World

War 2:
Pearl Harbor Through Japanese Eyes
The First Stories of the Pacific Theatre
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: A Brief Glimpse Backwards
Chapter 2: Planning and Objectives of the Attack
Chapter 3: The Attack
Chapter 4: The Japanese Bomber
Chapter 5: The Prisoners, Strikers and Participants
Chapter 6: The Build Up To the Attack
Chapter 7: The Impact on the Japanese
Chapter 8: The Aftermath of the Attack
Conclusion
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Introduction
The nature of human behavior is such that sometimes the unbelievable happens
and truly defies logic and reason. Even more appalling, can be the fact that some of these
logic-defying actions are knowingly committed by individuals or groups in moments when
logic and reason were used.
One such occurrence took place decades ago in a quaint little harbor of a coastal
country, cocooned by the waters of the mighty Pacific Ocean. The year was 1941 and the
venue was Pearl Harbor on the small island of Hawaii. In the wee hours of the morning of
December 7th, the mighty airplanes of the Imperial Navy of Japan launched a devastating
attack of unprecedented scale on the American Naval base of Pearl Harbor. The airplanes
of the Oriental kingdom rained death and devastation to the entire Pacific Fleet of the
American Navy stationed in the harbor. To say that the attack caught the Americans by
surprise would be a grave understatement. Almost the entire American Navy was wiped
out on that cold morning under wave after wave of the Japanese attack. The skies turned
fiery orange, bowing to the firepower of the Japanese Air Force, while the ocean below
turned scarlet with the bloodshed that ensued.
Details and history behind the incident will be revealed in the following chapters
of this book. First, we must try and understand the horror and bloodshed that was
demonstrated to people around the world that day. The attack was initially perceived as an
act of utter and absolute disregard, an exercise in uncalled aggression targeted at a nation
that had, until then, kept away from the chaos of the World War II. As the word of the
attack spread, the world at large construed the actions of Japan as irrational and impulsive.
It was discovered later that year that there had been years of meticulous preparation
behind the attack that achieved a never-before-seen accuracy rate of 85 percent.
With few exceptions, the incident had largely been seen from the American point
of view. Much like how the Holocaust is almost always seen from the Jewish point of
view. This book hopes to offer an analysis of the events from the Japanese point of view.
Please be clear that the intention behind the composition of this book is not to take sides
with one party or provide a kind a vindication to the other. Instead, the aim is to peel off
the layers of presumptions and clichés associated with the attack and present a fresh
perspective of the events that unfolded. It is the intention of this book to put forward to
you Pearl Harbor, as seen by the Japanese.
This book has been written in a way that even readers that do not know or
understand history can read and understand the events in all their gravity and
magnanimity. The attack on Pearl Harbor is unanimously considered by historians,
military strategists, political exponents, and social analysts to be one of the single most
defining moments of the Second World War. The reason is simple. The attack prompted
America to enter into the fray. War was formally declared on Japan the very next day and
Italy and Germany also made retaliatory declarations in subsequent days. The rest, was
history.
 Finally, please allow me to make my gratitude known to you for purchasing this
book. I hope that at the end of this book you will be able to comprehend and take in the
occurrences of Pearl Harbor from the perspective of the Japanese and the American.
Chapter 1: A Brief Glimpse Backwards
In order to understand why this attack happened, we begin by looking at the some
of the basic ideas and concepts that lead to the Pearl Harbor attack as well as the attack
itself. For a better understanding, we begin by looking at the background of the attack
including the position of the harbor and its geographical and strategic importance. There
will also be a brief explanation of political and military objectives that led to the attack.
Near the end of the chapter, we shall take a look at that inevitable offspring of war –
casualties. There were casualties on both sides, although those on the American side far
outweighed the loss on the Japanese side.
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is a lagoon harbor formed from part of an island called Oahu. It is
situated next to Honolulu in the state of Hawaii. Since the year 1887, it has been under the
control of the Government of the United States of America. It began as a repair station for
ships from the United States and eventually became the base for the Pacific Fleet of the
US Navy. A major reason for this was the geographical advantage that was found in Pearl
Harbor. It was perfect for accommodating large warships and aircraft carriers of the US
Navy. It also served as a dockyard for their submarines.
