Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Attack on Pearl Harbor

75 years ago Japan attacked Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft and submarines attacked the American military base at Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. TASS recalls how defeat became the foundation for victory.

Treacherous and without a declaration of war

The attack on Pearl Harbor began at 7:55 a.m. Hawaiian time. After receiving the order from Tokyo, more than 300 aircraft took off from the aircraft carriers Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Zuikaku and Shokaku. In addition, mini-submarines took part in the attack. The Japanese took the American military by surprise: a third of the personnel were resting on the shore. For two hours, imperial naval aviation methodically destroyed the ships and planes in the harbor that did not even have time to take off from the airfields.

The degree of confusion of the Americans is evidenced by a panicked radiogram from the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Husband Kimmel, which was transmitted to “all forces on the high seas.” The message read: "The air raid on Pearl Harbor is not a training exercise. I repeat, this is not a training exercise."

The death of the battleship Arizona became a symbol of terrible carnage and chaos. The dropped bomb pierced the deck and hit the bow powder magazine. The ship's ammunition was stored here, which was instantly detonated. Of the approximately 1,400 crew, 1,177 sailors were killed. In total, the Americans lost 2,395 people killed. Four battleships, a cruiser, two destroyers, several auxiliary ships and 188 aircraft were destroyed. Another 10 ships and over 150 aircraft were damaged. Japanese losses were incomparably smaller: 64 people died and 29 aircraft were shot down.

The very next day after the attack, US President Franklin Roosevelt delivered a “war message to the nation” in Congress. War was declared on Japan.

Yesterday, on a day forever marked by infamy, the United States of America was unexpectedly and deliberately attacked by the Japanese Navy, said Roosevelt. — An hour after Japanese air squadrons began to bombard Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleagues conveyed to the Secretary of State a formal response to a recent American message. And although this response contained a statement that the continuation of ongoing diplomatic negotiations seemed futile, there was no threat or hint of war or armed attack!

"A Very American Story"

The word “Pearl Harbor” has since become a household word for Americans; it means a heavy, cruel and at the same time completely unexpected defeat, followed by a feeling of deepest confusion and helplessness. The defeat of a favorite baseball team is a “sports Pearl Harbor,” while the bankruptcy of a company is a “financial Pearl Harbor.” The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were first called by the French philosopher Paul Virilio “the new Pearl Harbor,” and then this became a commonplace in the American press and journalism.

But the philosophy and mythology of Pearl Harbor necessarily has a second part: after defeat, the hero gathers his strength and begins to restore justice - takes revenge on his offenders.

This is a very American story, we really believe in it, I believe in it too,” said Oscar-winning documentary director Michael Moore during one of his public lectures. - That the “bad man” won, but this is temporary, while we feel bad, but then we will definitely give him a kick... This happened before, and Pearl Harbor is just about this.

[Hover over the dots to see targets hit by Japanese pilots on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor]

After the attack on Hawaii, the Americans acted extremely harshly. And perhaps they acted most harshly within the country. In 1941–1942, 120 thousand Japanese living on the west coast of the United States were placed in special camps. The authorities doubted their loyalty. In official documents, the camps were called “relocation centers,” but they were often also called “concentration centers.” General John Lesesny DeWitt, who led the “movements,” was not particularly shy in his expressions. At congressional hearings, he said that "a Jap is always a Jap" and that "American citizenship does not mean loyalty; we must always show concern for the Japanese until they are wiped off the face of the earth."

Operation Revenge

In April 1942, the American Air Force, in retaliation for Pearl Harbor, organized a special raid: 16 tactical bombers, taking off from the American aircraft carrier Hornet, under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, bombed Tokyo. The Dolittle Raid marked the first time in military aviation history that land-based bombers took off from the short deck of an aircraft carrier. From a purely military point of view, the raid is dubious and ineffective, but it has a tremendous political and propaganda effect. For the first time, bombs fell on the capital of the Japanese Empire, which had previously been considered completely inaccessible to enemy aircraft. Just two years later, the MGM film company made a feature film about the raid, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, which was a huge success.

In early 1943, American naval intelligence carried out an operation codenamed "Revenge". The goal is to eliminate the commander-in-chief of the Japanese fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who planned and carried out the attack on Pearl Harbor. The plot is like an adventure film. They are trying to follow Yamamoto, trying to intercept his radio communications. The Americans have access to the admiral's flight schedule. A real hunt begins for him. Eventually, US Air Force pilot Lieutenant Rex Barber shoots down the admiral's plane.

