WW2 STORY OF PEARLHARBOR

WORLD WAR 2 
STORY OF PEARLHARBOR




 Tension between the United States and Japan, ascendant since 1940, had reached the critical stage. The U.S. State Department was demanding two explanations from Japan. Specifically, why she was massing troops in French Indo-China and, generally, what was her future policy regarding China. Special Japanese envoy, Saburo Kurusu came to the United States in mid-November with a portfolio full of replies.


 the real answer came on Dec. 7, the "day of infamy", when 200 aircraft carrier-borne planes attacked the American fleet and installations at Pearl Harbor. Simultaneously, Japan struck at the Philippines, Hong-Kong, Thailand, and the Malay States. Japan's entire campaign in the Pacific was based on crippling the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor. Judged strictly on its military merits, the "sneak attack" was entirely successful. One battleship was lost and seven others so severely damaged that they were out of service for months to come.

 Japan's early progress was rapid. On Jan. 2, 1942, Manila fell, and General Douglas MacArthur's forces retired to the Bataan Peninsula to begin their historic delaying tactics. The battle for Malaya was won on Feb. 15 when Singapore surrendered. By March 1, the Netherlands Indies, with Sumatra, Borneo, and Celebes gone, were still carrying on with Java as the last stronghold. Japan had already invaded Burma, capturing Moulmein, Feb. 1, and then Rangoon, the entry port of the Burma Road, March 9.
 

 At dawn on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, a force of about 150 Japanese bombers and torpedo-carrying planes launched a surprise attack Pearl Harbor, the chief U.S. Naval base in the Pacific. Hits were scored on several naval craft lying anchor in the harbor and two battleships, the Oklahoma and the Arizona were sunk. Other military objectives on the island, including Hickam Field, U.S. Army air base, were attacked and considerable damage was done. The casualties amounted to 4,500, of which 2,300 were fatal. It was not until later in the day the formal declaration of war against America and Great Britain was made. 

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 DESTRUCTION ON A SUNDAY MORNING

 Japan's entry into the war, although sudden, was not unexpected. Ever since the previous October when the direction of Japan's foreign policy had fallen into hands of the military clique under the leadership of General Tojo, that country's relations with United States and Britain had steadily grown worse. The new premier had demanded a free hand to liquidate the "China Incident" once and for all, and had declared that until America and Britain refrained from supplying arms to China and recognized Japan's leadership in the Western Pacific no peaceful settlement was likely to be reached. On November 14, however, a special envoy, Saburo Kurusu, arrived in Washington to aid Admiral Nomura, Japanese Ambassador, in the latter's talks the United States government. Three days later General Tojo announced a three-point program upon which, he said, the success of these negotiations depended. The points were: (1) Third powers must refrain from obstructing the successful conclusion of the China affair; (2) countries surrounding Japan must refrain from presenting a military menace to the empire and must end all economic blockades and (3) must exert their utmost efforts to prevent an extension of the European war to East Asia. On December 6 President Roosevelt sent a personal note to the Emperor of Japan, but before any reply was received, and while the Washington talks were still proceeding the attack on Pearl Harbor announced that Japan had entered the war in true Axis fashion by striking first and declaring war afterwards. Testifying to the extent of the Japanese attack on December 7, as shown in the first picture, left to right, the U.S.S. West Virginia, severely damaged, U.S.S. Tennessee damaged and the U.S.S. Arizona sunk. In the second picture, alongside of the U.S.S. Oklahoma (far right) which capsized, the 31,500-ton U.S.S. Maryland was damaged slightly and was one of the first ships to rejoin the fleet after the Japanese attack. In addition to the damage to warships, Hickam Field, the Army Air Field outside of Honolulu, and a large floating drydock were blasted to wreckage. On the same day the Japanese occupied the International Settlement at Shanghai.

 
 The U.S.S. California settles into the mud of Pearl Harbor. Clouds of smoke conceal all but the hull of the capsized U.S.S. Oklahoma, far right. The next day, Monday, December 8, United States and Great Britain formally declared war on Japan. In the United States President Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress after which a resolution was introduced in both houses and adopted with one dissenting vote. Three days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States and on the same day the challenge was accepted by the American people.
 
 The jumbled mass of wreckage in the foreground of the drydock are U.S. destroyers Downes (left) and Cassin (right). The battleship in the rear is the U.S.S. Pennsylvania, flagship of the Pacific fleet, which suffered relatively light damage from the Japanese attack. Main and auxiliary fittings of the Downes and Cassin are being transferred to new hulls.