Chuichi Nagumo's Attack On Pearl Harbor
“On Sunday morning, 7 December 1941, with a devastating surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor by Vice Adrmiral Chuichi Nagumo’s carrier-based planes, Japan began her war against the United States.”1 On that Sunday the peaceful paradise of Hawaii was shattered. A surprise Japanese attack on the Island of Oahu and the fleet at Pearl Harbor was caused for one of the most devastating defeats in American military history.
On this day a Japanese fleet of six aircraft carriers sat two hundred miles north of Hawaii. Three hundred and fifty pilots said their prayers before embarking on their mission to bomb Pearl Harbor. Japan’s military training had included the rigid Japanese indoctrination of the military spirit. All cadets …show more content…
Approaching the Island of Oahu from its mountainous eastern coast the first wave of Japanese squadrons were not detected by radar because of a dead zone cause by the mountains and also the American surveillance planes did not go in the air on Sunday mornings. This facilitated the element of surprise. The Japanese admiral realized he must eliminate the American Naval strength in the Pacific if Japan is to be victorious. The Japanese believed that the American public would be discouraged by heavy losses and stay out of the war. “A couple hours later the Japanese commander who led the air attack radios back the code, “Tora, Tora. Tora” meaning success, maximum strategic surprise, Americans caught unaware. Then the island wide attack …show more content…
Dive-bombers focused on Kaneohe naval air station while dive-bombers and fighters attacked Bellows Field. Waves of bombers continued to pound military instillations in an all out assault on the Island. The Japanese were not limited to military sites; they were also bombing civilian targets. Anyone who could grab a gun used it trying to fight back. There was massive confusion as Americans tried to grasp what was happening. In a tragic case of bad timing, the scheduled American B-17s and the U.S. enterprise arrived Pearl Harbor at the same time and were caught between enemy and friendly fire. Machine guns on Battleship Nevada opened fire on torpedo planes. High-level bombers began the run on battleship row and one of the easiest targets was the defenseless Oklahoma.8 The only thing people on board were expecting was sabotage. Amidst the frenzy American soldiers were still not sure who exactly was attacking them. The first wave of the Japanese attack on the Island of Oahu was a stunning victory for the enemy. America’s Pacific Fleet felt the sting of nearly perfected torpedoes designed specifically for the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor. Violent explosions rocked light cruisers and battleships like the
On this day a Japanese fleet of six aircraft carriers sat two hundred miles north of Hawaii. Three hundred and fifty pilots said their prayers before embarking on their mission to bomb Pearl Harbor. Japan’s military training had included the rigid Japanese indoctrination of the military spirit. All cadets …show more content…
Approaching the Island of Oahu from its mountainous eastern coast the first wave of Japanese squadrons were not detected by radar because of a dead zone cause by the mountains and also the American surveillance planes did not go in the air on Sunday mornings. This facilitated the element of surprise. The Japanese admiral realized he must eliminate the American Naval strength in the Pacific if Japan is to be victorious. The Japanese believed that the American public would be discouraged by heavy losses and stay out of the war. “A couple hours later the Japanese commander who led the air attack radios back the code, “Tora, Tora. Tora” meaning success, maximum strategic surprise, Americans caught unaware. Then the island wide attack …show more content…
Dive-bombers focused on Kaneohe naval air station while dive-bombers and fighters attacked Bellows Field. Waves of bombers continued to pound military instillations in an all out assault on the Island. The Japanese were not limited to military sites; they were also bombing civilian targets. Anyone who could grab a gun used it trying to fight back. There was massive confusion as Americans tried to grasp what was happening. In a tragic case of bad timing, the scheduled American B-17s and the U.S. enterprise arrived Pearl Harbor at the same time and were caught between enemy and friendly fire. Machine guns on Battleship Nevada opened fire on torpedo planes. High-level bombers began the run on battleship row and one of the easiest targets was the defenseless Oklahoma.8 The only thing people on board were expecting was sabotage. Amidst the frenzy American soldiers were still not sure who exactly was attacking them. The first wave of the Japanese attack on the Island of Oahu was a stunning victory for the enemy. America’s Pacific Fleet felt the sting of nearly perfected torpedoes designed specifically for the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor. Violent explosions rocked light cruisers and battleships like the