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are sometimes also called unjustifiably cruel revenge for Pearl Harbor. When Barack Obama took part in laying flowers at the memorial to the victims of the bombing in Hiroshima in May of this year, then-presidential hopeful Donald Trump did not approve of this and wrote on his Twitter microblog: “Has President Obama ever discussed a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?” during a visit to Japan? Thousands of Americans died then."

Tears of the Battleship Arizona

Today, December 7, is no longer a “day of shame,” as Roosevelt said, but National Day of Remembrance. It was celebrated before, but Barack Obama, who was criticized by Trump for insufficient patriotism, assigned a special official status to it by decree. The former military base has been turned into a memorial: veterans and active military personnel come here every year. Tourists from Japan also come. The battleship Arizona, which was sunk during the attack in 1941, was not raised. A concrete structure has been erected above the ship's hull; the deck lies literally a few meters below it and is clearly visible. To this day, oil is seeping out of the Arizona's engine room, drop by drop, spreading across the water as a lilac-scarlet spot. The Americans say that this is “a battleship crying for its crew.”

According to established tradition, every US president must at least once honor the memory of sailors at the site where the Arizona sank. The memorial was also visited by both the current Emperor of Japan, Akihito, and the previous Emperor, Hirohito, the same one under whom the empire attacked Pearl Harbor. Next to the sunken Arizona stands the battleship Missouri, on board of which the unconditional surrender of Japan was signed on September 2, 1945. Thus, Washington turned perhaps its greatest defeat into victory.

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Pearl Harbor attack(Pearl Bay) or, according to Japanese sources, the Hawaiian operation - a sudden combined attack by Japanese carrier-based aircraft of the aircraft carrier formation of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo and Japanese midget submarines, delivered to the site of the attack by submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy, on American naval and air bases , located in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, which occurred on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941. As a result of the attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base, the United States was forced to declare war on Japan and enter World War II. The attack was a preventive measure against the United States, aimed at eliminating the American navy, gaining air supremacy in the Pacific region and subsequent military operations against Burma, Thailand, and the US's western possessions in the Pacific Ocean. The attack consisted of two air raids involving 353 aircraft from 6 Japanese aircraft carriers. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the main reason the United States entered World War II. Because of the attack, especially its nature, public opinion in America changed dramatically from an isolationist position in the mid-1930s to direct participation in the war effort. On December 8, 1941, US President Franklin Roosevelt spoke at a joint meeting of both houses of Congress. The President demanded that from December 7, from “a day that will go down in history as a symbol of shame,” to declare war on Japan. Congress adopted a corresponding resolution.

A model of the US Navy base at Pearl Harbor, built in Japan in 1941 during the planning of the attack on the base. The arrangement of the ship models extremely accurately reproduces their real place in the “line of battleships.”

Background
After the First World War, the Pacific Ocean became an arena of contradictions between two strong maritime states - the USA and Japan. The United States, rapidly rising to the position of the leading world power, sought to establish control over this strategically important region. Japan, which was experiencing serious difficulties in providing strategic materials and considered itself deprived of colonies in Southeast Asia, was striving for the same goal. The contradictions inevitably had to result in a military conflict, but this was prevented by the isolationist and anti-war sentiments that dominated American public opinion. These moods could only be destroyed by a strong psychological shock, which did not take long to arrive. The introduction of economic sanctions against Japan by the United States, which included an embargo on the supply of petroleum products, made war inevitable. Japan was faced with a choice - to suffocate under the economic blockade or die with honor, trying to obtain the resources it needed in battle. The top Japanese generals understood that for an unconditional victory over the United States it was necessary to defeat the American Pacific Fleet, land troops on the west coast of the United States and fight to Washington, which, given the ratio of the economic and military potentials of the two countries, was completely unrealistic. Forced to enter the war under pressure from the political elite, they relied on the only chance they had - with one powerful blow, inflicting unacceptable damage on the United States and forcing them to sign peace on terms favorable to Japan.

Pearl Harbor before the attack
The main events of December 7, 1941 unfolded around Fr. Ford Island, a small island in the center of the East Loch of Pearl Harbor. There was a naval airfield on the island, and there were ship moorings around it. Off the southeastern shore of the island. Ford is located so-called “Battleship Row” - 6 pairs of massive concrete piles designed for mooring heavy ships. The battleship is moored simultaneously to two piles. A second ship can moor alongside it.

