what was the causes,course,and consequences of the pearl harbor attack

by Cathryn Maggio Jr. 7 min read

Causes One of the main causes for the attack on Pearl Harbor was Japan's ambition for expansion in the Pacific. Japan wanted to gain access to more natural resources, such as oil and steel; however, this was impossible without expanding to and conquering Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, or Southeastern Asia, is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China and Japan, east of India, west of Papua New Guinea, and north of Australia. Southeast Asia is bordered to the north by East Asia, to the west by South Asia and the B…

, specifically Malaya and the Dutch East Indies.

Full Answer

How did the attack on Pearl Harbor hurt the US?

In military terms, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor did not hurt the United States much at all. Not that many ships were destroyed and none of the US aircraft carriers were even at Pearl Harbor so the most important ships were not harmed at all. The US was able to turn around and crush the Japanese at Midway only about six months later.

Why did they bombed Pearl Harbor?

What was the cause of the attack on Pearl Harbor? Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in hopes of destroying the US Navy in the Pacific and weakening the resolve of the American people. They hoped that the defeat at Pearl Harbor would be so catastrophic that the Americans would immediately surrender.

What were the reasons for the attack on Pearl Harbor?

What was one cause and one effect of the attack on Pearl Harbor? Cause: Japan was seeking to expand their control of the Pacific. They had seriously damaged the United States at Pearl Harbor, and were looking to permanently cripple the US in the Pacific with a decisive win at Midway.

Why did Japan drop bomb on Pearl Harbor?

The bombing on the harbor was intended to drive the USA out of the Pacific because Japan wanted to clear them of their marine and air force base. The USA had not entered the war at the time of the attack and they did not support Great Britain.

What were the consequences of the Pearl Harbor attack?

Impact of 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 were the causes and effects of Pearl Harbor?

Cause: Japan was seeking to expand their control of the Pacific. They had seriously damaged the United States at Pearl Harbor, and were looking to permanently cripple the US in the Pacific with a decisive win at Midway. Effect: The US was able to discover Japan's plans by breaking their naval code.

What was the cause of Pearl Harbor?

President Roosevelt moved the US Pacific Fleet from California to Pearl Harbor in 1939. This move was a threat to Japan, who wanted to expand in the Pacific. Military leaders and politicians saw a war between the U.S. and Japan as inevitable, with the solution being to attack first. Japan did just that.

How did the attack on Pearl Harbor affect the course of the war?

As a direct result of the Pearl Harbor attack, the United States was forced into war. In Japan's utter defeat, its military was dismantled and the Empire of Japan was officially eradicated. In the years since, Japan and the United States have become strong allies, a far cry from their status in the 1930s and 40s.

What caused Pearl Harbor quizlet?

Japan wanted to take over the pacific and wanted to cripple America's military strength in the pacific. They wanted to attack America so that they wouldn't get in their way of their expansion in Malaya and the rest of the pacific.

What happened at Pearl Harbor?

What Happened At Pearl Harbor? On the morning of 7 December 1941, at 7.48am local time, 177 aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Who won Pearl Harbor?

Pearl Harbor was atoned for in four and a half years of war, but the blunders of Japanese militarists resulted in utter and total defeat. USS Arizona National Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.

How did the entry of the United States change the course of the war?

The entry of the United States was the turning point of the war, because it made the eventual defeat of Germany possible. It had been foreseen in 1916 that if the United States went to war, the Allies' military effort against Germany would be upheld by U.S. supplies and by enormous extensions of credit.

How many Pearl Harbor survivors are left?

No clear figures are available on how many Pearl Harbor survivors are still living, according to the National Park Service at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Only 325,574 of the 16 million Americans who served in the war were alive in 2020, so the number for Pearl Harbor survivors would be considerably less.

Which of the following was a consequence of the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?

Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor took place on December 7, 1941. The U.S. military suffered 18 ships damaged or sunk, and ~2,400 people were killed. Its most significant consequence was the entrance of the United States into World War II.

What events led to the attack on Pearl Harbor?

