Pearl Harbor National History Day Project
My name is Daniela. For my National History Day project, I wanted to do Pearl Harbor because I have been there before. This website describes the history of Pearl Harbor and why the Japanese were able to surprise the U.S. Navy.
History
In 1940 President Roosevelt moved the U.S. Pacific Fleet from California to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
The attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II.
The attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II.
Why Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor?
Japan has almost no natural resources. Rubber, tin, iron, etc. are found in China and Japan needed these resources. Japan invaded China in 1937.
Japan wanted to expand into Asia but the United States stopped selling oil to Japan in the hopes of stopping Japan's aggression. Japan needed oil because Japan imported almost 80% of its oil from the United States (Ernest Arroyo, Pearl Harbor [Michael Freidman Publishing Group, 2001], 12). Talks between Japan and the United States to solve their differences hadn't been going well. The Japanese were tired of these talks with the United States.
Japan wanted to expand into Asia but the United States stopped selling oil to Japan in the hopes of stopping Japan's aggression. Japan needed oil because Japan imported almost 80% of its oil from the United States (Ernest Arroyo, Pearl Harbor [Michael Freidman Publishing Group, 2001], 12). Talks between Japan and the United States to solve their differences hadn't been going well. The Japanese were tired of these talks with the United States.
Where is Pearl Harbor?
Pearl Harbor is on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Where is Japan in Relation to Hawaii?
When Did the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor?
Pearl Harbor was where the Japanese attacked, by surprise, on December 7, 1941.
What Damage Did the Japanese do?
8 U.S Navy ships were damaged and 4 of those were sunk. 188 U.S airplanes destroyed. 2,402 Americans killed. 1,282 Wounded.
How Was the U.S. Surprised?
Japanese ships sailed across the Pacific Ocean in stormy seas which helped them from being seen. Hawaii did not find out that the Japanese were meeting with the U.S Secretary of State to break off talks until 5 hours after attack. Maybe they would have been more alert had they known about the meeting.
The Japanese planes were not heard because the planes flew in low over the mountains which blocked the noise of the planes. People who did hear the planes early on Sunday thought they were part of U.S Army or Navy drills. Two U.S. Army men picked up a lot of planes on radar. They reported it and were told it was most likely U.S. planes coming from California. Pearl harbor was on low alert and not ready for an attack. Almost none of the U.S. airplanes were ready to take off and fight against the Japanese planes.
The Japanese planes were not heard because the planes flew in low over the mountains which blocked the noise of the planes. People who did hear the planes early on Sunday thought they were part of U.S Army or Navy drills. Two U.S. Army men picked up a lot of planes on radar. They reported it and were told it was most likely U.S. planes coming from California. Pearl harbor was on low alert and not ready for an attack. Almost none of the U.S. airplanes were ready to take off and fight against the Japanese planes.
My Trip to Pearl Harbor
In 2012, I visited Pearl Harbor and saw with my own eyes what was destroyed. We saw the USS Arizona where it lays in the water.