View of Pearl Harbor and a row of battleships during the Japanese attack

By December 7, there were 93 ships and support vessels in Pearl Harbor. Among them are 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 5 submarines, 9 minelayers and 10 minesweepers of the US Navy. The air force consisted of 394 aircraft, and air defense was provided by 294 anti-aircraft guns. The base garrison numbered 42,959 people. Ships in the harbor and planes at the airfield were crowded together, making them a convenient target for attack. The base's air defense was not ready to repel attacks. Most of the anti-aircraft guns were not manned, and their ammunition was kept under lock and key.

Japanese aircraft carriers are heading for Pearl Harbor. The photo shows the flight deck of the Zuikaku aircraft carrier in its bow, twin installations of universal 127-mm type 89 guns. The Kaga aircraft carrier (closer) and the Akagi aircraft carrier (further) are visible ahead. The differences between the aircraft carriers of the 1st Division are clearly visible; the Akagi has a superstructure located on the port side.

Story

To attack Pearl Harbor, the Japanese command allocated an aircraft carrier force under the command of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, consisting of 23 ships and 8 tankers. The formation consisted of a Strike Group consisting of six aircraft carriers: Akagi, Hiryu, Kaga, Shokaku, Soryu and Zuikaku (1st, 2nd and 5th aircraft carrier divisions), Group cover (2nd detachment of the 3rd battleship division), two heavy cruisers (8th cruiser division), one light cruiser and nine destroyers (1st destroyer squadron), an advance detachment consisting of three submarines and a supply detachment of eight tankers. (Futida M., Okumiya M. The Battle of Midway Atoll. Translated from English. M., 1958. P. 52.) The aviation group of the formation consisted of a total of 353 aircraft.

The operation, which was carefully planned and prepared, was led by the commander of the combined Japanese fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Particular importance was attached to achieving surprise in the attack. On November 22, 1941, the task force gathered in the strictest secrecy in Hitokappu Bay (Kuril Islands) and from here, observing radio silence, headed for Pearl Harbor on November 26. The transition took place along the longest (6300 km) route, characterized by frequent stormy weather, but least visited by ships. For camouflage purposes, a false radio exchange was made, which simulated the presence of all large Japanese ships in the Inland Sea of Japan. (Soviet military encyclopedia. T.6. P. 295.)

Briefing on the deck of the aircraft carrier Kaga before the attack on Pearl Harbor

However, for the American government, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was not so unexpected. The Americans deciphered the Japanese codes and read all Japanese messages for several months. The warning about the inevitability of war was sent on time - November 27, 1941. The Americans received a clear warning about Pearl Harbor at the last moment, on the morning of December 7, but the instruction about the need to increase vigilance, sent via commercial lines, reached Pearl Harbor only 22 minutes before the Japanese attack began, and was transmitted to the messengers only at 10:45 minutes when it was all over. (See: History of the War in the Pacific. T.Z.M., 1958. P. 264; The Second World War: Two Views. P. 465.)

In the predawn darkness of December 7, Vice Admiral Nagumo's aircraft carriers reached the aircraft lifting point and were 200 miles from Pearl Harbor. On the night of December 7, 2 Japanese destroyers fired on the island. Midway, and 5 Japanese midget submarines launched at Pearl Harbor began operating. Two of them were destroyed by American patrol forces.

At 6.00 on December 7, 183 aircraft of the first wave took off from aircraft carriers and headed for the target. There were 49 attack aircraft - type "97" bombers, each of which carried an 800-kilogram armor-piercing bomb, 40 attack aircraft-torpedo bombers with a torpedo suspended under the fuselage, 51 dive bombers of the "99" type, each carrying a 250-kilogram bomb. The covering force consisted of three groups of fighters, numbering a total of 43 aircraft. (Futida M., Okumiya M., op. cit. p. 54.)

The first aircraft is ready to take off from the aircraft carrier Shokaku at Pearl Harbor

The skies over Pearl Harbor were clear. At 7:55 am, Japanese planes attacked all large ships and aircraft at the airfield. There was not a single American fighter in the air, and not a single gun flash on the ground. As a result of the Japanese attack, which lasted about an hour, 3 battleships were sunk and a large number of aircraft were destroyed. Having finished bombing, the bombers headed for their aircraft carriers. The Japanese lost 9 aircraft.

