Pearl Harbor : As A Cause

On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, at 7:55 AM the Japanese Empire led a surprise attack on the US Naval base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, that would leave millions of Americans in shock, and heartbroken. Before the attack, the United States kept a low profile on International affairs, and concentrated on the domestic affairs at hand. This tragic moment in American history forever remembered. It is a mournful day for the American people, although, for the Japanese Empire it was an honorable day, one they would call a

Infamy: Pearl Harbor and its Aftermath was written by John Toland, an American author and historian. He was a graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts and attended Yale School of Drama, with his primary goal of becoming a playwright. Some of his most famous books were written about the World War II Era. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his book The Rising Sun, focusing on the history of Japan during WWII from the Japanese point of view, rather than the American side. He also wrote Adolph Hitler: A Definitive Biography and Battle: The Story of the Bulge. Many of his books focused on the military, so he was quite qualified to write this book.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his war speech and asserted December 7, 1941 as, “a date which will live in infamy.” The United States’ naval bases stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii were struck by Japanese planes intentionally and promptly. The news of this attack on the Pearl Harbor shocked the world. It was devastating to the nation that were still in the throes of depression. Witnesses of this event painted a portrait of a nation stunned, but determined to rise again. The United States’ government had not disclosed a Pearl Harbor story to the public--that the U.S. had failed to act on advance information about a planned Japanese attack. Japan 's move against the United States was audacious enough to be considered no more than a slight possibility, although the potential for an attack had been widely discussed.

“December 7th 1941- A date that will live in infamy.” This opening statement is the first powerful line said by President Roosevelt to the American people after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This greatness of this opening line will be forever be ingrained in the minds of every American citizen, especially the people who lived during the most significant war of the 20th century. The bombing of Pearl Harbor is an event that can never be forgotten, and President Roosevelt’s speech in response to this appalling attack is just as significant. The objective of this speech was to urge Congress to declare war on Japan. Roosevelt’s speech after Pearl Harbor is one of the more recognizable and important speeches in all of American history. His speech incorporates bountiful instances of rhetorical devices, such as logos, pathos, and ethos. By analyzing these rhetorical devices, one is able to see Roosevelt’s vigorous use of emotion, his strength in addressing his character and reputation rather than focusing too heavily upon appeals to logic and reason, ultimately to get the result he wants from his audience. The profound power of this speech resonates with all who read and hear it.

One of America’s most infamous attacks comes in the form of the Pearl Harbor. Throughout most of World War II, America led with an Isolationism-based policy that saw the country avoid foreign affairs. This policy was followed until the late 1930’s and early 1940’s when America began to see how the war affected its surrounding allies and the incoming threat of a possible attack in the Pacific Ocean. ‘The date the will live in infamy’ coined by sitting president Franklin D. Roosevelt, saw on December 7, 1941, Japanese airmen bombed the U.S. naval base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This horrific assault led Franklin D. Roosevelt asking Congress for a declaration of war against Japan. After one day, with an overwhelming in favor vote, America entered

December 7th, 1941. This was the date of one of the most important attacks on the United States in the history of America. This was the date of the Japanese attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor was the last straw that led to the United States joining World War II as part of the Allied Power. The bombing was in reaction to many economic sanctions that were placed on Japan, so the bombing was not just to make the United States mad. We can see many reasons as to why Japan would bomb Pearl Harbor.

“Our military thought that they couldn't get to Pearl Harbor, that it was too long a journey from Japan to get there, and they proved us wrong”- Jerry Bruckheimer. This quote helps explains that the United States thought that Japan could not get to the United States.

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT KNEW ABOUT AND LET PEARL HARBOR HAPPEN IN ORDER TO GET AMERICA INVOLVED IN WW2

In September of 1939 began the most devastating war in history, World War II. It would have the largest death count and destroy the economies of all the nations involved in the war. At the start of the war the United States of America had declared neutrality. That was until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December 1941, that very next day Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his famous “Day of Infamy” Speech to Congress. Roosevelt’s speech sent out such a huge message to the people of the United States, it was inspirational to them and was very effective to congress, not to mention that the war played a big part in the U.S. becoming a major world power.

First, Pearl Harbor caught the U.S. off guard. This left us unprepared and now considerably weakened. According to the Pearl Harbor’s Visiting Bureau the “sneak attack” led by Japan killed “2,335 Military personnel, including 2,008 navy personnel, 109 marines, and 218 army. Added to this were 68 civilians, making the total 2403 people dead.” (visitpearlharbor.org) Many U.S. citizens didn’t want to be caught up in another world, but because of that we were not ready. This teaches us to stand tall and not to be a bystander in the game we know as life.

Sunday 7th December was a day like no other for American citizens. It was the beginning of a transition into a new age not just in the United States, but would affect the world as a whole. Just before 8am, the American naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii was swarmed with a surprise attack from Japanese fighter planes. The attack lasted approximately two hours, but was more than enough time to leave an immense devastation in it’s wake. The Japanese managed to obliterate nearly 20 American naval vessels, which included eight massive battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. A death count of American soldiers and sailors exceeding 2,000, as well as another 1,000 wounded. The day after the assault, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave

Robert Kennedy once said, “Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total; of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.” Pearl Harbor was one of those rare events that defined history in the space of a few moments.

Why do you think the Japanese wanted to attack Pearl Harbor? They only wanted it to start something that they could not end. The japanese wanted nothing to do with the other countries they just wanted more land and they decided to attack Pearl Harbor. We only went into WW || because of the attack on Pearl Harbor.Most people were only worried about the European events and then they saw what could have been in the newspapers.“ Most American newspaper headlines had been focusing on European events, so the Japanese attack was a true blindside.” We were attacked on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese because the United States were a threat to Japan. Most people were only focusing on what was happening in the news and everything around them. Some of the

The attack of Pearl Harbor happened on December 7, 1941. Right before eight o’clock on that Sunday morning, Japanese fighter planes made a sudden attack on the base. They managed to destroy or majorly damage approximately twenty American naval vessel, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 people were killed, this including civilians, and over 1,000 more were wounded. The day after the attack, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked congress to declare a war on Japan.

After the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor, life in the U.S. had changed. It was the first time in a long time that America was attacked on its homeland. This national security threat was a big shock to the people. The Japanese had to suffer the consequences of their attack. Just as the Germans developed concentration camps for the Jewish during World War II, the Americans set up "relocation" programs better known as internment camps to keep all the Japanese. The reason the Japanese were moved into these camps was because they were suspected of being spies. They were forced to live there for up to four years and were not able to continue with their own lives as they were before while they were living in these camps.