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"Pearl Harbor" by The U.S. Army is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The Attack on Pearl HarborBy National Park Service

2016

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the UnitedStates naval base on Pearl Harbor, the morning of December 7, 1941. This battle was key in determining theUnited States’ participation in World War II and would impact future relations between the United Statesand citizens of Japanese descent. This informational text further discusses the events leading up to theattack on Pearl Harbor and the extent of the damage done to the naval base and those that were stationedthere. As you read, take note of how the negative relationship between Japan and the United Statesdeveloped.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was the culminationof a decade of deteriorating relations betweenJapan and the United States over the status ofChina and the security of Southeast Asia. Thisbreakdown began in 1931 when Japanese armyextremists,1 in defiance of government policy,invaded and overran the northern-most Chineseprovince of Manchuria. Japan ignored Americanprotests, and in the summer of 1937 launched afull-scale attack on the rest of China. Althoughalarmed by this action, neither the United Statesnor any other nation with interests in the Far Eastwas willing to use military force to halt Japaneseexpansion.

Over the next three years, war broke out in Europe and Japan joined Nazi Germany2 and Fascist Italy3

in the Axis Alliance. The United States applied both diplomatic and economic pressures to try to resolvethe Sino-Japanese conflict.4 The Japanese government viewed these measures, especially an embargo5

on oil, as threats to their national security. By the summer of 1941, both countries had taken positionsfrom which they could not retreat without a serious loss of national prestige.6 Although bothgovernments continued to negotiate their differences, Japan had already decided on war. The attackon Pearl Harbor was part of a grand strategy of conquest in the western Pacific. The objective was toimmobilize7 the Pacific Fleet8 so that the United States could not interfere with invasion plans. Theprincipal architect9 of the attack was Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of the JapaneseCombined Fleet. Though personally opposed to war with America, Yamamoto knew that Japan’s onlyhope of success in such a war was to achieve quick and decisive10 victory. If there were a prolongedconflict, America’s superior economic and industrial power would likely tip the scales in her favor.

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1. An “extremist” is a person who holds extreme political or religious views.2. a time in German history when the country was governed by the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party3. a movement in Italy that promoted the aggressive restoration and expansion of Italian territories4. conflicts occurring between China and Japan5. An “embargo” is an official ban on trade or other commercial activity.6. Prestige (noun): widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something7. “Immobilize” means to prevent someone or something from moving or operating as normal.8. The “Pacific Fleet” refers to the more than 200 American ships that had access to the Pacific Ocean.

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On November 26, the Japanese attack fleet of 33 warships and auxiliary craft,11 including 6 aircraftcarriers, sailed from northern Japan for the Hawaiian Islands. It followed a route that took it far to thenorth of the normal shipping lanes. By early morning, December 7, 1941, the ships had reached theirlaunch position, 230 miles north of Oahu. At 6 a.m., the first wave of fighters, bombers, and torpedoplanes took off. The night before, some 10 miles outside the entrance to Pearl Harbor, five midgetsubmarines12 carrying two crewmen and two torpedoes each were launched from larger “mother”subs. Their mission: enter Pearl Harbor before the air strike, remain submerged until the attack gotunderway, then cause as much damage as possible.

Meanwhile at Pearl Harbor, the 130 vessels of the U.S. Pacific Fleet lay calm and serene.13 Seven of thefleet’s nine battleships were tied up along “Battleship Row” on the southeast shore of Ford Island.Naval aircraft were lined up at Ford Island and Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Stations, and Marine aircraft atEwa Marine Corps Air Station. At Hickam, Wheeler, and Bellows airfields, aircraft of the U.S. Army AirCorps were parked in groups as defense against possible saboteurs.14 ;

At 6:40 a.m., the crew of the destroyer USS15 Ward spotted the conning tower16 of one of the midgetsubs headed for the entrance to Pearl Harbor. The Ward sank the sub with depth charges and gunfire,then radioed the information to headquarters. Before 7 a.m. the radar station at Opana Point pickedup a signal indicating a large flight of planes approaching from the north. These were thought to beeither aircraft flying in from the carrier Enterprise or an anticipated flight of B-17s from the mainland,so no action was taken.

The first wave of Japanese aircraft arrived over their target areas shortly before 7:55 a.m. Their leader,Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, sent the coded messages “To, To, To” and “Tora, Tora, Tora,” telling thefleet that the attack had begun and that surprise had been achieved.

At approximately 8:10, the USS Arizona exploded, hit by a 1,760-pound armor-piercing shell thatslammed through her deck and ignited her forward ammunition magazine. In less than nine minutes,she sank with 1,177 of her crew. The USS Oklahoma, hit by several torpedoes, rolled over, trappingmore than 400 men inside. The USS California and USS West Virginia sank at their moorings,17 whilethe USS Utah, converted to a training ship, capsized18 with more than 50 of her crew. TheUSS Maryland, USS Pennsylvania, and USS Tennessee all suffered significant damage. TheUSS Nevada attempted to run out to sea but took several hits and had to be run aground to avoidsinking and blocking the harbor entrance.