Destroyed Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor

The second wave of aircraft (167 aircraft) took off from the aircraft carriers at 7:15 am. In the second wave there were 54 attack bombers of the 97 type, 78 dive bombers of the 99 type and 35 fighter jets, which covered the actions of the bombers. The second strike by Japanese planes met stronger American resistance. By 8.00 the planes returned to the aircraft carriers. Of all the aircraft that took part in the air raid, the Japanese lost 29 (9 fighters, 15 dive bombers and 5 torpedo bombers). Manpower losses amounted to a total of 55 officers and men. In addition, the Americans sank one submarine and 5 midget submarines, whose actions turned out to be ineffective.

The abandonment of the battleship Nevada inside the harbor during the attack on Pearl Harbor. On this day, she became the only American battleship that managed to get underway and tried to leave the bay. However, due to the threat of sinking by the Japanese in the fairway, the Nevada was ordered to beach. In total, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the battleship Nevada was hit by 1 aerial torpedo and 2-3 aerial bombs, after which it ran aground.

Japanese aviation
In total, three types of aircraft were based on the Japanese aircraft carriers that participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor, widely known by the code names given to them in the American Navy: Zero fighters, Kate torpedo bombers and Val dive bombers. Brief characteristics of these aircraft are given in the table:

Japanese A6M Zero fighters before taking off to attack the American base at Pearl Harbor on the deck of the aircraft carrier Akagi. The photo was taken a few minutes before departure.

Aircraft of the first wave

Group numbers are conditional for designation on diagrams.

Aircraft of the second wave

Group numbers are conditional for designation on diagrams.

Results
As a result of the Japanese airborne attack on Pearl Harbor, the strategic goal of preventing the US Pacific Fleet from interfering with Japanese operations in the south was largely achieved. 4 American battleships were sunk and 4 more were badly damaged. 10 other warships were sunk or disabled; 349 American aircraft destroyed or damaged; among the killed or wounded Americans - 3,581 military, 103 civilian. (The Second World War: Two Views. P. 466.)

The Japanese victory could have been even more significant. They failed to cause the slightest harm to the enemy aircraft carriers. All 4 American aircraft carriers were absent from Pearl Harbor: 3 of them went to sea, one was being repaired in California. The Japanese made no attempt to destroy the huge American oil reserves in Hawaii, which in fact were almost equal to the entire Japanese reserves. The Japanese formation, with the exception of the ships that were part of a specially organized formation, which consisted of the 2nd division of aircraft carriers, the 8th division of cruisers and 2 destroyers, headed for the inland Sea of Japan. On December 23, it arrived at the anchorage near the island. Hasira.

Thus, by 10 a.m. on December 7, the American fleet in the Pacific actually ceased to exist. If at the beginning of the war the ratio of the combat power of the American and Japanese fleets was equal to 10: 7.5 (History of the War in the Pacific. T.Z. P. 266), now the ratio in large ships has changed in favor of the Japanese naval forces. On the very first day of hostilities, the Japanese gained supremacy at sea and gained the opportunity to conduct extensive offensive operations in the Philippines, Malaya and the Dutch Indies.

Battleship California and tanker Neosho during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The battleship California sank after being hit by two torpedoes and two bombs. The team could have saved the ship, and even set sail, but abandoned it due to the threat of a fire from a flaming slick of oil leaking from other battleships. The ship landed on the ground. Has been restored.In the background is the squadron tanker Neosho, subsequently sunk by Japanese carrier-based aircraft in the battle in the Coral Sea in May 1942. Fortunately for the Americans, as a result of the fact that during the Pearl Harbor attack the Japanese pilots had warships as a clear target, the tanker was not hit. The Neosho tanks were filled to capacity with high-octane aviation gasoline...

A row of battleships (“Battleship Row” are concrete piles to which heavy ships were moored side to side) at Pearl Harbor. From left to right: USS West Virginia, USS Tennessee (damaged) and USS Arizona (sunk).
The attack of Pearl Harbor (Pearl Bay) or, according to Japanese sources, the Hawaiian operation is a sudden combined attack by Japanese carrier-based aircraft of the aircraft carrier formation of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo and Japanese midget submarines, delivered to the site of the attack by submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy, on the American military. naval and air bases located in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, occurred on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941.