The place was called Wai Momi by the native Hawaiians. The literal translation of
the name means “waters of pearl.” It held a lot of significance to the traditions of the
Hawaiian people and there are many legends as to how a navigable channel was
constructed into the harbor. Regardless of legendary significance, the Japanese saw the
strategic importance of Pearl Harbor and by having the US Navy in the Pacific region, it
posed a threat to Japanese plans for that region.
The Background of the Attack
The attack on Pearl Harbor was entirely preventive in nature. It was designed to
cripple the US Navy and prevent the United States from interfering or responding to the
actions of the Japanese within the South East Asia region. The Empire of Japan was at that
time poised to take over and annex a number of areas in that region including the overseas
territories of the United States, Britain, and other colonial countries such as the
Netherlands. The major areas targeted were, among others, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the
Philippines, Guam, and Singapore.
Neutralization of the Pacific Fleet of the US Navy would mean that the largest and
most effective defense against the Japanese actions in that region would be rendered
ineffective. Although the attack was the reason why the United States declared war on
Japan, the relations between the two nations were far from ideal. In fact, parties on both
the sides were well aware of an impending war, although none knew when it would
happen.
The underlying reasons for Japan’s plans of invasion were to gain access to
resources that it lacked. As part of this plan, Japan had invaded Manchuria in 1931. The
subsequent decade saw the occupation being expanded into the entirety of China as well.
What followed were increasing levels of aggression from the Japanese side. Large scale
massacres were committed which saw the indiscriminate killing of more than two hundred
thousand non-combatant Chinese nationals. Incidences such as these swung public opinion
in the Western world against Japan.
The United States, Britain, and France responded to the aggression shown by
Japan in China by providing support to the Chinese government. This was in the form of
fiscal support such as loans and provision of military and logistical supplies. The United
States went one step forward and placed an embargo on the supply of airplanes, machines,
tools, and aviation fuel to Japan. The Japanese responded to these developments by
attacking and invading French Indo China with the intention of gaining control over the
supplies reaching China.
In the beginning of 1941, the president of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt
made the pivotal decision of shifting the base of the Pacific Fleet of the US Navy from
San Diego to Pearl Harbor. The intention was to send an indirect message to Japan to curb
its aggressive maneuvers in South East Asia. Subsequently, on the August 17th, The
United States issued a formal statement to Japan that it was prepared to defend its allies if
they were attacked by Japan.
The situation was such that Japan had to either retreat from its invasion within
China and look like cowards in front of the whole world; or turn to its alternative plan of
attacking and taking control of areas in South East Asia that were rich in resources but
were the colonies of Western countries.
What followed was a period marked by fervent negotiations and peace talks
between Japan and the Western powers, the chief amongst them being the United States.
The intention was apparently to salvage the situation and not let the parties slip into a war.
Finally, on November 20th 1941, Japan made a proposal and offered to withdraw its forces
from occupied Southern Indo China and cease its offensive operations in the South East
Asia region. There was a heavy emphasis ceasing offensive operations in areas where
there were colonies of the United States, Britain, and Netherlands. However, there was
one condition: the western powers had to cease aiding China and lift their sanctions and
trade embargo against Japan.
The Americans took note of this and issued a counter proposal to Japan on
November 26th, 1941. The proposals was called the Hull Note and required Japan to
evacuate the whole of China that it had invaded and occupied. They also required Japan to
enter into non-aggression pacts with Pacific powers. Unknown to the western powers, this
counter offer was too late as the main attack fleet of the Japanese Navy left its shores on
November 26th before the Hull Note arrived, to mount an offense against Pearl Harbor.
Many conspiracy theories have since been floating around. There were claims that
the leadership in United States and Britain were aware of an impending attack on Pearl
Harbor by Japan. There were accusations that these leaders sat on the intelligence and let
it happen in order to garner public sentiment and assent to formally enter into the Second
World War. However, this theory has not gained any support from mainstream historians
who continue to dismiss it as yet another urban legend stemming from the War.
Chapter 2: Planning and Objectives of the Attack
Soon after the attack, people were under the impression that the Japanese had
attacked on an impulse without weighing the repercussions of their actions. Even more
perplexing was the fact that the attack was completely against the Japanese ethos of honor
in warfare. It has to be noted that until the attack was mounted, the Japanese had not yet
made a formal declaration of war on the United States. However, later on it came to light
that the preparation for the attack had been going on for some time. There was a huge
amount of military planning that had gone on behind the scenes while preparing for the
attack.