While the attack on Pearl Harbor intensified, other military installations on Oahu were hit. Hickam,Wheeler, and Bellows airfields, Ewa Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station, andSchofield Barracks suffered varying degrees of damage, with hundreds of planes destroyed on theground and hundreds of men killed or wounded.

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9. a person who designs and guides a plan10. Decisive (adjective): settling an issue; producing a definite result11. a naval ship which is meant to provide a supporting role to other ships12. also known as a mini submarine, and includes any submarine under 150 tons13. Serene (adjective): calm, peaceful, and untroubled14. A “saboteur” is a person who destroys or damages something deliberately.15. an abbreviation for “United States Ship”16. a raised platform on a ship or submarine17. a place where ships are secured18. “Capsize” means for a boat to overturn in the water.

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The Attack on Pearl Harbor by National Park Service is in the public domain.

After about five minutes, American anti-aircraft fire began to register hits, although many of the shellsthat had been improperly fused fell on Honolulu, where residents assumed them to be Japanesebombs. After a lull, at 8:40 a.m. the second wave of attacking planes focused on continuing thedestruction inside the harbor, destroying the USS Shaw, Sotoyomo, a dry dock, and heavily damagingthe Nevada, forcing her aground. The Japanese also attacked Hickam and Kaneohe airfields, causingheavy loss of life and reducing American ability to retaliate.

Army Air Corps pilots managed to take off in a few fighters and may have shot down 12 enemy planes.At 10 a.m. the second wave of attacking planes withdrew to the north, and the assault was over. TheJapanese lost 29 planes and five midget submarines, one of which was captured when it ran agroundoff Bellows Field.

The attack was a great, but not total, success. Although the U.S. Pacific Fleet was shattered, its aircraftcarriers (not in port at the time of the attack) were still afloat and Pearl Harbor was surprisingly intact.The shipyards, fuel storage areas, and submarine base suffered no more than slight damage. Moreimportantly, the American people, previously divided over the issue of U.S. involvement in World WarII, rallied together with a total commitment to victory over Japan and her Axis partners.

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Text-Dependent QuestionsDirections: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.

1. PART A: Which statement identifies the central idea of the text?A. Japan was successful in its assault on Pearl Harbor, as it prompted the United

States to officially enter WWII.B. Increasing tension between the United States and Japan resulted in the attack

on Pearl Harbor and the entrance of the United States into WWII.C. The United States entered WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor to further

assist China in its conflict with Japan.D. Despite causing damage to United States’ ships, the attack on Pearl harbor did

not result in excessive loss of life and therefore was ultimately unsuccessful.

2. PART B: Which quote from the text best supports the answer to Part A?A. “Japan ignored American protests, and in the summer of 1937 launched a full-

scale attack on the rest of China.” (Paragraph 1)B. “The objective was to immobilize the Pacific Fleet so that the United States could

not interfere with invasion plans.” (Paragraph 2)C. “Although the U.S. Pacific Fleet was shattered, its aircraft carriers (not in port at

the time of the attack) were still afloat and Pearl Harbor was surprisingly intact.”(Paragraph 11)

D. “the American people, previously divided over the issue of U.S. involvement inWorld War II, rallied together with a total commitment to victory over Japan andher Axis partners.” (Paragraph 11)

3. PART A: What is the meaning of “culmination” in paragraph 1?A. complete collapseB. build upC. final resultD. violent incident

4. PART B: Which detail from paragraph 1 best supports the answer to Part A?A. “The attack on Pearl Harbor”B. “a decade of deteriorating relations”C. “This breakdown began in 1931”D. “in the summer of 1937 launched a full-scale”

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[RI.5]5. How does Paragraph 7 contribute to the development of ideas in the text?

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Discussion QuestionsDirections: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared toshare your original ideas in a class discussion.

1. In the context of the text, how are we changed by war? How did the attack on Pearl Harborchange America? How do people continue to be impacted by the events of that day? Citeevidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in youranswer.

2. In the context of the text, what does it mean to be brave? How were the actions of thesoldiers present during the attack on Pearl Harbor examples of bravery? Cite evidence fromthis text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.

3. In the context of the text, how do people face death? The attack on Pearl Harbor resulted inexcessive loss of life – how do you think soldiers faced this? How do we continue to honorthose deceased soldiers today? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, andother literature, art, or history in your answer.

4. In the context of the text, how has America changed over time? How does the attack onPearl Harbor represent a great shift in America? How did America’s relations with Japan andthose of Japanese descent change after the attack on Pearl Harbor?

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