As a result of the attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base, the United States was forced to declare war on Japan and enter World War II. The attack was a preventive measure against the United States, aimed at eliminating the American navy, gaining air supremacy in the Pacific region and subsequent military operations against Burma, Thailand, and the US's western possessions in the Pacific Ocean. The attack consisted of two air raids involving 353 aircraft from 6 Japanese aircraft carriers. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the main reason the United States entered World War II. Because of the attack, especially its nature, public opinion in America changed dramatically from an isolationist position in the mid-1930s to direct participation in the war effort. On December 8, 1941, US President Franklin Roosevelt spoke at a joint meeting of both houses of Congress. The President demanded that from December 7, from “a day that will go down in history as a symbol of shame,” to declare war on Japan. Congress adopted a corresponding resolution.

Background

After the First World War, the Pacific Ocean became an arena of contradictions between two strong maritime states - the USA and Japan. The United States, rapidly rising to the position of the leading world power, sought to establish control over this strategically important region. Japan, which was experiencing serious difficulties in providing strategic materials and considered itself deprived of colonies in Southeast Asia, was striving for the same goal. The contradictions inevitably had to result in a military conflict, but this was prevented by the isolationist and anti-war sentiments that dominated American public opinion. These moods could only be destroyed by a strong psychological shock, which did not take long to arrive. The introduction of economic sanctions against Japan by the United States, which included an embargo on the supply of petroleum products, made war inevitable. Japan was faced with a choice - to suffocate under the economic blockade or die with honor, trying to obtain the resources it needed in battle. The top Japanese generals understood that for an unconditional victory over the United States it was necessary to defeat the American Pacific Fleet, land troops on the west coast of the United States and fight to Washington, which, given the ratio of the economic and military potentials of the two countries, was completely unrealistic. Forced to enter the war under pressure from the political elite, they relied on the only chance they had - with one powerful blow, inflicting unacceptable damage on the United States and forcing them to sign peace on terms favorable to Japan.

Pearl Harbor before the attack

The main events of December 7, 1941 unfolded around Fr. Ford Island, a small island in the center of the East Loch of Pearl Harbor. There was a naval airfield on the island, and there were ship moorings around it. Off the southeastern shore of the island. Ford is located so-called “Battleship Row” - 6 pairs of massive concrete piles designed for mooring heavy ships. The battleship is moored simultaneously to two piles. A second ship can moor alongside it.

View of Pearl Harbor and a row of battleships during the Japanese attack
By December 7, there were 93 ships and support vessels in Pearl Harbor. Among them are 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 5 submarines, 9 minelayers and 10 minesweepers of the US Navy. The air force consisted of 394 aircraft, and air defense was provided by 294 anti-aircraft guns. The base garrison numbered 42,959 people. Ships in the harbor and planes at the airfield were crowded together, making them a convenient target for attack. The base's air defense was not ready to repel attacks. Most of the anti-aircraft guns were not manned, and their ammunition was kept under lock and key.

Story

Briefing on the deck of the aircraft carrier Kaga before the attack on Pearl Harbor
However, for the American government, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was not so unexpected. The Americans deciphered the Japanese codes and read all Japanese messages for several months. The warning about the inevitability of war was sent on time - November 27, 1941. The Americans received a clear warning about Pearl Harbor at the last moment, on the morning of December 7, but the instruction about the need to increase vigilance, sent via commercial lines, reached Pearl Harbor only 22 minutes before the Japanese attack began, and was transmitted to the messengers only at 10:45 minutes when it was all over. (See: History of the War in the Pacific. T.Z.M., 1958. P. 264; The Second World War: Two Views. P. 465.)

At 6.00 on December 7, 183 aircraft of the first wave took off from aircraft carriers and headed for the target. There were 49 Type 97 attack bombers, each carrying an 800-kilogram armor-piercing bomb, 40 attack torpedo bombers with a torpedo suspended under the fuselage, 51 Type 99 dive bombers, each carrying a 250-kilogram bomb. The covering force consisted of three groups of fighters, numbering a total of 43 aircraft. (Futida M., Okumiya M., op. cit. p. 54.)

The first aircraft is ready to take off from the aircraft carrier Shokaku at Pearl Harbor
The skies over Pearl Harbor were clear. At 7:55 am, Japanese planes attacked all large ships and aircraft at the airfield. There was not a single American fighter in the air, and not a single gun flash on the ground. As a result of the Japanese attack, which lasted about an hour, 3 battleships were sunk and a large number of aircraft were destroyed. Having finished bombing, the bombers headed for their aircraft carriers. The Japanese lost 9 aircraft.