1937.July: Japan invades North China from Manchuria.1940.July: U.S. imposes trade sanctions, followed by an embargo, aimed at curbing Japan's military aggression in Asia.1941.January: Adm. Yamamoto begins communicating with other Japanese officers about a possible attack on Pearl Harbor.Jan. ... February: Adm.More items...•

What were the short term effects of Pearl Harbor?

Consequently, the first impact of this attack is that Pearl Harbor got severely damaged and all of U.S.A's Pacific fleet was destroyed. The second effect was that the people who lived on this island lost their homes, lives, and their jobs. Lastly, the U.S. was not ready for a war because of its destroyed fleet.

What was the effect of the Pearl Harbor attack?

The largest effect of this attack was to draw the United States into war with Japan. Rather than keep America out of the conflict, the attack had the opposite effect, as Americans resolved not to let this attack go unanswered. The attack on Pearl Harbor even changed the very nature of American naval combat.

Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor because the US presence in the Pacific threatened Japanese goals for expansion. Ultimately, the attack on Pearl Harbor was the deciding factor in bringing the US into World War II, siding with the Allied forces and eventually ending the war with Japan through the first, and with any luck the last, ...

How many Americans were killed in the Pearl Harbor attack?

To some extent, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor can be seen as retaliation for American actions. Although the Japanese killed nearly 2,500 Americans and destroyed hundreds of planes and a large number of ships, they didn't manage to achieve any of their overriding objectives.

How many people died in Pearl Harbor?

The Japanese Army destroyed around twenty American ships (eight battleships) and more than 250 airplanes; nearly 2,500 people died, and around 1,000 people were injured. The attack is what forced America to enter the Second World War, as until then, the US was a neutral country; immediately after the attack, America declared war on Japan. Considering the damage that was caused, many think that Pearl Harbor was a successful attack; however, it was not a strategic success, as nothing changed for Japan. The country wasn't able to fulfill its aspirations to expand further in the Pacific, and the US still refused to do business with Japan.

What happened to the aircraft carriers in Pearl Harbor?

However, the three aircraft carrier groups were out at sea and therefore spared.

What happened on the same day as Pearl Harbor?

The same day as the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan also attacked and seized European colonies throughout the Pacific. Japanese command knew that the United States would not sit idly by and let this happen. Therefore, they hoped to destroy America's will to fight in one decisive move at Pearl Harbor.

What did the US do to stop Japan from expanding its influence in the Pacific?

In 1949, the US president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, ordered for the US fleet to be moved from California to Pearl Harbor, which basically stopped Japan from expanding their control and influence in the Pacific. Japan and the US stopped all economic and business collaborations, and many officials and politicians from both sides were convinced ...

How many Americans died in the Pearl Harbor attack?

Many American airplanes were damaged, six battleships and a number of smaller ships were sunk, and nearly 2400 Americans were killed during the attack. Luckily for the US Navy, their aircraft carriers were out at sea on the morning ...

Why did Japan invade Manchuria?

Japan’s desire to create an empire in the Pacific Ocean was the prime motivation behind the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, Japanese attacks on eastern China in 1937, and the Japanese occupation of much of French Indochina in 1941. As a result of these actions in Southeast Asia, US President Franklin Roosevelt froze all Japanese assets in ...

What did Roosevelt do to Japan?

As a result of these actions in Southeast Asia, US President Franklin Roosevelt froze all Japanese assets in the United States, cut off the sale of oil to Japan, and closed the Panama Canal to Japanese ships.

What was the purpose of Japanese American men being drafted to serve in the military?

These men were drafted to serve in the United States military under the selective service training , which stipulated that draftees and volunteers for military service would not be discriminated against because of race or color.

Did FDR know about the Japanese attack?

A few Japanese historians believe that FDR knew of the impending attack. The vast majority of historians believe that American intelligence knew the Japanese were going to attack somewhere, but did not know the precise location of the attack; many in American military intelligence believed the Dutch East Indies would be the target.

What was the result of the Pearl Harbor attack?

