Full Answer
Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor if they didn't know?
The Japanese did know that the American carriers were not at Pearl Harbor that day, but decided to proceed with the attack anyway. They believed it would be valuable to destroy all eight battleships, even if they didn’t know where the three operational carriers were.
How many planes did the Japanese destroy at Pearl Harbor?
Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes.
Why didn’t Japan destroy the entire Pacific Fleet?
While it seemed plausible that destroying the American Pacific Fleet would entirely cripple the country’s ability to fight in the Pacific Theater, by targeting only the battleships, Japan wasn’t striking the entire Pacific Fleet.
What battleships were destroyed at Pearl Harbor?
Less than two hours later, the surprise attack was over, and every battleship in Pearl Harbor—USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS California, USS West Virginia, USS Utah, USS Maryland, USS Pennsylvania, USS Tennessee and USS Nevada—had sustained significant damage.
What was not destroyed in the attack Pearl Harbor?
The Pearl Harbor attack severely crippled U.S. naval and air strength in the Pacific. However, of the eight battleships, all but the Arizona and Oklahoma were eventually repaired and returned to service, and the Japanese failed to destroy the important oil storage facilities on the island.
What ships were not damaged at Pearl Harbor?
USS Tennessee and USS Maryland had been moored inboard of the West Virginia and Oklahoma, respectively, and were also largely sheltered from the torpedo assault. American battleship USS Maryland, relatively unscathed in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
What was overlooked by the Japanese during their attack on Pearl Harbor?
But the Pearl Harbor attack had failed in its objective to completely destroy the Pacific Fleet. The Japanese bombers missed oil tanks, ammunition sites and repair facilities, and not a single U.S. aircraft carrier was present during the attack.
Why did Japan not finish Pearl Harbor?
The Japanese didn't finish off Pearl Harbor because of a lack of resources and insight. Most of the American battleships were taking on water and were heavily damaged, but access to dry docks at the harbor proved to be incredibly useful in bringing most of the salvageable mighty vessels back into action.
Did any ships survive Pearl Harbor?
Conflict erupted December 7, 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, an American naval base in Hawaii. The USCGC Taney is the only surviving ship that was present at Pearl Harbor navy base that day.
What ships survived Pearl Harbor untouched?
The wrecks of only two vessels remain in the harbor — the Arizona and USS Utah — so survivors of those ships are the only ones who have the option to be laid to rest this way. Most of the ships hit that day were repaired and put back into service or scrapped.
What mistakes did the U.S. make in Pearl Harbor?
The Americans though Pearl Harbor was too shallow for effective torpedo attack by plane. New technology was not used correctly. The United States failed to properly utilize radar. Timing is everything.
What new technology was ignored prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor?
What fledging technology was ignored prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor? Radar.
What does the Japanese admiral fear about the attack?
Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor would reportedly write in his diary, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Did the Japanese regret Pearl Harbor?
Abe's Pearl Harbor speech has been well received in Japan, where most people expressed the opinion that it struck the right balance of regret that the Pacific war occurred, but offered no apologies. Julian Ryall reports.
Why did Japan not invade Hawaii?
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) insisted it needed to focus on operations in China and Southeast Asia, and refused to provide substantial support elsewhere. Because of a lack of cooperation between the services, the IJN never discussed the Hawaiian invasion proposal with the IJA.
Why didn't the Japanese send the third wave?
A third wave would have required a lot of preparation and effort. Turnaround times for the aircraft crews would have been substantial as well. By the time the planes were re-armed and ready, flew out to unload their third attacks, and returned to the Japanese carriers, they would have to be landing at night.
How many battleships survived Pearl Harbor?
Of the eight US Navy battleships present, all were damaged, with four sunk. All but USS Arizona were later raised, and six were returned to service and went on to fight in the war.
How many ships returned to service after Pearl Harbor?
Scroll down to see the 13 ships that were repaired after the attack on Pearl Harbor and how they contributed to the war effort after their resurrection. WWII Service: Fought in several battles in the Pacific from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to Iwo Jima.
What ships were out at sea during Pearl Harbor?
