1. The Pearl Harbor Attack and The End of American Isolationism
By: Dejah Bush

2. Background- The Attack
Pearl Harbor is a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii that was attacked on December 7, 1941
20 American naval bases damaged, 19 ships were sunk or damaged including eight battleships and more than 300 airplanes
2,471 Americans died and 1,000 people wounded

3. Why they attacked?
Renouncing of the 1911 Japanese-American Commercial Treaty in July 1941
USA demanded withdrawal from China
The negotiations became pointless
Easy target and the US couldn’t fight back

4. How they tried to prevent it
Japan offered diplomatic concessions
Japan demanded that the USA cease aiding the nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek
Spent months negotiating

5. The attack itself
Around 8am, many Japanese planes were in the sky directly over Pearl Harbor. The Japanese released bombs and bullets. Around ten minutes later, a 1,800-pound bomb smashed through the deck of the battleship USS Arizona. The ship exploded and sank with more than 1,000 men trapped inside.
Torpedoes pierced the shell of the battleship USS Oklahoma. With 400 sailors aboard, the Oklahoma lost her balance, rolled onto her side and slipped underwater.

7. After the Attack The USA declared war on Japan
Countries declared war on the United States
Other countries started to declare war
Pacific Fleet was not destroyed
Isolationism ended

8. Involvement of others
All nine independent Central American and Caribbean countries declared war
Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico severed ties with the Axis powers
After the Pan-American union conference, Argentina and Chile still refused to sever ties
Germany wanted to target US, Mexican, and Brazilian vessels

9. Revenge of the USA
By late 1942, the USA began to intercept messages from Berlin and Tokyo
Deported three German nationals
USA threatened to block Chilean membership in the newly created United Nations

10. Isolationism
A policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries
Japan promised the USA neutrality before the Pearl Harbor Attack
The United States declared neutrality on September 5, 1939

11. Conclusion
Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan in December of 1941 and thousands were killed
Other countries got involved and started to declare war
USA got revenge
Isolationism ended

12. Work Cited
History.com Staff. “Pearl Harbor.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2009,
Alchin, Linda. “ : Depression & WW2.” American Isolationism: US History for Kids ***, Siteseen Limited, 9 Jan , depression-ww2-era/american-isolationism.htm.