Another result of the attack on Pearl Harbor was the discrimination of Japanese people in the new world. Two months after the bombing raid on Tokyo took place, America placed executive order 9066 placing people of Japanese descent into internment Camps.

What was the impact of the attack on Pearl Harbor?

When this happened, America knew that an attack was coming for them, they just didn’t know where it would take place. Because Japan’s attack was so expertly hidden with code and dummy broadcasts, telling them the wrong places to defend, America was grossly unprepared for the siege that Japan would lay down on Pearl Harbor. As a result, the Pearl Harbor naval base suffered a great deal of casualties in men, women, aircraft, and sea vessels. A day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, then President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his famous, “Day of Infamy” Speech comforting America, while also urging congress to declare war on Japan. A little bit after America joined the war, they started by organizing a surprise attack on the main island of Japan in revenge for Pearl Harbor. When the plan was acted out not that much damage was done, however none of the bombers were shot down, so the attack was still worth it. Even farther into the war, the Americans “Project Manhattan” finally bears some fruit creating the atomic bombs “Little Boy” and “Fat Man.” In a final attack that would end the war, America drops an atomic bomb on two heavily populated Japanese locations. The attack on Pearl Harbor, while not the sole cause, certainly got America to join the Second World War, and they certainly went on to end it as well.

What were the consequences of Pearl Harbor?

The U.S. military suffered 18 ships damaged or sunk, and 2,400 people were killed. Its most significant consequence was the entrance of the United States into World War II.

What was the effect of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor coupled with their alliance with the Nazis and the ensuing war in the Pacific fueled anti-Japanese sentiment, racism, xenophobia, and anti- Axis sentiment in the Allied nations like never before.

What was the public opinion before Pearl Harbor?

Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, public opinion in the United States had not been unanimous. When polled in January 1940, 60% of Americans were in favor of helping the United Kingdom in the war. A majority of Americans believed that the safety of the United States was contingent on the UK winning the war, and an even larger majority believed ...

How many Japanese Americans were interned in the Pacific War?

Following the attack, the US interned 120,000 Japanese Americans, 11,000 German Americans, and 3,000 Italian Americans .

When did Japan declare war on the United States?

On December 8, 1941 , Japan declared war on the United States and the British Empire. The Japanese document discussed world peace and the disruptive actions of the United States and the United Kingdom. The document stated all avenues for averting war had been exhausted by the government of Japan.

Which Japanese ship survived the Pearl Harbor attack?

Japanese ships gained: Yamato, Musashi, Junyo, Hiyo. Of the 22 Japanese ships that took part in the attack, only one survived the war, the Ushio. As of 2006, the only U.S. ships in that were present at Pearl Harbor during the attack still remaining afloat are the Coast Guard Cutter Taney and the yard tug Hoga.

When was the US neutral?

From the outbreak of World War II on September 1, 1939, to December 8, 1941, the United States was officially neutral, as it was bound by the Neutrality Acts not to get involved in the conflicts raging in Europe and Asia. Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, public opinion in the United States had not been unanimous.

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' ...

Who wrote the book The Attack on Pearl Harbor?

Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon, is considered the authoritative work on the subject. Larry Kimmett and Margaret Regis, The Attack on Pearl Harbor: An Illustrated History (NavPublishing, 2004).

What island was the Pearl Harbor rescue point?

The island of Niihau, only 30 minutes flying time from Pearl Harbor, was designated as the rescue point.

How many Japanese planes were killed in the Japanese attack?

Fifty-five Japanese airmen and nine submariners were killed in the attack, and one, Kazuo Sakamaki, was captured. Of Japan's 414 available planes, 350 took part in the raid in which 29 were lost; nine in the first wave (three fighters, one dive bomber, and five torpedo bombers) and 20 in the second wave (six fighters and 14 dive bombers) with another 74 damaged by antiaircraft fire from the ground.

What submarines were used in Pearl Harbor?

