When was hawaii attacked by japan

On November 26, , as US officials presented the Japanese with a point statement reiterating their long-standing position, the Japanese Imperial Navy ordered an armada that included planes aboard six aircraft carriers to set to sea. To catch the Americans by surprise, the ships maintained strict radio silence throughout their 3, mile trek from Hitokappu Bay to a predetermined launch sector miles north of the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

At a. Led by Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, the pilots spotted land and assumed their attack positions around a. For nearly two hours, Japanese firepower rained down upon American ships and servicemen. While the attack inflicted significant destruction, the fact that Japan failed to destroy American repair shops and fuel-oil tanks mitigated the damage. Even more significantly, no American aircraft carriers were at Pearl Harbor that day. Within days, the Japanese were masters of the Pacific.

But a communications delay prevented a warning from reaching Pearl Harbor in time. The Americans missed another opportunity when an officer discounted a report from an Oahu-based radar operator that a large number of planes were headed their way. At the White House, Roosevelt learned of the attack as he was finishing lunch and preparing to tend to his stamp collection. He spent the remainder of the afternoon receiving updates and writing the address he intended to deliver to Congress the following day asking for a declaration of war against Japan.

As he drafted and redrafted the speech, Roosevelt focused on rallying the nation behind a war many had hoped to avoid. Daily routine put Paul G. Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku spent months planning an attack that aimed to destroy the Pacific Fleet and destroy morale in the U.

Navy, so that it would not be able to fight back as Japanese forces began to advance on targets across the South Pacific. At first, however, the Pearl Harbor attack looked like a success for Japan. Its bombers hit all eight U. But the Pearl Harbor attack had failed in its objective to completely destroy the Pacific Fleet.

The Japanese bombers missed oil tanks, ammunition sites and repair facilities, and not a single U. In June , this failure came to haunt the Japanese, as U. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you.

Live TV. Today visitors can tour the Pearl Harbor National Monument, built on the water above the wreckage of the U. Arizona, one of the eight battleships attacked and damaged during the fight.

From there you can still glimpse at the remains of the sunken ship 40 feet below the water, a memorial to the brave people who fought in this important battle. All rights reserved. Personality Quizzes. Funny Fill-In. Amazing Animals. Weird But True! Party Animals. Try This! Explore More.