The provided text is a detailed account of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The attack was a surprise to the United States and resulted in significant damage to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The Japanese attack was strategic and well-planned, with the goal of sinking a battleship as a propaganda move. The attack was carried out by six fleet carriers and their strike force of 350 planes, with five submarines tasked with penetrating the harbor and attacking in conjunction with the main air strike.
The attack was divided into two waves. The first wave was led by Lieutenant Fujita and targeted the ships in the harbor, with a focus on the battleships and carriers. The second wave, led by Lieutenant Yatta, was intended to attack Battleship Row. However, due to the confusion and chaos of the attack, the targets were not hit as planned.
The attack resulted in the sinking of the USS Arizona, the USS Oklahoma, and the USS West Virginia, with the USS California and USS Nevada suffering heavy damage. The USS Maryland, USS Tennessee, and the repair ship Vestal also suffered damage. The Japanese lost 29 planes in total, with 20 in the second wave.
Despite the damage caused, the attack did not significantly impact the Pacific Fleet and the U.S. was resolved to finish the war with a total victory. The attack had awoken a sleeping giant and marked the beginning of World War II for America.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
2. The attack was carried out by six fleet carriers and 350 planes.
3. The Japanese had been planning the attack for six months.
4. The goal of the attack was to sink American battleships and aircraft carriers.
5. The Japanese believed that a short-term war with the US was necessary to achieve their goals.
6. The US had imposed an oil embargo on Japan, which led to the attack.
7. The Philippines, a US territory, was seen as a threat to Japan's supply lines.
8. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in two waves, with the first wave consisting of 183 aircraft.
9. The attack began at 6:00 a.m. and lasted for approximately 2 hours.
10. The Japanese achieved complete surprise, with no American fighters in the air.
11. The attack targeted battleships, aircraft carriers, and other naval vessels.
12. The USS Arizona was hit by two bombs, causing a magazine explosion that killed over 1,000 sailors.
13. The USS Oklahoma was hit by 12 torpedoes and capsized in 15 minutes.
14. The USS California was hit by two torpedoes and sank, but was later raised and repaired.
15. The USS West Virginia was hit by seven torpedoes but remained afloat.
16. The second wave of the attack consisted of 167 planes, including 78 dive bombers.
17. The second wave targeted battleships, cruisers, and destroyers.
18. The attack on the USS Nevada was criticized for being a waste of ordnance.
19. The Japanese missed the opportunity to attack the Naval Yard, where modern cruisers were docked.
20. The attack resulted in 2,335 American deaths and 1,178 wounded.
21. 103 civilians were also killed or wounded in the attack.
22. Five American battleships were sunk, but only two were permanent losses (USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma).
23. The attack did not significantly damage the US Pacific Fleet.
24. The Japanese realized that the real threat to their plans were the American aircraft carriers, which they had missed.
25. The attack was followed by a series of Japanese strikes on airfields on Oahu, destroying over 160 American planes.
26. The Japanese lost 29 planes in the attack, while the Americans lost over 180 planes.
27. The attack marked the beginning of World War II for the United States.