The Navy Department Library On 7 December 1941, the three Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers were USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Lexington (CV-2), and USS Saratoga(CV-3).
Why did Japan not destroy Pearl Harbor?
Japan also didn’t completely decimate Pearl Harbor because it didn’t have the right targets in mind . While the battleships were vital to the American Navy, so, too, were the other resources nearby. Fueling stations, oil facilities, drydocks, and other important reservoirs and buildings were largely untouched. Because they still stood, the United States had the ability to repair its damaged vessels easily; the first of the Pearl Harbor battleships was put back into service just months later.
Why didn't Japan finish Pearl Harbor?
The Japanese didn’t finish off Pearl Harbor because of a lack of resources and insight. Most of the American battleships were taking on water and were heavily damaged, but access to dry docks at the harbor proved to be incredibly useful in bringing most of the salvageable mighty vessels back into action. Japan also didn’t completely decimate Pearl ...
Why were the fueling stations untouched?
Fueling stations, oil facilities, drydocks, and other important reservoirs and buildings were largely untouched. Because they still stood, the United States had the ability to repair its damaged vessels easily; the first of the Pearl Harbor battleships was put back into service just months later.
What boat attacked Roosevelt High School?
The scheduled assault was undertaken by two Kawanishi H8K “Emily” Flying Boats, and though they made the lengthy—and record setting—journey across the Pacific to their target, the small attack was unsuccessful. Despite minimal damage to nearby Roosevelt High School, the H8Ks failed to do any damage.
Why did Japan make the impossible journey across the Pacific and risk a large fleet for an attack that was arguably incomplete?
Why? Why did Japan make the impossible journey across the Pacific and risk a large fleet for an attack that was arguably incomplete? It was all about what the Japanese perceived to be an important part of the US Navy, though that belief ultimately led to ignoring multiple vital targets around the harbor and giving the US a fighting chance in World War II.
What did the Japanese planes leave behind?
As the Japanese planes set off to return to their carriers, after exhausting their torpedoes and bombs, they left behind a naval base engulfed in smoke and flames. Their mission seemed to be fully accomplished.
Was Pearl Harbor a mistake?
Japan's answer. Looking back at the attack on Pearl Harbor, it’s evident that mistakes were made on both sides. While the United States is believed to have made the gravest by not being prepared for the Japanese assault, it’s also worth noting that Japan’s miscues were equally detrimental. For all practical purposes, the attack on Pearl Harbor was ...
How many ships were destroyed in the Japanese attack?
A full 21 of the Navy’s ships were damaged or destroyed in the attack, with three battleships being taken out permanently. Most were able to be repaired, re-floated, and re-entered into service. Much of the installation’s facilities, storage and infrastructure survived, however. Japanese officers wanted a third wave of attacks (and one even called for an invasion) to destroy those parts of the bases.
What did the Japanese military doctrine say about the Pacific Theater?
Its military doctrine said it should save its strength for the next battle after achieving its objective, rather than completely destroy an enemy force. It would come back to bite them in the coming days, all over the Pacific Theater.
What was the second wave of Japanese fighters' primary objective?
Even though the first wave of Japanese fighters were fitted to destroy the capital ships while they lay at anchor, it was the second wave’s primary objective to hit the American aircraft carriers as much as possible. As we know now, the U.S. Navy’s carriers were not at Pearl Harbor that morning, they were all away on separate missions.
How many planes were down in the first wave of the Japanese attack?
Japanese losses in the first wave numbered just nine planes. By the time the second wave came in, Americans had gotten to what defenses they could muster and were putting up a fight. The second wave suffered more significant losses than the first, with 20 downed planes and 74 more damaged. A third wave might have been devastating to the Japanese carriers’ defenses and they still needed to sail home.
What did Nagumo believe?
Nagumo believed the U.S. Pacific Fleet had been knocked out, and knowing the Japanese were advancing all over the Pacific area that very day, he knew they would need every man and plane. He was not willing to risk those men and planes on a battle he’d already won.
What would happen if the Third Wave ran low?
If he ran dangerously low on the way home, he would have had to abandon some ships — ships that were now necessary to the war they just started.
