
command of the US Army Troops based in Hawaii. These two Americans were
criticized severely for not having been able to prepare their troops for an attack from
Japan.
Having survived the first wave of Japanese attack in the Philippines and then returning
to retaliate at a Japanese fleet of ships, three bombs hitting the battleship Haruna,
Captain Colin P. Kelly was considered to be one of the first American war heroes.
However, his plane was shot down and he crashed landed.
Several days after the attack, the phone company of San Francisco put up a wall of
sandbags to protect themselves from Japanese attacks that never came. During World
War II, women worked at recording numbers at factories that produced materials for war
and defense plants.
Dunnahoo, Terry. Pearl Harbor: America Enters the War. New York: F. Watts, 1991. Print.
This book informed us about how the development atomic bomb and the V2 rocket
spread over the world and also about how the United States concluded that they needed
a warning system for surprise attacks. The Defense Early Warning System was set up,
which involved a line from the US to the Soviet Union and passed over the North Pole
because that was the shortest distance. The line was called the Dew Line.
Dupuy, Trevor Nevitt. The Air War in the Pacific: Air Power Leads the Way. Vol. 13. New
York: Franklin Watts, 1964. Print. The Military History of World War II.
This book informed us more about the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese First Air
Fleet left Hitokappu Bay, in the Kurile Islands, on November 26, 1941. The fleet
consisted of 414 planes, 6 aircraft carriers. In addition to the air force, there were 2
battleships and 12 more warships. In command of the fleet was Vice Admiral Chuichi
Nagumo. The US was unprepared on account of how Premier Tojo ordered the two
Japanese ambassadors to act as if they were continuing the negotiations with the US,
Nagumo led his fleet with caution, and the US Army and Navy were lacking alertness in
Oahu. Although the US deciphered Japanese radio signals, without Japan knowing, and
found out that an attack would take place on either December 7 or December 8, they
focused their attention on the South China Sea, where Japanese military was rather
active. The attack portrayed Japan’s great air force power.
Harris, Nathaniel. Pearl Harbor. London: Dryad, 1986. Print.
We learned that President Roosevelt had placed an embargo earlier on all war materials,
not just oil on Japan. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Americans initially thought
that it was a drill. However, over the radio, a message that said, “AIR RAID PEARL
HARBOR. THIS IS NOT A DRILL” was sent and alerted citizens and the navy men.
After the attack, it was recorded that the first and the last shots of the Japanese bombing
came from American guns.
Isserman, Maurice. World War II. New York: Facts on File, 1991. Print. America at War.
This book helped us to understand how the US defeated the Japanese in World War II. It
was in late 1944 when the US began to positions itself in the bombing campaign. As the
Air Force generals had stated the atomic bombs would, the Japanese surrendered
without a single American killed in the process. Although thousands of bombs were
released onto Japan, the bombs landing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were vital in Japan’s
surrender. The use of the atomic bomb not only ended the World War II, but it also
changed the world. The world was a very different place before the year 1939 in
comparison to after 1945. Throughout the war, Japan was merciless about their civilians’
lives and the lives of the Chinese. Japan’s civilian government was in little control over
the Japanese military.
McGowen, Tom. Midway & Guadalcanal. New York: Franklin Watts, 1984. Print. Turning
Points of World War II.
This book helped us to understand how the US made a comeback after the bombing of
Pearl Harbor. On June 4, 1942, although they were outnumbered, Admiral Chester
Nimitz used strategy to lead the US into victory against the determined Japanese at
Midway. Afterwards, the US focused on recapturing the Solomon Islands. On August 7,
1942, the American invasion force arrived on Guadalcanal where they met the Japanese
again. After months of fighting, the Japanese were finally defeated on February 7, 1943,
when the last Japanese left the island. These two major battles signified a major turning
point in the Pacific war for the US.
Nardo, Don. World War II: The War in the Pacific. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 1991. Print.
