Pearl Harbor Attack an Planning Essay

On December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked by hundreds of Japanese fighter jets. United States had been aware of a possible attack since the 1920s, though tensions did not begin to grow seriously until Japan's 1931 invasion of Manchuria. Although the original plan was that the attack wouldn’t begin until thirty minutes after Japan had informed the United States those peace negotiations was at an end. They attacked with no formal declaration of war. The attack was conducted by Commanders Mitsuo Fuchida and Minoru GendaIt. There were two separate waves off attacks; the second wave being led by Lt. Commander Shigekazu Shimazaki. The first wave was a primary attack, while the second wave was to finish whatever remained. The Pearl Harbor attack plan had two goals; the destruction of American aircraft carriers, and the sinking of as many other capital ships as possible, especially battleships. The Japanese hoped to neutralize the American fleet's ability to project air and sea power in the Pacific Basin for at least six months. They did manage to damage eight U.S. Navy battleships, with four being sunk. Of these eight damaged, two were raised and four repaired. Six battleships were fully repaired later in the war. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, and one minelayer. The total casualties were 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 wounded. President Franklin D. Roosevelt said December 7, 1941, was "a date which will live in infamy."Japan had only lost 29 aircraft, five midget submarines, and 65 servicemen killed or wounded. One Japanese sailor was also captured. After the attack America decided to enter World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of United States Congress. Congress declared war on the Empire of Japan in anger of the surprise attack and the late delivery of the note from the Japanese government breaking off relations with the U.S. President Roosevelt also