Where was the battleship row moorings?
Aerial view of “Battleship Row” moorings on the southern side of Ford Island, 10 December 1941, showing damage from the Japanese raid three days earlier. Diagonally, from left center to lower right are: USS Maryland (BB-46), lightly damaged, with the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37) outboard. A barge is alongside Oklahoma, supporting rescue efforts. USS Tennessee (BB-43), lightly damaged, with the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48) outboard. Note dark oil streaks on the harbor surface, originating from the sunken battleships. (U.S. Navy History and Heritage)
What would happen if the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor?
If the Japanese had bombed the oil tank farm and ship repair facilities instead of the battleships, Pearl Harbor would have been out of business until they were rebuilt, probably a couple of years later. And shortly after December 7, submarines from the sub base were headed to Japanese waters.
What was the most important thing Japan didn't destroy?
In my mind, the most important thing Japan didn’t destroy was extremely huge numbers of people on the Hawaiian Islands. If Japan bombed indiscriminately population areas in order to kill civilians and military personnel, Hawaii would have been unable to rebuild itself and function as a place to conduct or facilitate war against Japan.
What would have happened if the US had lost the Battleships?
Had they been destroyed the US would have been effectively emasculated . It would not have impacted on the ultimate allied victory, but it is speculated that the resulting dominance of Imperial Japanese air force over the next two to three years would have resulted in the inability of the US to capture the landing-strips which would provide aircraft support for the invading Americans. The inability to bomb mainland Japan (including the two A-Bomb drops) would have given the Japanese a tremendo
What were the capital ships pulled from?
Of the Capital Ships all but a few were pulled from the mud, repaired and rebuilt, and back in action. The yards, the ammo storage, the cryptology station, radio station
What would happen if there had been a third strike?
Quite a few things were either not targeted or not hit. The famous, if there had been a third strike, would supposedly have hit the oil storage tanks.
Who was opposed to Yamamoto's Pearl Harbor strategy?
Nagumo was opposed to Yamamoto’s Pearl Harbor strategy so Yamamoto had not wanted Nagumo heading up the attack but his hands were tied by military tradition.
Who was the Admiral who sank the carriers?
Admiral Yamamoto, whose plan Nagumo was executing, understood the necessity of sinking the carriers and destroying our fuel reserves. Nagumo was lukewarm about the entire plan and made critical mistakes, mistakes that may have cost Japan the war.
What was the explosion in the center of the Pearl Harbor attack?
The explosion in the center is a torpedo strike on USS West Virginia. Imperial Japanese Navy/US Navy. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a massive blow to the US Navy, costing it thousands of sailors, hundreds of airplanes, and many ships. But not all was lost. By chance, all three of the Pacific Fleet's carriers were at sea on missions ...
How many ships did the Japanese destroy?
At the cost of 29 planes and five mini submarines, the Japanese had sunk or heavily damaged all the Pacific Fleet's eight battleships. Three cruisers, three destroyers, and a number of other ships were seriously damaged. There were 188 US aircraft destroyed and 157 damaged.
What was the name of the ship that left San Diego in October 1941?
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Lexington leaving San Diego on October 14, 1941. US Navy. Like Enterprise, Lexington was taking aircraft to an American base in the Pacific. The carrier and its escort of three heavy cruisers and five destroyers had left for Midway on December 5 to deliver 18 Marine Corps SB2U Vindicator dive bombers.
How many Japanese bombers were there in Pearl Harbor?
At 7:48 a.m. on December 7, 1941, 183 Japanese fighters, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers descended on the US Navy's Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. They swarmed airfields and warships with bombs and torpedoes, causing a massive amount of damage.
What carriers were stationed on the East Coast?
Four — Ranger, Yorktown, Hornet, and Wasp — were stationed on the East Coast, poised to deal with Germany's U-boats, which had caused a number of incidents already. The three carriers of the Pacific Fleet — Enterprise, Lexington, and Saratoga — were being used to support reinforcement efforts in the Pacific.
What aircraft carrier was in the Pacific?