It can be said that the attack was the brainchild of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the
Commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet. He had obtained the consent to kick-start
planning and training for the attack from the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff. The
consent was given after a lot of persuasion from his side which even included a threat to
resign from his post if his idea was not given the green light. Once the formal assent was
received, Admiral Yamamoto gave orders to commence preparations at the beginning of
1941. The key personnel in charge were a trio made up of Rear Admiral Ryuno Suke
Kusaka, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Admiral, Captain Kameto Kuroshima, and another
key player, Captain Minoru Genda. As one of the biggest ironies associated with this
incident is that the attack on Pearl Harbor was closely modelled on the attack by the
British Royal Air Force against the Italian fleet in Taranto in the previous year.
The Japanese prepared extensively during the next several months. To them, this
was as important a mission as it could ever get. The inimitable Japanese efficiency and
hardworking nature was very much evident if we peruse the accounts of the large scale
preparations that went behind the attack. The planners had gone to the extent of preparing
mock ups and models on which the pilots practiced maneuvers. Thousands of hours of air
time was spent in charting out the perfect plan of attack.
The military intelligence agencies of Japan went into full steam to collect as much
information as possible about the US Navy’s fleet movements. Reconnaissance was done
and checked over again and again. The military equipment needed for an operation of this
kind was also not readily available in Japan. Therefore, Japanese engineers went about
modifying and customizing their machinery. This included fitting the aerial bombs with
rudders and stabilizers that could steer in the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor.
But despite the preparations done by the military, the mission had yet to get the
agreement of Emperor Hirohito. Without his sanction, the Armed Forces had its hands
tied. Four imperial Conferences were held in Tokyo before the Emperor finally gave the
consent. This was partly due to an overwhelming majority of Japanese leaders that applied
pressure to the Emperor. They also convinced him that that by agreeing to the Hull Note
proposed by the western powers, it would mean abandoning all that Japan had gained from
the Chinese invasion; losing control over Korea and putting Manchukuo into danger.
 An interesting fact to be noted here is that in the second half of the year 1941,
many international observers believed that the United States and Japan would face each
other in battle soon. Their forecast was indeed correct but none imagined that the event
that triggered their entrance into the war would be an attack such as the one on Pearl
Harbor.
In retrospect, the American leadership made two key incorrect assumptions. The
first one was their notion that the Japanese would never target a base like Pearl Harbor that
was so far from their home and so close to the American mainland. The second one was
the assumption that the Japanese Navy did not have sufficient firepower to launch and
maintain two simultaneous attacks, since it was already engaged in battles in the South
East Asia region.
Objectives of Attacking Pearl Harbor
There were major objectives of the attack, including two key disadvantages of
attacking Pearl Harbor that the Japanese recognized. However, despite the disadvantages,
there were two key objectives that were so valued, it made taking the risk worth it.
The prime reason was the strength of the Pacific Fleet. The threat and risk it posed
to the Imperial Japanese Navy if it were to launch attacks in the South East Asia region
were real. This was especially plausible in the proposed invasion of the Dutch East Indies
and the region of Malaysia.
The second reason was that if Japan could erase the Pacific Fleet, then it would
provide the Imperial Japanese Navy avenues to consolidate and increase its power and
position. As mentioned previously, the most prominent intention was to cripple the morale
of the American public and its forces. The Japanese assumed that the obliteration of the
entire Pacific fleet would deal such a heavy blow to the United States that any intention
that the Americans may have had to enter the war and defend the Western Pacific Ocean
and the Dutch East Indies would be stopped before they started.
This was not to say there was no major disadvantages to the Japanese if they
attacked Pearl Harbor. The primary objective of the Japanese forces was to target the
battle ships, aircraft carriers, and destroyers of the Pacific Fleet. Since the vessels were
moored in the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor, the American Navy would be able to
salvage most of the destroyed vessels and repair them with comparative ease. Had they
targeted the vessels somewhere in deeper seas, a capsized vessel would have proved
impossible to recover.
Another drawback from the Japanese point of view, was the fact that Pearl Harbor
was a regular naval base. This meant the casualties in terms of human life would not have
been a large amount, as a large number of sailors would be on shore leave. Also, rescue
services could be quickly mobilized since the mainland was so close.
