A Date Which Will Live in

Infamy.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Mr. Graham
5/29/2015

Table of Contents

Last Time in History.

Rising Tensions
Playing a Dangerous Game
December 7th, 1941
Americans React
Americans Continue to
React
The Japanese
Underestimate the United
States
So Basically.
Next Time in History.

The USS Shaw being hit by a Japanese

Bomb during the attack on Pearl
Harbor.

Last Time in History.

Japan Conquering lands in the Far East and
Pacific Islands, technically allies with Germany
and Italy.
The United States Technically neutral, but
gives support to the Allies (Britain, France,
Russia).

Exit

Rising Tensions
The United States feared a war with Japan for
years leading up to 1941, and had contingencies
in place.
So did Japan.
Japanese aggression in the Far East makes the
United States uneasy.
The United States ends shipments of airplanes,
parts, machine tools, and aviation gas to Japan.
Soon after the US stopped shipments of oil.
Japan interprets this as a hostile move.
Exit

Playing a Dangerous Game

Imperial Japan felt like the only way to prevent
American interference was a preventative
strike.
Japanese three major goals:
Remove an important American Pacific Fleet
Delay American involvement and consolidate
holdings (fearing American Industrial might)
Damage American morale
Exit

December 7th, 1941

Without any formal
Declaration of War, Japan
attacked that American
Naval base at Pearl Harbor
in Hawaii
The primary targets were
battleships, aircraft carriers,
and airfields. Crucially, the
carriers were away
Final Damages of the attack:
2,403 Americans killed
1,178 Americans wounded
18 ships sunk or beached

Exit

Americans React
In a famous speech
President Roosevelt
asks Congress to
declare war on Japan
A Declaration of War
passes with a single
dissenting vote

That very same speech.

Exit

Americans Continue to React

Propaganda efforts
against the Japanese
inside the United States
greatly increase
The most famous antiJapanese (and racist)
propagandist: Dr. Seuss

One of Dr. Seuss Cartoons

Exit

Anti-Japanese Racism
Because of the propaganda, the sneaky way
that Japanese attacked, and already existing
racism; the American people turn on
Japanese-Americans
Japanese-Americans forced into internment
camps

Exit

The Japanese Underestimate the

United States
The Japanese goal of removing an important
Pacific fleet failed: the aircraft carriers avoided
damage and only three ships were permanently
lost to the US
The goal of stalling the US did in fact succeed, but
only because of a Europe first strategy and the
US taking the time to upgrade many of its ships
The goal of damaging American morale failed
spectacularly. Americans were split on the war
but Pearl Harbor united opinions against the
Japanese and for war.
Exit

So Basically.
Japanese aggression made the United States uneasy
The United States quit supplying Japan
The Japanese preemptively attacked the United States
to prevent interference and limit their capabilities
The attack on Pearl Harbor came as a shock to most,
dealt a stunning blow
Pearl Harbor spurred the United States to war and
helped breed racist sentiments against JapaneseAmericans
The Japanese whiffed on their long term goals for this
attack, largely because they overestimated themselves
and underestimated the United States
Exit

Next Time in History.

The United States gets her hands dirty (click
the pictures for a preview)

Invasion of Normandy
Iwo Jima

Exit