By reading this book, our group learned that during World War II, the United States had
a lot of power and became nearly invincible because it was the only country possessing
the atomic bomb. However, the Soviet Union also gained power since at the last second,
they declared war on Japan which made them victors. The Soviets also developed their
own atomic bomb, which drove the United States and the Soviet Union into a cold war
lasting nearly forty years. This book also was informing about the Axis countries, which
contained Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Allies included New Zealand, the United
States, France, Britain, South Africa, Canada, and more.
Seddon, Tom. Atom Bomb. New York: Scientific American for Young Readers, 1995. Print.
This book gave us some information on the events following the bombing at Pearl
Harbor. A day after this bombing, US Congress declared war on Japan, who was already
at war with China. Being an ally of Japan, Germany declared war with the US. Soon, all
of the US’ allies came in to help the US in this war. At this point, almost the whole
world was at war. Nine days later, a meeting was held in which it was agreed to build an
atomic bomb.
Skipper, G. C., and Robert L. Messer. Pearl Harbor. Chicago: Childrens, 1983. Print.
From this printed source, we were able to get more background information on the why
the Americans were so poorly prepared and why Japan attacked. The Japanese believed
in the concept of “Hakko Ichiu,” meaning “bringing the eight corners of the world under
one roof.” In other words, the Japanese believed that their destiny was to rule Asia. To
start this process, Japan had to gain control of the Asian countries that composed the
Asian continent. In 1910, Japan gained control of Korea, and in 1937, Japan began
waging war with China. In July, 1941, when Japan tried to get Indochina, or the region
containing present-day Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, the US put an embargo on Japan
to prevent them from taking more Asian countries. To Japan, this embargo meant war.
America was unaware of this aspect of war with Japan, except for a few who were
clueless on where they would strike. To the Americans, there were a couple of reasons
for poor preparations. For one, America believed that the Japanese military was inferior
to theirs. Due to the Great Depression from the 1930s, America also had little money to
spend on servicemen and military equipment. To add on, they thought that Pearl Harbor
was too shallow for any underwater torpedoes. Although America did crack the secret
Japanese diplomatic code, the code was guarded and important people in Pearl Harbor
had no access to the information. However, America did worry some about sabotage at
Pearl Harbor. They prepared ships and planes, but this only made for an easier target. In
spite of the fact that they were trying to negotiate a peace treaty with the US in late
1941, General Hideki Tojo began planning for war and Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
began planning strategies for attacking Pearl Harbor.
Tanaka, Shelley, and David Craig. Attack on Pearl Harbor: The True Story of the Day America
Entered World War II. New York: Hyperion For Children, 2001. Print.
This book told us about the Japanese flag, which used to be a circle with lines expanding
from it. The white background symbolizes the sky, and the red circle with lines
extending from it symbolize the rising sun. A survivor named George DeLong was on
USS Oklahoma when it rolled over capsized. The Kaneohe Naval Air Station in Hawaii
was attacked, as it contained United States army battle and airplanes.
Uschan, Michael. The Bombing of Pearl Harbor. New York: World Almanac Library, 2006.
Print.
This book helped us learn about the effects of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. First off, it
made Americans a part of what was going on in the outside world and stunned the
United States government out of their isolationism system. Second, the bombing united
Americans under one cause, which was to defeat the Japanese and despise them, no
matter to which country they were loyal to. Third, this tragic event instilled suspicion in
Americans of all Japanese people, even if they were American citizens. The United
States government was fearful that the Japanese living in America were spies, so they
forced all Japanese Americans to go to internment camps, where they were treated
terribly. Lastly, the bombing of Pearl Harbor led the United States to join World War II.
This created jobs for ship, plane, and weapon manufacturers. The new economy created
by World War II ended most of the financial issues of the Great Depression.
Documentaries:
Pearl Harbor: Disaster for Japan. National Geographics, 2013. Online Video. Pearl Harbor:
Disaster for Japan. National Geographics, 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 28 Nov. 2013.
