Page 410 - Hawaii: Diving, Surfing, Pearl Harbor, Volcanoes and More

Pearl Harbor: Then and Now

arly in the 20th century, Imperialist Japan proven that this apparently successful attack was way, and later at Guadalcanal, Leyte Gulf, and
Ewas expanding into Asia and the Pacific in reality the undoing of the Japanese Empire’s the Soloman Islands.
Ocean. In 1936 they allied themselves with Nazi desire for Pacific and Asian dominance.
Germany. In 1937 Nazi Germany and Imperialist he Japanese lost 29 planes during
Japan were joined by Fascist Italy to form the dmiral Chuichi Nagumo commanded a T the attack. Most of the 29 aircraft lost
Axis alliance. In response to Japanese aggres- AJapanese sneak attack force that included were Vals.” The “Kates” dropped torpedoes
sion, in 1941 the United States and Great Britain a fleet of aircraft carriers, battleships, heavy specially modified with wooden fins for
imposed an oil embargo on Japan. Imperialist cruisers, light cruisers, destroyers, oilers, shallow waters from an altitude barely
Japan had two choices: give in to the demands submarines, and midget subs for the attack on above the height of the target ship’s deck.
of the Americans and British and back out of American forces in Oahu. Admiral Nagumo’s Japan’s first wave of 183 aircraft launched
China, or try and gain control of oil and other mission was to “advance into Hawaiian waters, from six aircraft carriers 230 miles northof
resources, primarily from Southeast Asia. Japan and at the very opening of hostilities, attack Oahu at 6:20am.
chose the second course of action. To prevent the main force of the U.S. Fleet in Hawaii.” The
U.S. Naval interference with their war plans, Ja- six carriers included the AKAGI, HIRYU, SORYU, t 6:45am a warning of the coming attack
pan began planning the attack on Pearl Harbor ZUIKAKU, KAGA, and SHOKAKU. However, just Aoccured as the USS WARD destroyed an in-
in January 1941. Finally, on November 26, 1941 a six months later, on June 4, 1942 the AKAGI coming Japanese midget submarine. A second
fleet including 6 aircraft carriers with 423 aircraft was sunk by U.S. dive-bombers during the Bat- warning came at 7:02am when Army radar op-
aboard, 17 war ships, 8 oilers, 30 submarines, tle of Midway, as were the HIRYU, SORYU, and erators at Kahuku Point saw a large formation
and 5 midget submarines left Hitokappu Bay in ZUIKAKU. In the end, except for one midget of planes coming from the north on their radar
the Kuril Islands for Oahu. The sneak attack was sub captured on Oahu, the only Japanese screen. But they believed it to be American
pre-planned to occur early Sunday morning, De- warship involved in the Oahu attack to survive B-17 bombers heading in from California.
cember 7, 1941, with the main intent of knock- the war was the destroyer USHIO. The Japanese
ing out America’s aircraft carrier fleet. History has Navy never recovered from the losses at Mid-