America tried to stop Japan’s expansion, Clues in ads came out to warn America. A large number of bomber planes attacked, and caused PTSD, and large amounts of death and damage.
Japan’s Unstable
During the 1930s, Japan, having already annexed Korea in 1910, sought to further expand its empire, particularly to gain resources. Japan couldn’t have done an attack more monumental than the one at pearl harbor. Even before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the country has already attacked China. The attack was planned October 1941, when Japan Army Commander Isoroku Yamamoto approved an attack against the US. They argued that “it would give an fatal blow to the enemy fleet” and it would be a surprise and give them an advantage in the war they knew would be coming. But even before negotiations to stabilize Japan fell, but the US thought it was going to be attacked in the Philippines, and not the US.
Surprising Attack
Right before the attack, President Roosevelt sent a cable to his Japanese counterpart Emperor Shōwa, hoping to “dispel the dark clouds' by appealing to the two countries' long-standing peace and friendship. But Major Tomura had decided to delay this cable because he believed war was Japan’s destiny. Japan had already made a 14 part cable to a announce the end of negotiations. But the same Major Morio Tomura, an army officer at the Tokyo's cable office, delayed the cable for the America by ten hours. You may think it’s weird to warn your enemy before attacking, but it‘s part of the samurai/bushido honor code to tell your enemy before attacking. You could say that more lives were lost because the US was not warned and prepared for it. The first sign of the Japan fleet came at 7am, December 7th. A US army commander initially thought it was an American fleet coming in, as he heard the signal on the radio. The Japan fleet first attacked Pearl Harbor with 43 fighters, 49 high level bombers, 51 dive bombers, and 40 torpedo planes. Japan attacks in minutes. 167 more bombers flew in after the first bombing. Many ships are destroyed, including the USS Arizona.
Problems Afterwards
The after effect was that Japan destroyed 19 American ships, including the USS Arizona, which remains underwater. 2,403 American civilians and military personnel were killed, and 1,178 injured. Two ships and 188 aircraft were destroyed. The USS Lexington, the USS Enterprise, and the USS Saratoga had been sent on missions during the days before, so Japan didn’t destroy all ships. The 2,403 people who perished in Pearl Harbor were not the only victims, the trauma from the instant attack caused PTSD in lots of families, they say the sound of engines trigger moments from the gruesome attack. The day after, President Roosevelt gave a speech addressing this attack, calling it “a date which will live in infamy”. 3 days after, Germany and Italy declare war on US.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Japan was unstable on its journey to rule all countries, Army Commander Isoroku Yamamoto planned and approved attack on Pearl Harbor, and Japan’s army destroyed a majority of the US army’s planes and ships.