World War II Database

In June 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States moved the American Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Pearl Harbor as a response to Japan's aggression toward China, followed by the embargo of vital raw materials to the newly industrialized Japan. It was meant to put pressure on Japan to ease the aggression on her neighbors, but it instead made Japan to eye the South Pacific with even greater desire: islands rich with oil, rubber, tin, and tungsten. The presence of the American fleet at the center of the Pacific Ocean did not do much to calm the Japanese military, which essentially controlled the government at that point. Instead, it threatened Japan into striking first.

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the commander of the fleet, was tasked with constructing a plan to strike down the American fleet in surprise, crippling the fleet so much that Japan would be able to dominate the Pacific. While Yamamoto truly believed that it was possible to surprise the American Pacific Fleet and destroy all the battleships and carriers with one quick strike, he was an opponent to the idea of attacking the United States. He believed that unless Japan had a way to march her armies straight to Washington DC, it was not wise to engage in war with United States for an extended period of time. Nevertheless, he carried on his duties and devised a plan with his staff. In October 1941, the Japanese naval general staff gave final approval to Yamamoto's general plan of attack. In November 1941, he added Pearl Harbor to the list of targets. Yamamoto's strike plan, with much contribution from Commander Genda, called for fighters, torpedo bombers, and dive bombers from six carriers, in other words it would be the largest air strike the world would have seen to date. The plan called for multiple waves of attack, systematically targeting and destroying specific ships, airfields, aircraft, and drydocks. In order to effectively use torpedoes in the shallow Pearl Harbor, the torpedoes were fitted with fins so that they would run closer to the water's surface without diving into the mud. Yamamoto assigned the task of attacking Pearl Harbor to Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. A total of 24 vessels supported the six aircraft carriers in its journey from Tankan Bay of Kuril Islands in Japan toward Hawaii via a northern route on 26 November 1941.

Pearl Harbor was a complex body of water on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, which was annexed by the United States in the early 1900s after a need for a navy base in the center of the Pacific arose (actual base construction started as early as 1887 when Hawaii was still under the sovereign of the Hawaiian Kingdom). In 1908, the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was established, and Schofield Barracks of the Army in 1909. It was one of the largest military bases of the United States at the time WW2 started; less than two years ago it became the base of the Navy's Pacific Fleet, and the Army at this time maintained 43,000 soldiers here. In April 1941 the Army Chief of Staff assured President Roosevelt: "The Island of Oahu, due to its fortification, its garrison, and its physical characteristics, is believed to be the strongest fortress in the world".

When the Japanese fleet departed from the Kuril Islands, Nagumo had ordered any non-Japanese vessel that came in contact with the strike fleet was to be quickly destroyed before they could warn anyone of the attack. On 5 Dec 1941, the situation happened. Packed full with M2 medium tanks and other supplies needed in the war against Germany, the Russian transport Uritsky was en route for the eastern Russian port city of Vladivostok. All guns of the Japanese fleet were trained on the transport, but Nagumo decided not to give the order to open fire, for he knew the top officials at Tokyo wished to maintain the non-aggression pact between Russia and Japan. It was never proven, but some sources indicated that the Uritsky did indeed radio Russian authorities of the finding, and the Russians notified the Japanese fleet that if Uritsky was to be spared, Russia would not report the incident to anyone, namely, the United States. Had this exchange really taken place, it appeared that both sides held their ends of the bargain; Urtisky arrived at Vladivostok safely, while the Japanese fleet sailed otherwise undetected across the Northern Pacific. Some speculated that the Russian silence might be due to Moscow's wish for the United States to enter WW2, thus eliminate Japan as a threat on Russian Siberia.

On 7 Dec 1941, the first contact was made by United States Coast Guard ship Condor at 0350 less than 2 miles southwest of the Pearl Harbor entrance buoys. After receiving visual warning from Condor at 0357, USS Ward began patrolling the harbor entrance. At 0637, Ward sighted the periscope of a Japanese submarine. Ward attacked the area with depth charges as destroyer USS Monaghan set sail to join her in the submarine hunt. At 0740, a telephone call was made to the office of United States Navy Pacific Fleet commanding officer Admiral Husband Kimmel to notify the submarine contact; by that time. In hindsight, it was the last chance for the Americans to prepare against the attack, but to Kimmel's defense, he had not been give many clue what was to come.

Just before 0800, the Japanese aircraft arrived over Hawaii. When the mass of dots appeared on the American radar screens, it was thought that they were friendly bombers coming in from the mainland. At 0755, the now-well-known message "ENEMY AIR RAID - NOT DRILL" was sent from the Navy Yard Signal Tower. As that message was sent, Japanese torpedo bombers were already lining up to battleship row.