On December 6th, one day before the attack, the Japanese sent a message to their
ambassador in Washington D.C. at 1:00 PM. In Washington D.C., they received the
letter only thirty minutes before the attack. This was because the Japanese were
supposedly slow typers, and wrote very indirectly so that the US government could not
decipher the message. The message from Japan was a declaration of war and a warning
to the Americans that they were going to attack . So, the message was deciphered only
after the attack, which caused the Americans to think that the Japanese had attacked
On December 7th, the Japanese executed their carefully-planned missions. The Japanese
fighters were trying to destroy the big ships as their main priority. They missed the
submarine pits, which as a critical mistake on their part because the pits were going to
carry the war to Japan. They were trying to strike the submarines since it would have set
back the United States’s war effort by a full two years. They also should have attacked
the fuel supports, but they decided not to because the smoke all around them would
make it hard to see and maneuver the plane. Furthermore, the Japanese did not attack the
United States war ships. Doing so would stop the US war effort before it even started.
The Japanese did, however, attack the US fuel storage, which contained enough to fuel
the Pacific Fleet for ten months. General Nagumo, who led the waves, thought that a
third wave was not necessary because he knew that the Americans would be, by that
time, well-prepared. Japan’s future was based on this critical bombing of Pearl Harbor,
and overall, the did not do very well. After the attack, the United States’ citizens were
not frightened and intimidated like the Japanese thought they would be; instead, the
Americans’ spirits, determination, and passion rose like never before.
Internet:
"70 Years since Pearl Harbor Attack | The Japan Times." Japan Times RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 16
Nov. 2013.
From this website, we learned what the Japanese take from the bombing of Pearl Harbor
today. For Japan, the bombing at Pearl Harbor took place on December 8, 1941.
Although the attack was successful, no major damage was done to the US aircraft
carriers, since they were not present. Japan has been accused numerous times of having
carried out a sneak attack since their Japanese Ambassador Kichisaburo Nomura and
special envoy Saburo Kurusu handed the final memorandum to the US Secretary of
State Cordell Hull late by an hour. To the Japanese, however, it is still believed that it is
the fault of the Japanese embassy staff in Washington, who were working very
inefficiently. If they had been more productive, the memorandum would have been
handed on time. Nonetheless, this argument is not strong, since the memorandum did not
clearly say that they were entering war. It only stated that Japan was terminating their
negotiations with the US. It has also often been said that the US’s negative impact on
Japan’s economy, including the embargo, the freezing of Japanese property in the US,
and the action of ending the bilateral trade and navigation treaty, provoked the Japanese
to attack Pearl Harbor. However, this, once more, is an invalid argument. The US only
performed these actions in response to Japan’s military aggression against China and its
recent attempt at gaining French Indochina. Also, one hour before the attack, Japanese
military units landed in British Malaya and Thailand to carry out operations to prepare
for when they wage war on China and US. Although many Japanese believe that the war
that began after the bombing was to mainly bring freedom to Asians from the Western
Powers, the main goal of the Japanese was to gain dominant control over the Asia-
Pacific region. This cost Japan more than 3 million lives and even more for other Asian
countries. Among these deceased were people from Japanese colonies, Japanese areas of
control, and imprisoned allies put to forced labor. The war between Japan and US only
ended in August, 1945, when atomic bombs landed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a
devastating event for the Japanese.
"A Japanese View of the Race Issue at the Paris Peace Conference." A Japanese View of the
Race Issue at the Paris Peace Conference. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2013.
This website tells us the view of the Japanese on the League of Nations. On February 15,
the first draft of the compact of the League of Nations was accepted by the Peace
Congress at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. It was noted that, on February 13, Japan
suggested adding an article that would abolish racial discrimination, but the Peace
Conference dismissed the idea without giving Japan a hearing. This was rather
disappointing for the Japanese. When America stated that peace can only exist between
equals, Japan felt that, unsure about Britain’s current position on the matter, America
might listen to their proposal of adding the article. However, Japan was disappointed
once again when America offered no encouragement for their proposed article. For the
Japanese, it was important that this article be included. By the agreement among the
Occidental Powers, or Western Powers, can’t encourage Japanese immigration to other
countries. Their population was immense and was growing at an average rate of 400,000
per year. Issues concerning food supply was becoming increasingly serious. European
countries, on the other hand, have the ability to encourage emigration. The only thing that
Japan wanted was fair treatment for Japanese immigrants moving to the western
countries.
