Pearl Harbor: Movie vs Reality
Pearl Harbor: Movie vs. Reality
“December 7th, 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” (Roosevelt). Japan surprise attacked the Hawaiian naval base, Pearl Harbor, approximately at 7:55 am. The intent of the Japanese strike was to prevent the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with plans to seize overseas territories belonging to United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United States. War between Japan and the US was inevitable around the time of the attack. Everyone knew that sooner or later we would be in a conflict with The Japanese Empire for some reason or another since the 1920’s. It all started when the Japanese invaded China in an attempt to take control of Asia. This action caused the United States, United Kingdom and France to supply war supplies to the Republic of China. The Japanese wanted expand its empire in 1941; their targets were most of Southeast Asia and small Pacific islands were the sought rubber, oil and other natural resources. Events leading in to 1941 caused the US to cease all oil exports to Japan. This made japan very anger and they started to consider a preventive strike on the US Pacific Fleet and US troops in Southeast Asia; this includes an attack on the Philippines, Pearl Harbor and other US military bases in the area. The plans to attack Pearl Harbor started around early January 1941. It was believed to be Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto to begin the planning of the attack on the Hawaiian naval base but soon after the planning has started another Japanese commander, Commander Minoru Genda, took control and was the main planner of the attack; which was first named “Operation Hawaii” but was later changed to “Operation Z” (Rosenburg). The day came for the Japanese to launch its waves of attack on the Hawaiian Islands and time to finally enter war with the United States. It was December 7th, 1941; an early Sunday
“December 7th, 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” (Roosevelt). Japan surprise attacked the Hawaiian naval base, Pearl Harbor, approximately at 7:55 am. The intent of the Japanese strike was to prevent the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with plans to seize overseas territories belonging to United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United States. War between Japan and the US was inevitable around the time of the attack. Everyone knew that sooner or later we would be in a conflict with The Japanese Empire for some reason or another since the 1920’s. It all started when the Japanese invaded China in an attempt to take control of Asia. This action caused the United States, United Kingdom and France to supply war supplies to the Republic of China. The Japanese wanted expand its empire in 1941; their targets were most of Southeast Asia and small Pacific islands were the sought rubber, oil and other natural resources. Events leading in to 1941 caused the US to cease all oil exports to Japan. This made japan very anger and they started to consider a preventive strike on the US Pacific Fleet and US troops in Southeast Asia; this includes an attack on the Philippines, Pearl Harbor and other US military bases in the area. The plans to attack Pearl Harbor started around early January 1941. It was believed to be Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto to begin the planning of the attack on the Hawaiian naval base but soon after the planning has started another Japanese commander, Commander Minoru Genda, took control and was the main planner of the attack; which was first named “Operation Hawaii” but was later changed to “Operation Z” (Rosenburg). The day came for the Japanese to launch its waves of attack on the Hawaiian Islands and time to finally enter war with the United States. It was December 7th, 1941; an early Sunday
Cited: Biodrowsk, Steve. "PEARL HARBOR: Hollywood Vs. History." Mania. 05 July 2001. Web. <http://www.mania.com/pearl-harbor-hollywood-vs-history_article_27551.html>. Ebert, Robert. "Pearl Harbor (PG-13)." robertebert.com. 21 Nov 2001. Web. <http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20010525/REVIEWS/105250301/1023>. Richardson, K.D. "Introduction." Reflections of Pearl Harbor: An Oral History of December 7, 1941. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2005. ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. Web. 27 Nov 2012. Roosevelt, Franklin. "Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation." Pearl Harbor Attacked. Congress. Washington, DC. 8 Dec 1941. Rosenburg, Jennifer. "Pearl Harbor Facts." About.com. About.Com. Web. <http://history1900s.about.com/od/Pearl-Harbor/a/Pearl-Harbor-Facts.htm>.