Destroyed Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor
The second wave of aircraft (167 aircraft) took off from the aircraft carriers at 7:15 am. In the second wave there were 54 attack bombers of the 97 type, 78 dive bombers of the 99 type and 35 fighter jets, which covered the actions of the bombers. The second strike by Japanese planes met stronger American resistance. By 8.00 the planes returned to the aircraft carriers. Of all the aircraft that took part in the air raid, the Japanese lost 29 (9 fighters, 15 dive bombers and 5 torpedo bombers). Manpower losses amounted to a total of 55 officers and men. In addition, the Americans sank one submarine and 5 midget submarines, whose actions turned out to be ineffective.

Japanese aviation

In total, three types of aircraft were based on the Japanese aircraft carriers that participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor, widely known by the code names given to them in the American Navy: Zero fighters, Kate torpedo bombers and Val dive bombers. Brief characteristics of these aircraft are given in the table:

Japanese A6M Zero fighters before taking off to attack the American base at Pearl Harbor on the deck of the aircraft carrier Akagi. The photo was taken a few minutes before departure.

Aircraft of the first wave

Group numbers are conditional, for designation on diagrams

Aircraft of the second wave

Group numbers are conditional for designation on diagrams.

Results

As a result of the Japanese airborne strike on Pearl Harbor, the strategic goal of preventing the US Pacific Fleet from interfering with Japanese operations in the south was largely achieved. 4 American battleships were sunk and 4 more were badly damaged. 10 other warships were sunk or disabled; 349 American aircraft destroyed or damaged; among the killed or wounded Americans - 3,581 military, 103 civilian. (The Second World War: Two Views. P. 466.)

Battleship California and tanker Neosho during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The battleship California sank after being hit by two torpedoes and two bombs. The team could have saved the ship, and even set sail, but abandoned it due to the threat of a fire from a flaming slick of oil leaking from other battleships. The ship landed on the ground. Has been restored. In the background is the squadron tanker Neosho, subsequently sunk by Japanese carrier-based aircraft in the battle in the Coral Sea in May 1942. Fortunately for the Americans, as a result of the fact that during the Pearl Harbor attack the Japanese pilots had warships as a clear target, the tanker was not hit. The Neosho tanks were filled to capacity with high-octane aviation gasoline...

The attack of Pearl Harbor (Pearl Bay) or, according to Japanese sources, the Hawaiian operation is a sudden combined attack by Japanese carrier-based aircraft of the aircraft carrier formation of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo and Japanese midget submarines, delivered to the site of the attack by submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy, on the American military. naval and air bases located in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, which occurred on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941. As a result of the attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base, the United States was forced to declare war on Japan and enter World War II. The attack was a preventive measure against the United States, aimed at eliminating the American navy, gaining air supremacy in the Pacific region and subsequent military operations against Burma, Thailand, and the US's western possessions in the Pacific Ocean. The attack consisted of two air raids involving 353 aircraft from 6 Japanese aircraft carriers. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the main reason the United States entered World War II. Because of the attack, especially its nature, public opinion in America changed dramatically from an isolationist position in the mid-1930s to direct participation in the war effort. On December 8, 1941, US President Franklin Roosevelt spoke at a joint meeting of both houses of Congress. The President demanded that from December 7, from “a day that will go down in history as a symbol of shame,” to declare war on Japan. Congress adopted a corresponding resolution.

View of Pearl Harbor and a row of battleships during the Japanese attack

Story

Briefing on the deck of the aircraft carrier Kaga before the attack on Pearl Harbor

The first aircraft is ready to take off from the aircraft carrier Shokaku at Pearl Harbor

Destroyed Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor

Japanese A6M Zero fighters before taking off to attack the American base at Pearl Harbor on the deck of the aircraft carrier Akagi. The photo was taken a few minutes before departure.

Aircraft of the first wave

Group numbers are conditional for designation on diagrams.

Aircraft of the second wave

Group numbers are conditional for designation on diagrams.

Battleship California and tanker Neosho during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The battleship California sank after being hit by two torpedoes and two bombs. The team could have saved the ship, and even set sail, but abandoned it due to the threat of a fire from a flaming slick of oil leaking from other battleships. The ship landed on the ground. Has been restored. In the background is the squadron tanker Neosho, subsequently sunk by Japanese carrier-based aircraft in the battle in the Coral Sea in May 1942. Fortunately for the Americans, as a result of the fact that during the Pearl Harbor attack the Japanese pilots had warships as a clear target, the tanker was not hit. The Neosho tanks were filled to capacity with high-octane aviation gasoline...

