National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Where is Pearl Harbor Located?
Pearl Harbor is a naval base for the US located in Honolulu County, Oahu Island, Hawaii.
The Attack
The Attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on the morning of December 7th, 1941. That morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes arrived at the base, they then destroyed or at least damaged around 20 American Naval Vessels, including 8 battleships, and over 300 airplanes. Over 2,400 Americans died, including civilians, and another 1,000 were wounded. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked the Congress to declare war on Japan.
Exact Damage Numbers
There were a lot of damages done during the attack. The attack killed exactly 2,403 people including civilians, sailors, and soldiers. 1,178 people were wounded, and 129 Japanese soldiers died.
Why Did Japan Attack?
The US and China didn’t have any sort of an economic alliance anymore, China and Japan were at war, and the US was financially supporting China. Germany invaded the Soviet Union, so they were no longer a threat to the Japanese on the mainland, and they believed if that part of the US was out of the picture, all of Southeast Asia would be open for conquest.
The Aftermath
After the Attack, the military decided to prepare themselves for another attack. With the support from many other militaries confirmed, the number of sailors, soldiers, and marines grew to over 135,000 people, which was double the amount of soldiers they had before. More weapons and ammunition were added, major buildings were painted to be camouflaged, and the beaches were surrounded by barbed wire.
What Can We Take Away from the Incident?
Though the attack on Pearl Harbor was devastating and will be forever remembered as a tragedy, there are still some lessons we can take away from it.
The unthinkable can always happen. Even if there is no apparent immediate threat, always consider all possibilities and be alert.
Learning to utilize your resources can save lives. Many people believe that the government could’ve used its intelligence to diminish the impact or stop the attack altogether.
Always remember to stand united. After the attack, the country came together to help. It is important to stay united during rough times.
Never stop learning. Though the attack happened a long time ago, it’s never too late to take valuable lessons from tragedies like these.
What Does Pearl Harbor Look Like Today?
Pearl Harbor is a US Navy Base, it’s still the headquarters for the Pacific Fleet. Hickam Air Force Base is next to the Base, and the buildings were connected in 2010 to become a joint base. The USS Arizona, a ship that was in the area during the tragedy, remains where it sank on December 7, where it will stay and has been preserved as a National Cemetery.
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