The first targets were air fields. At 0755, Japanese dive bombers dropped bombs (mainly incendiary) and strafed Hickam Field and the Naval Air Station on Ford Island. Many American aircraft were caught on the ground, unable to take off to take off to meet the attackers in the air. At 0758, "AIR RAID, PEARL HARBOR. THIS IS NOT DRILL!" was broadcast to all ships in the area. Nearly simultaneously, another group of attack aircraft attacked the battleships moored on the south side of Ford Island in the center of Pearl Harbor. The torpedoes and bombs hit with precision. The most spectacular hit was the armor piercing bomb that exploded deep within the belly of the battleship USS Arizona, which ignited the forward ammunition magazine, engulfing the ship in a fierce ball of fire. Anti-aircraft machine gun fire commenced very quickly after Japanese aircraft were sighted, while larger caliber weapons took anywhere from three to seven minutes before they began firing. At 0812, the Pacific Fleet received word that "HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN COMMENCED WITH AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR", but it was no news to those present.

Between 0825 and 0840, Japanese aircraft continued to dominate the skies over Pearl Harbor, although bombing activities largely ceased.

At 0840, 30 Japanese horizontal bombers appeared, mostly still targeting battleships, supported by 18 dive bombers. Damage from this attack was reported as "serious".

With careful planning on part of Yamamoto and his staff, and perfect execution of Nagumo and his air command, the surprised Americans suffered greatly. More than 90 ships were present at Pearl Harbor, and few larger warships escaped unharmed. Battleship USS West Virginia sank very quickly, while the USS Oklahoma turned over before sinking. The 0810 bomb hit on USS Arizona previously mentioned took the lives of 1,000 sailors. Battleships California, Maryland, Tennessee, and Nevada all suffered various degrees of damage during the raid. At 0830, the Nevada attempted to get underway, but realized if she was sunk at the harbor opening, it would disable the base for months to come; USS Nevada's captain changed his mind of fleeing the harbor, and changed course to beach the ship at Hospital Point.

By 0940, most Japanese aircraft had left the vicinity, but American anti-aircraft fire continued to fire at any sign of hostile movement; tense atmosphere led to a few friendly fire incidents where American fighters that finally got a chance to take off were shot down. By 1000, the skies over Pearl Harbor were clear. Final tally revealed that five of eight battleships at Pearl Harbor were sinking, sunk, disabled, or heavily damaged. A total of 21 American ships were sunk. 188 aircraft were destroyed, and 159 were damaged. Over 2,400 American were killed (this figure includes civilian deaths of 68 caused by friendly fire: American anti-aircraft shells were landing in the city of Honolulu), with minimal Japanese casualties (29 planes shot down and 6 midget submarines lost).

In hindsight, the Americans could had been more vigilant, therefore the ships might possibly be able to sortie out of the harbor so that they would have a fighting chance. However, it should also be noted that had they sortied, and if the Japanese were to still have won the battle, the American ships would be sunk in deep water where they would be lost forever. As actual history had turned out, the five battleships sunk in the harbor during the attack were sunk in shallow water, allowing them to be raised, repaired, and underway to fight the Axis powers merely months later.

The United States was lucky that the aircraft carriers were not in port. Admiral William Halsey and the Enterprise were en route back to Pearl Harbor after delivering fighters to Wake Island. Rear Admiral Newton was en route with the Lexington toward Midway Atoll, delivering 25 scout bombers. And finally, the Saratoga left Pearl Harbor for maintenance in the continental United States. The carriers were among the primary objectives to destroy in Yamamoto's plan.

While the attack on Pearl Harbor took place, a Japanese detachment near Philippines were preparing to launch an invasion force on American bases at Philippines, starting the Japanese advance toward the South Pacific.

On the diplomatic side, Japan was supposed to declare war on the United States at precisely 30 minutes before the attack started. However, due to decryption difficulties, the Japanese embassy was not able to deliver the message until the attack had already started. President Roosevelt took advantage of the sequence of events, and marketed the concept that the attack was a unprovoked sneak attack, and used that marketing concept to rally the previously isolationist Americans into war against the Axis powers.

Blame for the total surprise of the attack was placed on the shoulders of Admiral Husband Kimmel and Lieutenant General Walter Short, the top commanders at Pearl Harbor at the time. The attack on Pearl Harbor faced nine investigations, with the conclusion of dereliction of duty by Kimmel and Short. The United States Senate cleared their names in 1999, after both commander's deaths, but to this day the Department of Defense continue to lay blame on these two scapegoats.