Albertson, Mark. "Dec. 7 Has Importance beyond Pearl Harbor Attack." Thehour.com. The
Hour, 3 Dec. 2011. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.
The Japanese plan of worldwide expansion, titled Hakku-Ichiu, means literally “bringing
the eight corners of the world under one roof.” This plan was not unlike the German’s
ideas. The embargo the United States placed on Japan impeded the Hakku-Ichiu, and so
the Japanese became more aggressive towards the U.S.
Antill, Peter. "Pearl Harbor: The Day of Infamy, 7 December 1941." Pearl Harbor: The Day of
Infamy, 7 December 1941. History of War, 28 Oct. 2001. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.
This website gives a detailed account of what happened during the bombing of Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii. At 7:49 AM, or 0749 hours, commander Fuchida signaled the torpedo
bombers to attack by firing one shot from his flare gun. Fuchida fired a second time to
make sure all the bombers had seen the flare, but the second flare was misinterpreted by
Takahashi, who ordered his dive-bombers to strike. The code words ‘Tora, Tora, Tora’
sent at 7:53 indicated that the approach was successfully a surprise to the Americans. At
7:55, the first bomb exploded in a hangar. Japanese torpedo bombers sent their torpedoes
into the water. The attacks continued and caused great confusion and chaos. The second
wave arrived shortly after the first. At first, the Japanese considered sending a third wave,
but they decided not to because the American defense would be alert.
"Attack At Pearl Harbor, 1941 - The Japanese View." Attack At Pearl Harbor, 1941 - The
Japanese View. Eyewitness to History, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
This website includes an oral interview of the commander of the Japanese attacks, Mitsuo
Fuchida. The original Japanese goal was to bomb and destroy as many carriers as they
could. When Fuchida got to Hawaii, however, he saw that all eight of the ships were
there, but not one carrier. Still, he continued with his plan and tapped out the message
‘TO,TO,TO...’ Fuchida recalls how he had attempted to release several bombs and had
missed because of a cloud before he was finally successful.
"Attack At Pearl Harbor, 1941 - The Japanese View." Attack At Pearl Harbor, 1941 - The
Japanese View. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
From this website, we learned more about the Japanese preparation and the attack on
Pearl Harbor. The Japanese attack fleet left Japan on November 26. The flight
commander Vice Admiral Nagumo got his final orders on December 1, and on the
morning of December 7 the fleet was 275 miles north of the destination of Hawaii.
Getting into positions at 6:00 AM, the air attack was composed of fighter aircrafts, high-
level bombers, dive-bombers, and torpedo bombers. Although there were eight
battleships present, no carriers were in sight. At 7:49, or 0749 hours, Commander Mitsuo
Fuchida commanded the radioman to send the signal to attack. Lieutenant Commander
Murata led his torpedo bombers away. Lieutenant Commander Itayay led his fighters
down to eliminate any enemy fighters in the air. Takahashi led his dive-bombers straight
up into the sky. Commander Mitsuo Fuchida led his bombers towards Barbers Point to
regulate the attack schedule. There was no action from the US on the ground. It was
certain that the goal of achieving the element of surprise was reached. The attack began
with the drop of the first bomb on Wheeler Field. Soon, there were dive-bombing attacks
on Hickam Field and Ford Island. There was no real attempt from the US at taking the
command of the air away from the Japanese.