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) in the Pacific in late June 1941. Enterprise was the closest American carrier to Pearl Harbor on December 7 and actually did contribute to its defense.
How many US aircraft were destroyed in the Japanese attack?
There were 188 US aircraft destroyed and 157 damaged. The attack killed 2,335 US servicemen and wounded 1,143 more, in addition to 68 civilians killed and 34 wounded. The Japanese lost 129 servicemen and had one submarine crewman captured.
What was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?
Second Sino-Japanese War. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States (a neutral country at the time) against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, just before 08:00, on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States' ...
What were the targets of the Japanese in the harbor?
Japanese confidence in their ability to achieve a short, victorious war also meant other targets in the harbor, especially the navy yard, oil tank farms, and submarine base, were ignored, since—by their thinking—the war would be over before the influence of these facilities would be felt.
What was the first target of the Pearl Harbor attack?
A Gallup poll just before the attack on Pearl Harbor found that 52% of Americans expected war with Japan, 27% did not, and 21% had no opinion. While U.S. Pacific bases and facilities had been placed on alert on many occasions, U.S. officials doubted Pearl Harbor would be the first target; instead, they expected the Philippines would be attacked first. This presumption was due to the threat that the air bases throughout the country and the naval base at Manila posed to sea lanes, as well as to the shipment of supplies to Japan from territory to the south. They also incorrectly believed that Japan was not capable of mounting more than one major naval operation at a time.
How many bombs did the first wave of Pearl Harbor have?
In the first wave attack, about eight of the forty-nine 800 kg (17 60 lb) armor-piercing bombs dropped hit their intended battleship targets.
What events swung Western public opinion sharply against Japan?
Starting in December 1937, events such as the Japanese attack on USS Panay, the Allison incident, and the Nanking Massacre swung Western public opinion sharply against Japan. The U.S. unsuccessfully proposed a joint action with the British to blockade Japan. In 1938, following an appeal by President Roosevelt, U.S. companies stopped providing Japan with implements of war.
How many waves did the Japanese attack?
The Japanese attacked in two waves. The first wave was detected by United States Army radar at 136 nautical miles (252 km), but was misidentified as United States Army Air Forces bombers arriving from the American mainland.
Why did Japan attack without breaking diplomatic relations?
For decades, conventional wisdom held that Japan attacked without first formally breaking diplomatic relations only because of accidents and bumbling that delayed the delivery of a document hinting at war to Washington. In 1999, however, Takeo Iguchi, a professor of law and international relations at International Christian University in Tokyo, discovered documents that pointed to a vigorous debate inside the government over how, and indeed whether, to notify Washington of Japan's intention to break off negotiations and start a war, including a December 7 entry in the war diary saying, " [O]ur deceptive diplomacy is steadily proceeding toward success." Of this, Iguchi said, "The diary shows that the army and navy did not want to give any proper declaration of war, or indeed prior notice even of the termination of negotiations ... and they clearly prevailed."
What happened after Pearl Harbor?
After the Pearl Harbor attack, and for the first time during years of discussion and debate, the American people were united in their determination to go to war.
Why was Pearl Harbor undefended?
Because American military leaders were not expecting an attack so close to home, the naval facilities at Pearl Harbor were relatively undefended. Almost the entire Pacific Fleet was moored around Ford Island in the harbor, and hundreds of airplanes were squeezed onto adjacent airfields.
Where Is Pearl Harbor?
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is located near the center of the Pacific Ocean, roughly 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland and about 4,000 miles from Japan. No one believed that the Japanese would start a war with an attack on the distant islands of Hawaii.
How many ships were destroyed in the Pearl Harbor attack?
In all, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor crippled or destroyed nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes. Dry docks and airfields were likewise destroyed. Most important, 2,403 sailors, soldiers and civilians were killed and about 1,000 people were wounded.
What happened to the USS Arizona?
At 8:10, a 1,800-pound bomb smashed through the deck of the battleship USS Arizona and landed in her forward ammunition magazine. The ship exploded and sank with more than 1,000 men trapped inside. Next, torpedoes pierced the shell of the battleship USS Oklahoma.