Another major disadvantage was that all three of the aircraft carriers in the Pacific
Fleet, the USS Enterprise, the USS Lexington, and USS Saratoga were absent from Pearl
Harbor on the day of the attack. This fact was known to the Japanese but they decided to
press ahead with the attack regardless. The Japanese top brass reasoned that the total
annihilation of the battleships and destroyers would completely render the might of the
Pacific Fleet ineffective. This decision would become the subject of much debate in the
future.
There was another reason why the Japanese were willing to mount the attack
despite knowing that the three aircraft carriers were not docked in Pearl Harbor at that
time. The Empire was inordinately confident of its abilities to win the war within a very
short period of time and decided to eschew the necessity of attacking the carriers, the
submarine base, or the oil yard. He reasoned that the loss of the main battleships would
hold the American Navy back already.
Chapter 3: The Attack
Hopefully, there is a clearer picture about the events and conditions that lead up to
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This chapter will take a more in depth look at the
actual attack itself including details regarding various tactics employed by the Japanese to
mount the attack.
A Cold December Morning
On the morning of November 26th 1941, six aircraft carriers of the Imperial
Japanese Navy set sail from Northern Japan to the seas to the North West of Hawaii. Their
combined payload was 408 aircraft and these comprised the Strike Force intended for the
attack on Pearl Harbor. The six carriers were: Akagi, Kaga, Zuikaku, Hiryu, Soryu and
Shokaku. Of the 408 aircraft borne by these carriers, 360 were destined for the actual
attack while the other 48 were meant to provide defense as Combat Air Patrol (CAP).
The attack was planned in two waves. The first and primary wave carried
instructions to attack all the major capital ships of the Pacific Fleet, while the second wave
had express intentions to carry out an attack in three tiers. The primary target was aircraft
carriers, with cruisers being the secondary targets, and the battleships being the tertiary
target. The Japanese military engineers had retrofitted the bombs and aircrafts with
modifications that increased their lethal power.
The crews of the Japanese fighter planes were given specific orders to select and
hit the targets that were of maximum value. That meant they were to try hitting all the
battleships and carriers in the area and then the destroyers and cruisers. The first wave of
dive bombers were to concentrate their fire power on the targets on the ground. The
fighters in this group were tasked with attacking the airplanes on the airfields by the
means of large scale strafing. The intention was to render the American aircraft on the
ground as non-airworthy as possible so that an immediate air-defense could not be
mounted against the Japanese bombers. The fuel consumption of the aircrafts was a major
problem, to deal with it, the aircrafts were given strict orders to return to the carriers and
refuel before mounting further attacks.
What was conspicuously absent before the attack was the near absence of
reconnaissance aircraft anywhere in the region. The Japanese did not want to take the huge
risk of being spotted and drawing attention by way of speculation that they were up to a
major mission in the West Pacific. However, shortly before the attack began, two
reconnaissance aircraft took flight from the Japanese cruisers Chikuma and Tone. These
didn’t fly over Pearl Harbor but went toward Maui and Oahu.
The Third Wave That Never Came
The Pearl Harbor attack took place in two waves of quick succession. However,
many junior Japanese officers, including the captains of five carriers, wanted to launch a
third wave of attack. Their intention was to demolish the auxiliary structures of Pearl
Harbor such as the fuel storage, officer’s quarters, submarine dock etc.
This group of officers included Genda as well. He believed that in the absence of
an outright invasion of Hawaii, the number of air strikes should not be restricted to just
two waves. The captains of the other five carriers supported his idea. The only high
ranking official who opposed the idea of a third strike was Vice Admiral Nagumo. There
were many reasons Nagumo vehemently argued against the proposal of a third strike.
By the end of the second wave of attacks, Japan had almost completely lost its
surprise advantage. This was further proved by the numbers of aircrafts that were shot
down during the second strike. More than two thirds of the casualties incurred by Japan
were during the second wave of attacks. Vice Admiral Nagumo reasoned that mounting a
third wave to destroy the auxiliary targets was simply too risky to undertake.
The Japanese knew that the aircraft carriers of the American Pacific Fleet were not
in Pearl Harbor, but their location was unknown. Vice Admiral Nagumo was deeply
disconcerted by this fact. He wasn’t sure whether the Japanese aircraft carriers were within
striking range of the American planes and land based bombers.
