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Reasons Behind America's Attack On Pearl Harbor

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December 7, 1941, an attack on Pearl Harbor that was conducted by the Japanese Empire. It was a surprise, and brutal attack on the United States naval base. This day would be remembered as “a date which will live in infamy” (Barbara C. Bigelow, Roosevelt, Franklin D). This devastating attack caused many American casualties, and many Americans with mixed emotions. For example many had anger towards Japan for the attack, wanted to fight back, others had fear because the thought of war. The attack on Pearl Harbor was an attack that the United States should have been ready for! The reason the United States was not prepared for the attack was because of admiral Husband Kimmel, Lieutenant General Walter Short, and partially the United States Military. …show more content…

Thus with 30 minutes before Japan attack Pearl Harbor, they broke off negotiations with the United States. (Earl, 17-18)
The attack on Pearl Harbor was an awful and bloody attack. The attack consisted of 8 elements that the Japanese used for a successful attck. The first was surprise and absolute secrecy. The success for the Japanese relied on catching the United States forces by complete surprise. If there were any breach of security than it gave the possibility for the United States to create a trap and produce big damage on the Japanese.(Earl, 32)
The second was that American carriers were the primary targets. Minoru Genda, Japanese military aviator, had disagreed with Isoruko Yamamoto, Japanese marshal admiral of the navy, original idea for the intent on targeting Amercan battle ships first. Genda Minoru recognized that by destroying American carriers without causing serious damage to its own carriers, the whole Japanese fleet would gain a big advantage. By doing this it could chip away at the remaining United States fleet, free from the air attacks coming from American carriers. (Earl,

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