Before the attack
Air attack
United States plans
Pearl Harbor today
Video

Pearl Harbor (other name "Pearl Harbor" - "Pearl Harbor") appears to be a US naval base. Just as it was 75 years ago, this facility is a major fleet in the Pacific. The Japanese army carried out the attack, in the final events of World War II. The location of the base is on the territory of the Hawaiian archipelago, namely on the island of Oahu.

The attack occurred on the morning of December 7, 1941, and led to the United States' entry into World War II.
The purpose of the attack was to eliminate the US Pacific Fleet from interfering with the hostilities of World War II.
Around eight in the morning local time, the Japanese Air Force began launching air strikes.
Eight battleships were damaged, four were sunk, and six of them were returned to service and continued to fight in the war.
The Japanese also damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. 188 American aircraft were destroyed; 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 were wounded.
Japanese losses amounted to: 29 aircraft and five midget submarines were destroyed. 64 military personnel were dead. One Japanese sailor, Sakamaki, Kazuo, was captured.
The attack caused a deep shock to the Americans, and led to the nation's entry into the war.
The next day, December 8, the United States announced military action against Japan.

Objectives of the attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack was based on several main targets. First, the Japanese intended to destroy important American fleet units, thereby preventing the Pacific Fleet from interfering. Japan planned to expand its sphere of influence in Southeast Asia.
And US intervention was unacceptable. Secondly, the Japanese planned to gain time to strengthen and increase their own air force. Thirdly, battleships were the most powerful ships of that time.

Before the attack

A couple of months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Soviet intelligence officer, Richard Sorge, conveyed to the leadership that Pearl Harbor would be attacked a couple of months later.
American sources claimed that information from Moscow was transferred to the American leadership. Recently, documents were declassified that spoke of a meeting between the German envoy Thomsen and the American businessman Lovell. The meeting took place in November 1941. The German envoy reported an impending attack from Japan. Thomsen knew about Lovell's connection with the American government. The information was transferred to W. Donovan, as one of the heads of US intelligence. When the information was transmitted to the president, there were still three weeks before the attack. On the eve of the attack, American intelligence intercepted information about the attack. Of course, there was no direct mention of an attack, but everything pointed precisely to this. However, despite warnings for many weeks, the American government did not transmit any warning messages to Hawaii.
The strange thing is that no concerns were conveyed to where the US Pacific Fleet base was located.

Air attack

On November 26, 1941, the Imperial Air Force headed from a base on the Kuril Islands towards the Pearl Harbor naval base. This happened after the United States sent the Hull note to Japan. In this document, the United States demanded that Japan withdraw its troops from a number of Asian territories (Indochina and China). Japan took this document as an ultimatum.
December 7 was the date of the Japanese army's attack on Pearl Bay. The attack was planned in two stages. The first air raid was supposed to be the main attack and destroy the Air Force. The second wave was supposed to destroy the fleet itself.
The Japanese had six aircraft carriers with 441 (according to other sources more than 350) aircraft on board. The aircraft carriers were accompanied by 2 battleships, 2 heavy and 1 light cruisers, as well as 11 destroyers. The United States Army was taken by surprise. Everything that happened lasted about an hour and a half. The strikes were carried out on airfields (in accordance with the plan) on the island of Oahu. Also, the ships located in the “Pearl Harbor” were the first to suffer. The US lost 4 battleships, 2 destroyers and 1 minelayer.
More than 180 aircraft were destroyed, almost 160 (according to other sources, slightly less than 130) were seriously damaged. Attacks from submarines were unsuccessful. The submarine fleet was destroyed.
The attack provided the basis for the United States to enter military conflict with the Empire of Japan. Roosevelt signed a document that narrated the official declaration of war against the Japanese aggressor. Now Germany and Italy have reported the outbreak of military action against the states. The result of the attack on the US naval base was the basis for America's entry into the global military conflict.
Seven Japanese planes were shot down by Lieutenants Welch and Tylor. After the first wave of bombing, the Japanese Air Force lost 9 aircraft, and after the second air raid on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese lost 20 aircraft. More than 70 aircraft were damaged, but the defects did not prevent the aircraft from returning to aircraft carriers. At 9:45 the remnants of the Japanese aircraft returned, having completed their task.
For about another half hour, the Japanese bomber circled over the destroyed naval base. Since all Pearl Harbor aircraft were destroyed at the beginning of the operation, no one could eliminate the enemy aircraft. Since two Japanese Air Force fighters lagged behind their own, and without a navigation system, they could not fly away on their own. The remaining bomber escorted the lagging fighters to the base.
One of the Japanese aircraft had to land on one of the islands. The pilot was recognized as a prisoner. With the help of a Japanese man who lived among the local population, he managed to take possession of a revolver and a double-barreled shotgun. This weapon turned out to be the only one on the entire island, and the prisoner turned into a power grabber. And yet, a day later, in a skirmish with the indigenous inhabitants, the invader was destroyed. His accomplice shot himself.
One of the officers who was at Pearl Harbor said that there was no panic in the army. The soldiers were very scared, but this did not lead to chaos. After the Japanese aircraft withdrew, confusion continued, which gave rise to many rumors, for example, about the Japanese poisoning the water source. People who drank from it were actually hospitalized. There were also rumors about the warlike attitude of the Japanese living in the Hawaiian Islands. Rumors spoke of an uprising. The USSR was not spared and “true” information appeared about the attack on Tokyo by the Soviet army.
One of the American bombers attacked its own cruiser. But by luck, the cruiser was not damaged. The command undertook a reconnaissance operation to find Japanese ships near the Hawaiian Islands. A message was transmitted to Pearl Harbor that their own fighters would be landing at the base. Despite this, five aircraft were destroyed. The pilot of one of the fighters jumped out with a parachute and was shot.
Japanese aviation, having renewed its strength, was eager to fight. They argued that it was necessary to carry out additional strikes on important ground targets. The management ordered to go back.
American historians agree that the Japanese made a huge mistake by not destroying oil reserves and the remnants of the United States Pacific Fleet.