One of the biggest causes of apprehension for Nagumo was the time factor. The
two waves had taken a considerable amount of time and a third wave of attacks would
mean that the fighters flying back to the carriers would have to make the landing at night,
which was a huge risk in those times.
Compounding the time factor was the weather. The tropical weather had become
much worse than it was in the morning and the Vice Admiral was not really keen on flying
the planes and fighters in such inclement weather.
Fuel was also major issue. The fuel levels of the entire task force were alarmingly
low and a third wave of attack would consume so much fuel that the logistical setup would
be very difficult during the return journey. This meant that the fleet may even have to
abandon some vessels on the way back home.
At the base of it all was the conviction that Vice Admiral Nagumo had as to the
efficacy of the mission. He believed that the Japanese attack had already achieved what it
had set out to do. The Pacific fleet was virtually decapitated in the eyes of the Japanese.
Nagumo did not intend to incur any more losses in order to simply land a few more blows
when they had already done what they set out to do.
In a conference held after the day of the attack, Vice Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
was extremely vocal in supporting and upholding the prudent and judicial decisions taken
by Vice Admiral Nagumo. But within a few months, it became obvious that the decision to
not attack the docks and oil depots was proving to be fatal to Japan. The United States was
able to bounce back due to the low depth of the harbor permitting salvaging of the partly
destroyed vessels and the close proximity to the mainland, making rescue of the ships and
the men possible.
Once this was discovered, Vice Admiral Nagumo came under heavy criticism by
Yamamoto himself who specifically stated that the decision by Nagumo to not order a
third strike was a completely flawed one.
The immediate collateral of this war for Japan was the death of 55 Japanese airmen
and 9 submariners. 29 aircraft were lost to American fire while 74 were damaged.
But the real repercussion, came later when the United States decided to retaliate
and declared war on Japan.
Chapter 4: The Japanese Bomber
Commander Mitsuo Fuchida was the man associated with leading the main charge
of the attack. In the subsequent years to come, he would be hailed as a Japanese hero. He
was only later bought down by a group of people that argued that the attack on Pearl
Harbor triggered the devastation that resulted in Japan. They believed that if it was not for
him, the Japanese would not have had to face the nuclear wrath of the Americans.
Commander Mitsuo Fuchida recounted his experience in a published book in 1951. It was
originally written in Japanese and sold in Japan only and later was translated to English in
1955. Below is an excerpt from his book.
It was a pleasant Japanese morning. The shores were as aggressive as any average
day and the mountains spoke little of the weather. The skies were as clear as Bahamas
waters and the sun shone with brightly. Little did the Japanese common folk have any idea
that their administrators had been preparing for an assault that would backfire on them in
the immediate future. On the other side of the world, the shore of Pearl Harbor looked
pleasant from a distance. There was nothing-abnormal going on except the sound of
violent waves crashing on the rocks. Lieutenants and Admirals could be seen relaxing on
the docks, dressed in uniform, and sipping coffee. They, like the Japanese public, had little
idea of what was to come.
Commander Mitsuo recalls vividly the first glimpses of land he and his party
sighted. It had been a nervously spent one hundred and forty minutes of flying. There had
been little disturbance on the way, having not flown the much longer route of flying over
the Asian continent. It had been a wise decision, not to mention an obvious one. Among
the scores of pilots that had joined the party, it was their leader, Commander Mitsuo that
had the fortune of sighting land. It was the breaking surf of the northern shore of Oahu.
Mitsuo Fuchida and his men peered out of the plane and they saw the Harbor
stretching out across the Oahu plain. The skies were clear, with a light mist hanging on the
air. Nobody would expect that by the end of the day, widespread devastation would
destroy the utter peace that hung quietly overhead. Fuchida and his men took to their
work. Through his binoculars, the Japanese bomber counted the eight battleships that were
stationed at the harbor, but he found that all the carriers were gone – not a single one
remained.
Shortly after this Commander Fuchida received the order to open the attack.
Takahashi’s dive-bomber group had already climbed high up into the air, far enough that
they were not even visible to those on the ground.
Fuchida and his men made a circuit toward Barbers Point; there was an attack
schedule and they had to stick to it. According to the Lieutenant Commander, there were
no enemy fighters in sight; not in the air or on the ground. Everything was peaceful, which
perhaps, was how the Japanese bombers knew without a doubt that they were going to be
successful.