"Beyond the Movie: Pearl Harbor." Beyond the Movie: Pearl Harbor. National Geographic,
2001. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
Although there were sure signs of Japan intending to bomb Pearl Harbor, the U.S. was
too busy trying to help Britain in the European war to notice. Also, at Pearl Harbor, there
was a warning radar, fighter aircraft, and guns, but the commanders of the Pearl Harbor
military unit had not established a working air defense system. The reasons why the
Japanese were so successful in their attack were because for one, they traveled on a path
rarely used, and they did not use radios so they were not detected. Also, the Japanese had
practiced the bombing many times and were well prepared. Last but not least, the
Japanese planes were superior to the ones on Oahu. Prior to the attack, there were many
warnings the United States should have picked up on about the upcoming attack. The first
one came as a coded cablegram from the U.S. ambassador to Japan. The message said
that the Japanese were going to surprise attack Pearl Harbor, but the warning was brushed
off as a rumor. Another warning was when the Americans realized that the Japanese fleet
of ships the Americans had been tracking by radio had been ordered to stop using their
radios. In 1940, the United States code breakers built a machine, codenamed Purple, that
could read the Japanese’s coded messages. However, this machine did not reveal any
information about the attack on Pearl Harbor. When the bombing actually happened, the
U.S. military units in Hawaii immediately responded. The Japanese lost 29 aircrafts, 54
fliers, all five of their midget submarines, and nine onboard the submarines. The one
person who survived the submarine sinking became the first POW, or prisoner of war.
"Bushido (Japanese History)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.
Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
This website helped us to understand the Japanese’s belief of Bushido, which some
pilots in the attack on Pearl Harbor still took seriously, better. Bushido meant the ‘Way
of the Warrior’ in Japanese. It was the samurai code of conduct. During the mid-19th
century, this code of conduct was the basis for standard training. This contributed in the
rise of Japanese nationalism, or love for the country of Japan, and Japan’s pride for war.
Samurai were trained to obey the commands of their masters and to be loyal, even if it
were to mean violating the law.
"Carrier Locations, 7 December 1941." Carrier Locations, 7 December 1941. Naval History and
Heritage Command, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
On the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor, none of the three American carriers were
present. USS Enterprise, USS Lexington, and USS Saratoga are the names of the three
planes. Enterprise was at Wake Island, Lexington was at Midway Island, and Saratoga
was getting repaired on the West Coast.
Dickson, Keith D. "World War II Comes to America: Pearl Harbor." For Dummies. For
Dummies, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
The United States Pacific Fleet and around 50,00 soldiers occupied the military base on
the island of Oahu, which is part of Hawaii. The largest concentration of the Pacific
military was in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japanese goal was to destroy the U.S. carriers
and battleships, although by chance, the battleships were not present that day. The
bombing lasted for around an hour and fifty minutes. The next day, President Roosevelt
declared war on Japan, and the Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, was
overjoyed to get another ally.
"Editorial: Why We Remember Pearl Harbor." - Our Opinion. Gaston Gazette, 6 Dec. 2012.
Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
This website explores why we should remember the attack on Pearl Harbor. It led to the
United States’ entry in World War II, killed and wounded many Americans, and sunk
important military ships. Although there are many people who visit Pearl Harbor and the
USS Arizona memorial each day, it is a saddening thought that the number of the
survivors dwindles ever lower. For over 60 years, December 7th had reminded us about
“a date that will live in infamy.”
"FDR and Pearl Harbor." FDR and Pearl Harbor - Pearlharbor.pdf. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov.
2013.
This article contained helpful information regarding why the bombing happened. During
the 1930s, the Japanese invaded China, which the United States did not like. The US
responded by trying a numerous amount of different strategies to deter Japan. In the July
of 1941 when Japan conquered French Indochina, president Roosevelt decided to place
an embargo on Japan for oil. As the Japanese military depended heavily on America for
oil, they were in a huge crisis. At this point, the Japanese had two choices. One was to
capture more of Southeast Asia, where there was more oil, but the Americans would
oppose. The second choice was to go to war with the US. After deciding on the latter
option, the Japanese kept their secret safe, hoping that the surprise attack on Pearl
Harbor would weaken the Americans.
In a letter from Franklin D. Roosevelt to his good friend, he addressed the concerns of
what would happen to Britain if the US was at war with the Japanese. The issue was that
if America placed all its military strength in the goal to defeat the Japanese, then Britain
would have less of America’s help and might lose the European wars. However,
Roosevelt confidently assured his friend that the British were very strong and didn’t
need the United States to assist them. In another letter, Henry Morgenthau, Jr., the US
Secretary of the Treasury, estimated the number of oil barrels Japan needed for a full-