Washington knew there was tension but there was no way of knowing just how far this country would go. Bailey states that no one in Washington believed the "Japanese were either strong enough or foolhardy enough to strike Hawaii" (843). In fact, just days before the attack, it was reported that war would be "sad for Japan to contemplate" (Army History) because she is the "most vulnerable nation in the world to attack and blockade" (Army History). However, it was a planned attack because Japan was "deliberately prolonging negotiations in Washington" (843). Another reason the attack was successful was the route the fighter pilots flew was rarely used and practically unnoticed. The attack also took place on a Sunday morning, with many crewmembers ashore. It is also worth noting that the weather was such that the fleet was simply not visible until it was just a few hundred miles from the islands. The strike was, for all intents and purposes, a perfectly executed...
The shock sustained by the American people has only been matched by those of September 11, 2001. The attack was also successful because it killed about 3,000 people. In addition, the American battleship fleet was eradicated and many aircraft were destroyed as well. The strike allowed Japan to buy some time and the hope was that there would be no interference with Japan's initiative to defeat Southeast Asia. This move is also important because it marks the event when America entered the war.
Works Cited
Bailey, Thomas and Kennedy, David. The American Pageant. Lexington D.C. Heath and Company. 1994.
Craig, Albert, et al. The Heritage of World Civilizations: Combined Edition. New Jersey:
Prentice Hall. 20002.
The Pearl Harbor Attack. Center of Military History. Information Retrieved 12 April 2010.
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/Guard-U.S./ch7.htm web.
