Pearl Harbor

Motivation For Pearl Harbor U.S. control of Philippines and of Guam challenged the Japanese On going conflict in the Pacific The Embargo that stopped merchant ships to get to Japan. Japan relied on U.S. for trade Japan wanted to expand, and they finally decided to attack the U.S.

“A Date which will live in Infamy” December 7, 1941 Before the aerial attack there were 6 subs that tried to get into the harbor Japanese force of 423 planes on 3 aircraft carriers targeted 8 battleships in the harbor Admiral Chuichi Nagumo lead the attack The attack destroyed the U.S. Pacific fleet

By the Numbers 1 2 3 4 2388 people were Killed 2000 people were wounded 21 American Ships were damaged 300 American Planes were damaged Japanese only lost 29 aircrafts

Aftermath of Pearl Harbor The effects of the Pearl Harbor attack U.S. Joined World War II Japanese Americans were criticized harshly Japanese had hoped that they had crippled the US, but it in fact lead to the fall of the Japanese Empire 4 years later all but 3 ships were repaired and back to active duty

Conspiracy Theory Did Roosevelt plan the Pearl Harbor disaster? Some say that FDR wanted to enter war to stop the spread of totalitarianism, and now that Japan attacked them they had reason to enter the war. People wondered why there was no memo sent to Pearl Harbor to warn of attack, in fact a message was sent but was delayed because of the attack

Conspiracy Theory Did Roosevelt plan the Pearl Harbor disaster? Others say that FDR was hard-pressed by Stalin to let the attack happen Some believed that FDR’s advisors were spies for Stalin persuading decisions Opposing the Conspiracy Theory Others reasoned that if FDR was against Hitler why would he join with Stalin?

Pearl Harbor vs. 9/11 “We will never forget” Similarities Attack was on American soil Strong sense of American unity Both pushed America into war Conspiracy theories were made for Bush just as much as they were for FDR Both had death counts around 2,500 Minimal deaths to the enemies

Pearl Harbor vs. 9/11 “We will never forget” Contrasts 9/11 was more symbolic The World Trade Center in NY was the U.S. free-market economy The Pentagon embodies the U.S. military’s command center Pearl Harbor was an attack trying to wipe out threat of U.S. fleet

Discussion Questions 1.) Do you think the U.S. would have entered the war if Pearl Harbor didn’t happen? 2.) Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor? Could the attack have been prevented? What impact did the attack have on America’s society? 3.) Why did Leaders of the U.S. Navy believe that a full-Scale navel attack against Pearl Harbor was impossible? 4.) What are some similarities and differences between Pearl Harbor and 9/11? 5.) Why was Pearl Harbor an important turning point in WWII?

July 19, 1944 U.S. Marines invade Guam July 27, 1944 American troops complete the liberation Guam August 8, 1944 American troops capture the Mariana Island January 9, 1945 The U.S. Army invades Lingayen Gulf on Luzon February 16, 1945 U.S. troops recapture Bataan March 3, 1945 U.S. and Filipino troops capture Manila March 16, 1945 U.S. forces capture Iwo Jima May 20, 1945 Japanese forces begin to withdraw from China June 20, 1945 U.S. forces capture Okinawa June 28, 1945 The end of Japanese resistance in the Philippines announced June 30, 1945 U.S. forces retake the Philippines July 5, 1945 The liberation of the Philippines is declared August 6, 1945 The 1st atomic bomb is dropped August 8, 1945 The 2nd atomic bomb is dropped August 14, 1945 Japan Surrenders