The Pearl Harbor The Pearl Harbor InvasionInvasion

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTERHISTORICAL CENTER

805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON 805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARDNAVY YARD

WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060 WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Before the InvasionBefore the Invasion May 1940, the main part of the United May 1940, the main part of the United

States Fleet was transferred there from States Fleet was transferred there from the west coast the west coast

The Navy Yard hadThe Navy Yard had– a dry dock capable of holding the largest a dry dock capable of holding the largest

warships,warships,– a marine railway for smaller ones, a marine railway for smaller ones, – and an industrial plant for repairing and and an industrial plant for repairing and

maintaining these ships maintaining these ships – a Naval Air Station for combat landplanes and a Naval Air Station for combat landplanes and

patrol seaplanes patrol seaplanes

Before the InvasionBefore the Invasion This was still not nearly enough to support the This was still not nearly enough to support the

Fleet Fleet

Pearl Harbor's area was limited and its opening Pearl Harbor's area was limited and its opening to the sea was but a single narrow channel to the sea was but a single narrow channel

transportation from the west coast was slow and transportation from the west coast was slow and of insufficient carrying capacity of insufficient carrying capacity

Accordingly, Fleet readiness was handicapped, Accordingly, Fleet readiness was handicapped, its security was well below optimum levels, and its security was well below optimum levels, and its morale was impaired its morale was impaired

During 1940-41, construction of new facilities During 1940-41, construction of new facilities was undertaken to address some of these was undertaken to address some of these problems problems

Before the RaidBefore the Raid The Pearl Harbor naval base was recognized by The Pearl Harbor naval base was recognized by

both the Japanese and the United States Navies both the Japanese and the United States Navies as a potential target for hostile carrier air power as a potential target for hostile carrier air power

However its distance from Japan and shallow However its distance from Japan and shallow harbor persuaded U.S. officers that an attack on harbor persuaded U.S. officers that an attack on Pearl Harbor would be unlikelyPearl Harbor would be unlikely

Japanese had reached similar conclusions. Japanese had reached similar conclusions. However, their need for secure Southeast Asia However, their need for secure Southeast Asia and the East Indies spurred the Commander and the East Indies spurred the Commander Isoroku Yamamoto to revisit the issueIsoroku Yamamoto to revisit the issue

The Japanese MissionThe Japanese Mission All six of Japan's aircraft carrier were assigned All six of Japan's aircraft carrier were assigned

to the mission to the mission

With over 420 planes, these ships constituted With over 420 planes, these ships constituted the most powerful carrier task force ever the most powerful carrier task force ever assembled assembled

also included battleships, cruisers and also included battleships, cruisers and destroyers, with tankers to fuel the ships during destroyers, with tankers to fuel the ships during their passage across the Pacific their passage across the Pacific

large submarines were sent to scout around large submarines were sent to scout around Hawaii, and torpedo American warships that Hawaii, and torpedo American warships that might escape to sea might escape to sea

The Japanese MissionThe Japanese Mission Under the greatest secrecy, Nagumo took Under the greatest secrecy, Nagumo took

his ships to sea in November 1941, with his ships to sea in November 1941, with orders to abort the mission if he was orders to abort the mission if he was discovered discovered

Before dawn on the 7th of December, the Before dawn on the 7th of December, the Pearl Harbor Striking Force was less than Pearl Harbor Striking Force was less than three-hundred miles north of Pearl Harbor three-hundred miles north of Pearl Harbor

The first attack wave of over 180 aircraft, The first attack wave of over 180 aircraft, including torpedo fighter and bomber including torpedo fighter and bomber planes was launched in the darkness and planes was launched in the darkness and flew off to the south flew off to the south

The Attack of Pearl HarborThe Attack of Pearl Harbor When the first attack wave arrived over Pearl When the first attack wave arrived over Pearl

Harbor seven of their primary targets, the U.S. Harbor seven of their primary targets, the U.S. battleships, were moored along "Battleship battleships, were moored along "Battleship Row“Row“

At 7:55 am, Dive bombers attacked the airfields At 7:55 am, Dive bombers attacked the airfields destroying many aircraft destroying many aircraft

This attack prompted the dispatch of the This attack prompted the dispatch of the famous message famous message – "Air raid, Pearl Harbor -- this is no drill", the outside "Air raid, Pearl Harbor -- this is no drill", the outside

World's first indication that war had come to the World's first indication that war had come to the Pacific. Pacific.

The Attack of Pearl HarborThe Attack of Pearl Harbor Within a few moments, torpedo planes Within a few moments, torpedo planes

attacked from east and west, hitting USS attacked from east and west, hitting USS Helena, Helena, USS USS UtahUtah and USS and USS RaleighRaleigh

The majority of the torpedo planes came in The majority of the torpedo planes came in from the east hitting the USS from the east hitting the USS California, California, USS USS Nevada, Nevada, USS USS OklahomaOklahoma and and West VirginiaWest Virginia

Bombers swept up "Battleship Row.” Bombers swept up "Battleship Row.” Several ships were hit. The USS Several ships were hit. The USS ArizonaArizona blew up with a tremendous explosion blew up with a tremendous explosion

The Attack of Pearl HarborThe Attack of Pearl Harbor The second attack wave hit the Navy The second attack wave hit the Navy

Yard, where they bombed the battleship Yard, where they bombed the battleship PennsylvaniaPennsylvania and three destroyers and three destroyers

Other dive bombers went after the USS Other dive bombers went after the USS NevadaNevada, which was trying to get to sea , which was trying to get to sea

The second attack’s losses were The second attack’s losses were significantly greater than those of the significantly greater than those of the first attack wave. first attack wave.

The Attack on Pearl HarborThe Attack on Pearl Harbor The raiders had no opportunity to hit The raiders had no opportunity to hit

American aircraft carriers, all of which American aircraft carriers, all of which were at sea, were at sea,

They did not target fuel storage, most They did not target fuel storage, most cruisers and destroyers, submarines and cruisers and destroyers, submarines and most maintenance facilities most maintenance facilities

In under two hours they wrecked the U.S. In under two hours they wrecked the U.S. battleship force, ensuring that it would not battleship force, ensuring that it would not interfere with Japan's plans for conquest. interfere with Japan's plans for conquest.

The Aftermath and US The Aftermath and US ReactionReaction

No sooner had the raid ended than U.S. forces No sooner had the raid ended than U.S. forces attempted to locate the Japanese carrier fleet attempted to locate the Japanese carrier fleet

Many cruisers and destroyers left Pearl Harbor, joining Many cruisers and destroyers left Pearl Harbor, joining the aircraft carrier the aircraft carrier EnterpriseEnterprise

The few surviving flight-worthy aircraft were also sent The few surviving flight-worthy aircraft were also sent out out

the search went South rather than North where the search went South rather than North where Japanese ships were already heading out after Japanese ships were already heading out after recovering their planes. recovering their planes.

Fortunately for the outnumbered Americans, no contact Fortunately for the outnumbered Americans, no contact was made was made

The Aftermath and US The Aftermath and US ReactionReaction

On 8 December, President Roosevelt and On 8 December, President Roosevelt and Congress declared war against Japan Congress declared war against Japan

Within a few days, Germany and Italy had Within a few days, Germany and Italy had declared war on the United States declared war on the United States

When Admiral William F. Halsey brought When Admiral William F. Halsey brought his his EnterpriseEnterprise back to Pearl Harbor, he back to Pearl Harbor, he commented, commented, – "Before we're through with 'em, the Japanese "Before we're through with 'em, the Japanese

language will be spoken only in hell!"language will be spoken only in hell!"