Niihau Incident
7-13 Dec 1941

During the Pearl Harbor attack planning, Japanese naval leadership designated the Hawaiian island of Niihau as the designated location to land damaged aircraft that could not fly back to their carriers. A submarine was to be dispatched to pick up any downed pilots on that island. It was thought that the island was uninhabited when in fact it had a small population of 136.

On 7 Dec 1941, Japanese Navy pilot Airman 1st Class Shigenori Nishikaichi from carrier Hiryu, who had taken part in the second wave of the Pearl Harbor attack, crash-landed his damaged A6M2 Zero fighter on Niihau. When he came down, he was merely 20 feet from resident Hawila Kaleohano who was completely unaware of neither international politics between Japan and United States nor the Pearl Harbor attack that had just taken place. He took Nishikaichi's pistol and documents, and then helped him out of the damaged aircraft. Nishikaichi was treated with a party in the late afternoon, as he was a rare guest on this remote island. Meanwhile, the islanders sent for first-generation Japanese-American Ishimatsu Shintani to act as translator; Shintani was aware of the attack, and only exchanged a few words with Nishikaichi before leaving. The islands then sent for Yoshio Harada and his wife Irene, both second-generation Japanese-Americans. The Haradas were not aware of the attack beforehand, and Nishikaichi shared the news; the Haradas decided not to translate that portion to the islanders to prevent panic or anger. Nishikaichi asked Kaleohano to return the documents that Kaleohano had taken from him previously, but Kaleohano refused.

Later in the evening of 7 Dec, the islanders learned of the attack via radio, and only at this time Harada shared what Nishikaichi had told him earlier regarding the attack. The islanders decided that on the next day, when the island's owner Aylmer Robinson would have arrived for his weekly visit, Robinson would escort Nishikaichi to the proper authorities. On the next day, Robinson failed to arrive to the surprise of the islanders, nor did he visit in the following few days; unbeknownst to them, a ban on boat traffic had been implemented due to the state of war. Nishikaichi had stayed with the Haradas during those days (with guards outside the residence).

At 1600 hours on 12 Dec, Shintani approached Kaleohano on behalf of Nishikaichi with $200 in cash, asking to purchase Nishikaichi's documents. Kaleohano rejected the offer. Yoshio Harada and Nishikaichi, without waiting for Shintani's return, attacked the lone guard outside of the house as Irene Harada played music with a loud volume to cover up any noise of struggle. They retrieved a shotgun and Nishikaichi's pistol from a warehouse, and then locked the guard in the same warehouse building. Harada and Nishikaichi went to Kaleohano's house to demand the papers; they could not find Kaleohano, who had saw them coming, with weapons, and decided to hide in the outhouse. After a few minutes, Harada and Nishikaichi gave up looking for Kaleohano, and headed for the downed plane. It was when Kaleohano decided it was his chance to flee. As he made a dash, he was discovered by Harada and Nishikaichi, who yelled "Stop! Stop!" and fired a warning shot, and Kaleohano kept running, and got away. Kaleohano reached the village and warned of the situation, joined shortly by the guard who had escaped the warehouse. The islands evacuated the village. Kaleohano, who still had possession of the documents at the time, gave the documents to a relative for safekeeping before setting out on a ten-hour paddling trip by boat to the nearby island of Kauai to see Robinson. Meanwhile, Nishikaichi reached his aircraft, made contact with the Japanese Navy, and then proceeded to set the aircraft on fire to avoid its capture by American authorities. At 0300 hours on 13 Dec, Harada and Nishikaichi burned down Kaleohano's house, hoping that the documents that Nishikaichi desperately tried to recover were hidden somewhere inside.

At Kauai, Robinson was already hinted of trouble on Niihau when other islanders tried to signal him with lanterns and reflectors, but he was denied visit the island due to the ban on boat travel.

After day break on 13 Dec 1941, Harada and Nishikaichi kidnapped islander Beni Kanahele and his wife Ella. They kept Ella Kanahele as hostage, and ordered Beni Kanahele to bring back Kaleohano. Kanahele, who knew Kaleohano had already left the island, pretended to make a search. When he returned in failure, Harada said that Nishikaichi would kill Ella, along with others from the village, if Kaleohano was not found. During that conversation, Kanahele attacked Harada and Nishikaichi. Kanahele grabbed the shotgun, and Nishikaichi attempted to retrieve his pistol from his boot, but Ella grabbed his arm and slowed him down. Pushing Ella aside, Beni Kanahele shot Nishikaichi three times with the shotgun, then picked him up and threw him against a wall. To ensure his death, Ella Kanahele bashed Nishikaichi with a rock, followed by Beni Kanahele's slashing of Nishikaichi's throat. Witnessing the attack, Harada grabbed the shotgun that Kanahele had just set aside, shooting and killing himself.

