Two waves had been sent into Pearl harbor demolishing the battleline and airforces present. Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo cautiously (and perhaps mistakenly) decided not to launch a 3rd wave to destroy the oil tanks and drydocks at Pearl. His concerns were the increasing casualties he incurred in the 2nd wave and the still missing US carriers which posed a threat to his fleet. The most important thing to examine is that if the American administration in fact knew about the attack on Pearl Harbor, then is it not a huge calculated risk that the Japanese would not conduct a "third wave," completely incapacitating the base at Pearl for use in the Pacific Theatre?
Since we were not at war we did not have combat reconnaissance patrols out looking for them. We did not have watch stations set up all over Hawaii to look for enemy planes. Radar had only just been invented. There was a radar station that was turned on and did spot the incoming attack force, but when the radar crew reported their superiors decided that the blip was a flight of B-17 bombers that were known to be flying in on that day. The attack's success was due in large measure to the complete surprise that was achieved. Negotiations had been going on to resolve the differences between Japan and the U.S. so we did not realize they were ready to attack. We didn't have any idea that their fleet had left its home waters and sailed to Hawaii. We didn't realize they had solved the technical problems involved with dropping torpedos into a shallow harbor. It was 7:00 on a peaceful Sunday morning and everybody was sleeping late or eating breakfast and nobody knew they were under attack until the bombs started falling. Since we were more worried about sabotage than a big attack, all of our airplanes were grouped together, lined up wingtip to wingtip to make them easier to guard. Of course, that made it very easy for the Japanese to destroy them on the ground. We only managed to get five or six planes into the air. The ships were all docked, tied up alongside their warves with their engines turned off. Their wasn't time to get up steam and get oput of the harbor. They were sitting ducks. Read "At Dawn We Slept" and watch "Tora! Tora! Tora!" and "Pearl Harbor". to get a good idea of what happened. Michael Montagne
Officially they were out distributing aircraft to some islands (they were on patrol/doing errands).
However, they were doing the same thing that the battleships were originally transferred there from California (Los Angeles-Long Beach) to begin with.
Japanese soldiers didn't land troops at pearl harbor because the army would have seen the carrier coming. A plane attack was much quicker, and it gave the U.S. less time to react and organize a counter-offense.
If more airplanes had been sent to Pearl Harbor, then they would have to come from the mainland US or California. That flight would have taken 6 or 8 hours. By then the Japanese attackers would have been gone.
The closest friendly aircraft would have been the Navy fighters located on the US aircraft carriers. They were out to sea and still would have been too far away. Otherwise, all the American planes in the Hawaiian islands were involved in the attack. There were no more spare aircraft.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was an invasion, from the air, by the Japanese.
Could it be that they knew everone had their own personal weapons, and that the fight would be house to house
They didnt have the men or equipment to invade
I have read in a few books that the weather was nice. You will find it was 'tropical' on the page I found that mentions the weather prior to the attack.
The war in the Pacific was precipitated by a Japanese attack upon Pearl harbor . The Japanese sought to expand their empire by crippling US forces assigned to the Pacific for military duty .
Survivors were very surprised at the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. For one thing, they had no warning. For another, it was very early on a Sunday morning, so most of the soldiers were still asleep when it happened. Additionally, communications are vital in any war, be it at Antietam or Pearl Harbor. US Naval intelligence had placed Japanese warships, including the ones used at Pearl Harbor, at bay in their home ports near Japan.
U.S. officials were certain that an attack was coming but the forces in the Pacific - in and around Pearl Harbor - were depleted as many were brought closer to US shores as they expected a more direct attack than on Pearl Harbor. When the attack came, it was at a time that bombers were being relocated to Pearl from California and the wave of planes seen on the radar was mistaken for those relocating rather than as an enemy force on the attack.
The United States declared war on Japan and the Axis powers in Europe. You're welcome, NovaNetters. =D
The attack by the Japanese forces was on December 7, 1941.
Japanese Naval Air Forces (Naval Airmen), launched from aircraft carriers.
December. (December 7, 1941, to be exact)
No. A combination of British and Canadians forces had invaded the United States during the War of 1812.
Entry followed the Japanese attack on the US Fleet at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.
I have read in a few books that the weather was nice. You will find it was 'tropical' on the page I found that mentions the weather prior to the attack.
the sudden sneaky attack by Japanese forces against Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th 1941
The same as it was the day before the attack. Their economy was not seriously affected until the Allied Forces began the napalm bombing campaign.
The war in the Pacific was precipitated by a Japanese attack upon Pearl harbor . The Japanese sought to expand their empire by crippling US forces assigned to the Pacific for military duty .
The Japanese surprise attack upon US naval forces based at Pearl Harbor precipitated the US entry into WW2 .
Survivors were very surprised at the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. For one thing, they had no warning. For another, it was very early on a Sunday morning, so most of the soldiers were still asleep when it happened. Additionally, communications are vital in any war, be it at Antietam or Pearl Harbor. US Naval intelligence had placed Japanese warships, including the ones used at Pearl Harbor, at bay in their home ports near Japan.
U.S. officials were certain that an attack was coming but the forces in the Pacific - in and around Pearl Harbor - were depleted as many were brought closer to US shores as they expected a more direct attack than on Pearl Harbor. When the attack came, it was at a time that bombers were being relocated to Pearl from California and the wave of planes seen on the radar was mistaken for those relocating rather than as an enemy force on the attack.