United States plans

Based on the fact that the American government was warned about a possible attack, we can conclude that the United States was thus carrying out its plans.
There is an opinion that the United States specifically used Japan for the purpose of entering the military struggle. The United States should not have initiated accession. Roosevelt considered Germany a threat both to the world in general and to the United States in particular.
Therefore, it was necessary to fight Nazi Germany through military means. Uniting with the Soviet Union could ensure victory over Hitler.
But American society had a different attitude.
Even though the war had been going on for two years, Germany had conquered half of Europe and attacked the Soviet Union, the Americans were against joining the war. The country's leadership had to push the people to change their minds.
If America is attacked, there will be no choice but to retaliate.
Knowing about Japan's plans, the US leadership sent a document (Hull Note) to the Japanese government.
Regarding its content (meaning), both sides still have opposing opinions.
Japanese historians claim that the document had the nature of an ultimatum. The United States has made an impossible demand.
In addition to leaving territories, America demanded withdrawal from the alliance with Germany and Italy. Therefore, the Japanese side accepted Hull's note as unwillingness on the part of the United States to continue negotiations.
Based on the theory of planning by the United States to enter the war through a third-party attack, Hull's note became precisely the catalyst for the start of a military conflict.
In fact, this can be considered a provocation.
A Japanese historian who subscribes to the idea of provocation argues that Japan had no other choice. He considers the change in American opinion regarding the involvement of the US Army in the war to be confirmation of his theory.
This opinion can be considered true, but the opinion of the people could not help but change after such an attack and great human losses. Another thing that is important here is that, having confirmation of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, the American government did not take any action. There is still debate about the surprise of the military attack.
There is an additional fact in favor of the opinion of Japanese historians. The surprising and unusual coincidence was as follows.
Japanese aviation was supposed to eliminate the North American flotilla. But it was on this day that the aircraft carriers that were planned to be liquidated were absent from the military base

Pearl Harbor. The fleet's losses were not heavy.

The Japanese continue to claim provocation to this day, but they have no direct evidence. They also cannot say with certainty how much the Americans knew about the planned operation.

Another mystery associated with the attack on Pearl Harbor is that the United Kingdom knew a lot of secret information regarding Japan's plans, but did not provide it to the leadership of the United States.

Thus, the leadership of both the United Kingdom and the United States faced accusations. Both leaders sought to drag the United States into the war.

Pearl Harbor today
To date, Pearl Harbor remains the most powerful fleet. In addition to military purposes, Pearl Harbor also serves as a museum. You can meet tourists on one of the sea ships from the Second World War. It is noted that this ship is in full combat readiness and in the event of a military threat, it is ready to defend the homeland.