On 13 Dec, Kaleohano's party reached Kauai, and brought back Robinson and military authorities. Irene Harada and Shintani were taken into custody. Irene Harada was imprisoned for 31 months, having released in Jun 1944. Shintani was sent to an internment camp in the continental United States, but returned to Niihau after the war.

Photographs

Share this article with your friends:

Delicious   Digg   Facebook

Reddit   StumbleUpon   Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Uday Thipsay says:
   12 Jul 2005 08:02:49 AM
   
   Keep it up !!! Lets have WWIV !!!
2. sonya jesmer says:
   12 Oct 2005 03:38:21 PM
   
   could you e mail me a list of all survivors on ships that was at pearl my brother was there and i need conformation please his name was charles dresser thank u
3. cass_student says:
   5 Feb 2006 03:09:56 PM
   
   do you know were i might find primary sources on pearl harbour and the japanese bombings. primary being written at the time of the event. please email me.
4. awsome man 3 says:
   11 Apr 2006 09:58:08 AM
   
   cool
5. J.M.DALTON QMC, USNRET. says:
   24 May 2006 05:00:06 PM
   
   NEED ANY INFO ON THE DEATH OF ADMIRAL I.C.KIDD. HAD HIS FLAG ABOARD USS ARIZONA.
6. Lloyd Ketchum says:
   30 Jul 2006 01:13:46 AM
   
   Great site. I lived on Ford Island for many years as a boy and studied the history of the attack. I recall very clearly, at low tide that one could see the guns of the number 1 turret on the Arizona. They appear to have dropped and no longer appear at low tide. I was shocked to read that the National Geographic Society was surprised to learn that the ship still had a main gun with barrels present.
7. MFritza says:
   9 Sep 2006 04:19:17 PM
   
   I am seeking information on how the Japenese failed to attack a crucial target which was the oil storage facilities.
8. Kay says:
   31 Jan 2007 08:20:13 PM
   
   I always thought we knew hours before that Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor. Please email me info on this if you have any. thank you...
9. karina says:
   19 Feb 2007 07:23:01 PM
   
   my question was not answered on whether or not pearl harbor was a wise idea.
10. Anonymous says:
    18 Apr 2007 03:00:20 PM
    
    To give the **** credit, Pearl Harbor was a smart idea on the outside we were the only navy in the pacific which could stop their imperialist invasions of Asia. They didnt count on us repairing most of the ships they sunkdestroyed, and joining the war.
    The oil reserves werent attacked because the third wave was never launched, of which the oil was a target. The **** commander thought a third wave would alert the US carriers to their position, which were out of port.
    There were signs that pear harbor was going to be attacked beforehand. Generals ignored it though. They were court marshialed after the war was over.
11. Adam VanMeter says:
    19 Apr 2007 09:41:26 PM
    
    Something interesting about USS Oklahoma is that it was also later raised, despite the fact it had capsized, and put in drydock in Pearl. However, damages were too extensive and it could not be repaired. After the war, it was scheduled to be scrapped. But as it was towed to the mainland, the ship took on a list (again), and was cut loose and capsized (again). So instead of being scrapped it recieved an honorable burial at sea while the band on the ship that towed it played a burial song.
12. Anonymous says:
    26 Apr 2007 08:03:31 AM
    
    I fought in WWII and I want you to know that it is a great honor that you made this
13. Anonymous says:
    29 May 2007 08:33:17 PM
    
    So wait...where was USS Pennsylvania during all this? California and Nevada were both moored alone...USS Oklahoma was outboard of Maryland...West Virginia was inboard of Tennessee, right? And Arizona was next to Vestal...that makes seven battleships, but every place says Pennsylvania was there too, so where was it?
14. Anonymous says:
    29 May 2007 08:35:49 PM
    
    Never mind, I just found it was in dry dock, not on Battleship row.
15. kealohi says:
    25 Aug 2007 02:35:34 PM
    
    i think that the attack was really bad and that it should never happen again.
16. Anonymous says:
    7 Dec 2007 11:32:49 AM
    