Fleet submarines I-16, I-18, I-20, I-22, and I-24 each embarked a Type A midget submarine for transport to the waters off Oahu. The five I-boats left Kure Naval District on November 25, 1941. On December 6, they came to within 10 nmi (19 km; 12 mi) of the mouth of Pearl Harbor and launched their midget subs at about 01:00 local time on December 7. At 03:42 Hawaiian Time, the minesweeper Condor spotted a midget submarine periscope southwest of the Pearl Harbor entrance buoy and alerted the destroyer Ward. The midget may have entered Pearl Harbor. However, Ward sank another midget submarine at 06:37 in the first American shots in the Pacific Theater. A midget submarine on the north side of Ford Island missed the seaplane tender Curtiss with her first torpedo and missed the attacking destroyer Monaghan with her other one before being sunk by Monaghan at 08:43.

How many PBYs were destroyed in Hawaii?

Of 33 PBYs in Hawaii, 30 were destroyed and three on patrol at the time of the attack returned undamaged. Friendly fire brought down some U.S. planes on top of that, including four from an inbound flight from Enterprise. At the time of the attack, nine civilian aircraft were flying in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor.

What percentage of Americans expected war with Japan?

By late 1941, many observers believed that hostilities between the U.S. and Japan were imminent. 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.

The lead-up to the Pearl Harbor attack

Tensions between Japan and the U.S. simmered throughout the early 20th century and came to a boil in the 1930s as Japan attempted to conquer China, even attacking civilians. In 1937, China and Japan went to war.

Planning the attack

While mainland U.S. forces mobilized in the wake of a surprise attack, Yamamoto argued, Japan could seize strategic Pacific islands. Japan was desperate for supplies, and the islands that lay between Japan and the furthest U.S. territory in Hawaii could provide much-needed oil and rubber.

What happened December 7

The first shot of the attack on Pearl Harbor was actually fired before dawn by the U.S.S. Ward, an American destroyer that had been alerted to an early-morning submarine periscope sighting near the harbor entrance. The Ward sank the submarine. But since American forces did not expect an aerial assault, there was no general alarm. At 7:48 a.m.

The toll of Pearl Harbor

Ultimately, nearly 2,400 Americans died. Nearly half of those deaths took place on the Arizona, which took a direct hit to its hull. Thirty-eight sets of brothers, including multiple sets of three brothers, served on the ship, and only one of those sets survived.

The U.S. enters World War II

The attack shocked the nation—and thrust the U.S. into a war it had managed to sidestep for years. The day after the attack, President Roosevelt asked Congress for a declaration of war against Japan. Calling December 7 a “date which shall live in infamy,” he told the U.S. Congress that the nation was in grave danger.

Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in hopes that it would destroy the US Pacific Fleet and weaken the resolve of the American people. They hoped that the defeat at Pearl Harbor would be so devastating, that Americans would immediately give up. The goal was a quick US capitulation allowing Japan to continue imperial expansion.

Why did the United States come together after the attack on Pearl Harbor?

After the attack on Pearl Harbor the country came together to defeat the Axis powers.

What aircraft carrier attacked Pearl Harbor?

A Mitsubishi A6M Kansen AI-156 Zero fighter on the IJN aircraft carrier Akagi in Hitokappu Bay in November 1941 prior to departing for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor for a few reasons. The reason for the attack and the goal of the attack are not the same.

What was the response to the Japanese aggression?

In response to the Japanese aggression, the U.S. Congress placed restrictions on business with Japan and Japanese assets in the United States were frozen. In 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ordered the US Pacific Fleet to move from California to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This move was seen as a threat to Japan and her desire ...

What were Japan's goals in the Pacific?

With goals of expansion in Asia and the Pacific, Japan saw an increased need for natural resources (steel, oil, minerals). They looked towards China, Indochina, and the Pacific to meet these needs.

Did Kido Butai destroy the Pacific Fleet?

They managed to destroy the battleships at Pearl Harbor, but did not destroy the Pacific Fleet, did not destroy Pearl Harbor, did not invade Hawaii, and certainly did not destroy the will ...

Was the Pacific War inevitable?

During this period within the Japanese government, there were many hawkish politicians and military leaders. Many of them saw a war between Japan and the United States as inevitable.

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