How many Americans died in Pearl Harbor?
Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.
Which USS was damaged in the Pearl Harbor attack?
Less than two hours later, the surprise attack was over, and every battleship in Pearl Harbor— USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS California, USS West Virginia, USS Utah, USS Maryland, USS Pennsylvania, USS Tennessee and USS Nevada —had sustained significant damage. (All but USS Arizona and USS Utah were eventually salvaged and repaired.)
What was the Japanese plan for the attack?
The Japanese plan called for an attack in three waves ; the first would take advantage of surprise to knock out any air resistance and to attack the highest value targets first; the carriers and battleships. The second would be for mop up and take out cruisers and destroyers.
Who wrote Attack on Pearl Harbor?
Alan Zimm, writing in Attack on Pearl Harbor: Strategy, Combat, Myths, and Deceptions, goes to considerable lengths to discuss the long standing debate about the Pearl Harbor oil tanks. He shows that the tank farm wasn’t as vulnerable as most people thing it was.
Why was the target priority listed in the descending priority order?
First, in the Combined Imperial Naval fleet operations order issued by Yamamoto to Nagumo for the attack on Pearl Harbor, the target priority's were listed in order of descending priority as follows: Land based air assets. Aircraft carriers.
What made the Japanese nervous?
However, the discovery of no carriers docked in the harbor made the Japanese nervous.
How many planes were lost in the second wave?
The second wave consisting of 167 planes lost 20 planes to American air defenses, about one in eight. Losses amounting to 10 percent or more of a force are considered significant losses. And, Pearl Harbor air defenses were on high alert following the second wave as Enterprise squadron VF-6 found out that night.
How long would the war have been if the tank farm was destroyed?
The fleet really would not have been “crippled” by the loss of these tanks. Nimitz once said that the war would have been extended by two years if the tank farm was destroyed, but most experts don't think that was accurate.
Why did the second wave take so much more losses than the first?
The second wave had already taken much heavier losses than the first due to the defenses being more prepared; a third wave would have been slaughtered.
What happened at Pearl Harbor?
Over the next half hour, Pearl Harbor’s airfields and docked ships were subjected to a merciless assault with bombs, guns, and torpedoes. A second wave struck at 8:50 AM, and the Japanese withdrew shortly after 9:00 AM. In just over an hour, the Japanese destroyed 180 aircraft and destroyed or damaged more than a do zen ships.
What was the Pearl Harbor attack?
Pearl Harbor attack, (December 7, 1941), surprise aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island , Hawaii, by the Japanese that precipitated the entry of the United States into World War II. The strike climaxed a decade of worsening relations between ...
What time did the Japanese dive bomb Pearl Harbor?
The first Japanese dive-bomber appeared over Pearl Harbor at 7:55 AM. Over the next half hour, Pearl Harbor’s airfields and docked ships were subjected to a merciless assault with bombs, guns, and torpedoes. A second wave struck at 8:50 AM, and the Japanese withdrew shortly after 9:00 AM. In just over an hour, the Japanese destroyed 180 aircraft ...
How many planes did Nagumo Chuichi have?
From there about 360 planes in total were launched. Tōjō Hideki.
How many ships did Japan destroy in the Pacific War?
A second wave struck at 8:50 AM, and the Japanese withdrew shortly after 9:00 AM. In just over an hour, the Japanese destroyed 180 aircraft and destroyed or damaged more than a dozen ships. Pacific War: From Pearl Harbor to Midway. Find out where else Japan struck in the days following December 7, 1941.
Where is Pearl Harbor?
Pearl Harbor is a U.S. Navy base on the Hawaiian island of Oahu and the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Adjacent to the harbour is Hickam Air Force Base, and the two installations were merged in 2010 to become Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam. The USS Arizona remains where it sank on December 7, 1941, and it is preserved as ...
What happened to Japan in 1941?
Japan had been at war with China since 1937, and the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 ensured that the Soviets were no longer a threat to the Japanese on the Asian mainland. The Japanese believed that once the U.S. Pacific Fleet was neutralized, all of Southeast Asia would be open for conquest.