    Never forget the 2,000 men who died on this day, 66 years ago today, making the ultimate sacrifice before they even knew who or why they were fighting.
17. Anonymous says:
    28 Jan 2008 08:23:46 AM
    
    i dont think war is ever the right answer i dont think people have to risk there own lives because so many people are judge mental on peoples race there color of there skin...who they like what they wear where their from what they do how they act god created us to be all equal and why cant everyone see it that way...we should all be free and do what we want to with out being judged by other people...there are so many face people out in the world because they are worried about being judged if they be themselves...its so sad how things had to end up like this its 2008 and its getting worse and worse as the days and the years go on...no one deserves to be judged or treated differnet because of there race there skin color there religion how they act what they wear how rich or how poor they are...were all the same inside we all have a HEART!
18. mr cool dude says:
    9 Mar 2008 09:44:12 AM
    
    hi
19. Anonymous says:
    17 Mar 2008 10:00:17 AM
    
    civc oration...on pearl harbor
20. Mary says:
    9 Apr 2008 07:08:38 AM
    
    War ih hell that's all I got to say. War Is never the answer to any problem unless it's like Pearl Harbor or 9/11.
21. kubanych says:
    25 Apr 2008 11:22:44 PM
    
    I guess it was known as in New York 11 September because it seems like that the USA knew that it would happen.The USA expected the War in Pearl Harbor. but i can't understand what they did after all this?
22. Anonymous says:
    6 Sep 2008 06:09:58 PM
    
    That was the best article I've ever read!!!! Keep it up!!!!
23. Jordon says:
    6 Sep 2008 06:35:54 PM
    
    what happened to them after? did the army d anything after the attack? help please!!!!
24. R3M3MB3R P3ARL HARB0R says:
    18 Nov 2008 08:54:26 PM
    
    what about this attack made the U.S.A. join WWII
25. Anonymous says:
    2 Dec 2008 09:11:13 AM
    
    Pearl Harbor was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YES
26. widebody747 says:
    30 Dec 2008 11:59:03 AM
    
    in your article it seems to me you feel the government knew what was to happen as you stated the u.s. forsed the japanese to war. i've heard this before and agree. one has to ask. where were the escort ships for the carriers delivering planes to wake and mid-way? the're should have been cruisers as well as destroyers as the threat of war was present.the fleet was at pearl and the so valued carriers are running around with-out proper protection? history says we knew what and where and when this was going to happen. our gov't will never admit it allowed all those people to die so we could enter the war.the're too many things that say if the admirals and generals were allowed to do their jobs this would not have happened.
27. kellogs says:
    14 Feb 2009 11:05:35 AM
    
    than for the information it was really goood
28. ashley sliwinski says:
    18 Mar 2009 11:50:51 AM
    
    i love this subject
29. Anonymous says:
    6 May 2009 03:55:34 PM
    
    history is great
30. Anonymous says:
    13 May 2009 03:30:42 PM
    
    Did the carriers get destroyed that attacked pearl harbor?
31. Anonymous says:
    29 May 2009 12:18:52 PM
    
    Jan 15, 1898: Maine incident... Cuba
    Jan 16, 1917: Zimmermann telegram... WWI
    Dec 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor.. WWII
    ...Korea
    ... Vietnam
    Set 11... WTC...Irak
    ... and so.. and so...
    This tale never end???
32. Anonymous says:
    30 May 2009 03:34:06 AM
    
    In the United States, it is true to have received the Pearl Harbor attack beforehand.
    Japan is said that the declaration of war declaration has been done before the attack of the Pearl Harbor and the diplomat's in Japan of incapable [ga] informing the United States of it slowed.
    Japan's having determined starting the war has full state intervention and the economic sanction etc. of the United States.
    To face the war, U.S.A. Government has fueled the public sentiment by the propaganda of cruelty etc. of a Japanese army.
    And, it succeeded in the lead into the war by the Pearl Harbor attack.
    
33. redtiger says:
    23 Nov 2009 02:48:55 PM
    
    i know alot of bull sh!t bout pearl harbor and u just added some more info thanks (
    
34. ronald volpe says:
    10 Jan 2010 06:12:00 PM
    
    my father angelo volpe was on the pennsylvania at pearl he was a bm 3
    if any one knew him id be glad to hear from them
35. educated soldier says:
    23 Feb 2010 08:56:24 AM
    
    pearl harbor was a shocking horribly but yet an eye opener. that day has woken us up too show be ready for any thing and every thing.
36. hosko says:
    16 Apr 2010 02:34:22 PM
    
    is there any better sites
    
37. chiickybabe says:
    13 Jun 2010 11:56:54 PM
    
    thanks, but can someone please tell mee how the Pearl Harbour had changed the World Forever? Because its for my assignment. And I really need help! please someone.
    Thanks.
38. sexy beast says:
    5 Aug 2010 07:59:46 PM
    
    this site is dumb as need more info anout stuff peoples need to update more stuff .... :(

Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
	Your email will not be published
Your Comments
Security Code

Note: Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment.