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Attacks on Pearl Harbor: Surprise or Known?


 * __Primary Documents:__**

Secret Report from SecNav (Secretary of the Navy) William Franklin Knox to the President of the United States

The Japanese air attack on the Island of Oahu on December 7th was a complete surprise to both the Army and the Navy. Its initial success, which included almost all the damage done, was due to a lack of a state of readiness against such an air attack, by both branches of the service. This statement was made by me to both General Short and Admiral Kimmel, and both agreed that it was entirely true. Neither Army or Navy Commandants in Oahu regarded such an attack as at all likely, because of the danger which such a carrier-borne attack would confront in view of the preponderance of the American Naval strength in Hawaiian waters. While the likelihood of an attack without warning by Japan was in the minds of both General Short and Admiral Kimmel, both felt certain that such an attack would take place nearer Japan's base of operations, that is, in the Far East. Neither Short nor Kimmel, at the time of the attack, had any knowledge of the plain intimations of some surprise move, made clear in Washington, through the interception of Japanese instructions to Nomura, in Page 1750 which a surprise move of some kind was clearly indicated by the insistence upon the precise time of Nomura's reply to Hull, at one o'clock on Sunday.

Caption: In this report, SecNav, the Secretary of the Navy, sends a message to president Roosevelt regarding the attacks by the Japanese on U.S. Naval and Air base Pearl Harbor, located in Hawaii. SecNav clearly states that both General Short and Admiral Kimmel agreed with the statement saying that the air attack on Pearl Harbor was "a complete surprise to both the Army and the Navy." They also agreed with the damage done "was due to a lack of state readiness against such air attack, by both branches of service." This states that both the Army and the Navy could not have anticipated this attack. Both the General and the Admiral also stated that they would not expect an attack this close to the country but father to the East. Short and Kimmel both denied any knowledge of any plans known in Washington through receiving the intercepted the message of Japanese instructions to Nomura.

Picture of the damage done to Pearl Harbor



Caption: This image shows the massive amount of destruction caused by the air raids on the naval and air base Pearl Harbor. If the United States Navy and Air Force knew of this attack, they would not allow this much damage to happen. They would have prepared by getting pilots and their planes ready to launch. There has also been some controversy over whether the president used this information of the pending Japanese attack to become involved in the war. Why would to President of the United States, our leader who took an oath to protect this country, let an attack happen that killed about 2,400 soldiers and destroyed many US Naval ships that were necessary to protect the western side of this great country of ours? He simply would not.

A Famous Quote made by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt regarding Pearl Harbor


 * Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.**

Caption: This quote was taken from one of the most famous speeches in American History. This quote was the very first line in the President's address to the nation after the attacks on Pearl Harbor. You can see that he clearly states "the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." Many conspirators believe that the president used the attack to be forced into the war. Why would the President of the U.S. lie to many citizens in need of order and justice which is what the president can supply. No president would ever lie when telling his country that they have been attacked. Would he say "I am sorry fellow Americans, I used this attack to be forced into the war?" Clearly the attack was a surprise.


 * __10 Secondary Source Facts:__**


 * 1) At 7:45 A.M., Naval Personnel stationed with the Pacific fleet heard the shattering sounds as the first bombs were dropped.
 * 2) On Monday, one day after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, FDR stood before Congress and asked them to declare war on Japan. He also named December 7, "the day that will live in infamy."
 * 3) The Japanese planes came in two waves. They first bombed the ships docked in the harbor, the many surrounding support boats, and then finally the airfield where many planes were.
 * 4) Japan was trying to gain much territory in Asia and the allied countries, concerned about Japan's ambitions, froze assets and stopped sending supplies.
 * 5) Japan, feeling the U.S. Pacific fleet was a threat to their plans in Asia, decided to rid of the fleet by surprise attack.
 * 6) By December 1941, Japan had 2,400,000 fully trained infantry and nearly 7,500 planes compared to the U.S. meager 1,500,000 troops in which about 1,000,000 were not fully trained and the US's 1,157 war planes.
 * 7) Lack of communications between Hawaii and Washington led to General Short not receiving the appropriate messages regarding the attack at the right time, leading to the pacific fleet being unprepared.
 * 8) During the attack that lasted about 2 hours, 20 US Naval vessels, 8 huge battleships, and nearly 300 aircraft were destroyed buy Japanese planes.
 * 9) Casualties of the attack included about 2,000 American soldiers and sailors were killed, and another 1,000 were wounded. Japan only lost about 50 men.
 * 10) When President Roosevelt asked for war against Japan, every one of the house members voted yes except for one person. Nearly two years into WWII, America was finally involved.

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