 Fuchida further spoke about how the actual attack commenced. Much like a horror
movie, the first act of the attack opened with the first bomb falling on Wheeler Field.
According to Fuchida, it was followed by a number of dive-bomb attacks that took place
on Hickam Field and the bases at Ford Island. Lieutenant Commander Murata had the
torpedo bombers and was worried that the smoke released from the attacks would obscure
his vision and his ability to hit his targets. He cut his group’s approach short and launched
the torpedoes from wherever they were.
From far away, the scene may like beautiful, almost artistic, the waterspouts
looking rather majestic and powerful. But there was nothing beautiful about their effects.
The commander then describes in a execution of the most significant event at Pearl
Harbor; the bombing and consequent sinking of USS Arizona. Fuchida’s group entered its
bombing run towards the eight battleships that were moored to the cast of Ford Island.
They were still in the plane. When they reached an altitude of 3,000 meters, Fuchida
ordered the sighting bomber to get into position. They were closing in on the harbor when
finally, there was retaliation from the American side.
Fuchida turned to his radioman, who confirmed that they had been hit. The
fuselage had a hole blown into it and the rudder wire was damaged. But the plane still
flew, well under their control, well enough for B58 to complete the mission. It was
imperative they flew a steady course to the target. Before long, it was nearly time for time
to release and finish the bombing. Fuchida kept a close eye on the lead plane so that he
would know the instant the bomb was dropped.
Fortunately for the Americans, the Japanese missed on the first try. Fuchida
describes that a cloud came between the bombsight and the target and the lead plane
banked slightly, turning towards Honolulu. The cloud had rendered their attack useless,
they had missed the release point the first time. But the Japanese were known for their
perseverance. Fuchida’s group circled around for their second attempt, as did many others.
They all made their runs again and again until they succeeded, some going as far as three
times in order to complete the bombing.
The Commander described a huge column of dark, red smoke that rose over 1000
meters. He claimed that could have been from the explosion of the Battleship Arizona. His
own plane, several miles away from the harbor felt the shockwaves from the bombing.
With that, the siege of Pearl Harbor was under way and the bombing was deemed
successful.
Chapter 5: The Prisoners, Strikers and Participants
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a closely guarded secret. It was planned for several
weeks and executed in one of the most carefully crafted attacks. With the loss of life and
casualties mounting to a few hundred on the Japanese front, the attack on Pearl Harbor
was regarded as a wide success and a game changer in the course of Japan’s history. While
most of the attackers were young and able, they were also the ones who had to fight for
their nation and most of them were forced into the plan of attacking the Pearl Harbor. Any
disagreement from their side would have resulted in severe consequences.
Kazuao Sakamaki
Kazuo Sakamaki was an Ensign sailor of the imperial Japanese navy who was
chosen to attack the Pearl Harbor. Kazuo Sakamaki was initially captured by the
Americans and ended up becoming the first prisoner of World War II. His midget
submarine ran aground because of a failed gyrocompass causing his submarine to not
function properly and moved in the wrong direction. The American soldiers inflicted
damage upon the midget submarines which lead to a gas leak, sinking the midget
submarine. He wanted to keep the midget submarine from falling into the American’s
hands, so he installed an explosive, but the explosives did not go off, causing him to
investigate it. As he swam in the water, he lost consciousness. Hawaiian soldier David
Akui was the one who found him and Sakamaki was taken into military custody from
there. Initially he planned on committing suicide because of being captured and even
went as far as requesting for his suicide to be allowed by the Americans but they refused.
When the imperial Japanese empire found out he had not committed suicide, his identity
was denounced, and his existence erased. He spent the next four years in a Prisoner of War
camp in Wisconsin. Upon his return to Japan, he preached pacifism. Upon leaving the
United States, Kazuao Sakamaki had written two memoirs and one in association with
Pearl Harbor is titled ‘I Attacked the Pearl Harbor’.
Chuichi Nagumo
Chuichi Nagumo was the vice admiral for the imperial Japanese Navy that
participated in the attacks on the Pearl Harbor. Although he was initially opposed to the
idea of attacking the Pearl Harbor, he supervised and oversaw the attack. He was widely
criticized by the imperial Japanese empire about his lack of conviction as he failed to
launch the third attack. It was believed that the third attack would have caused even more
damage by destroying the oil and fuel storages, repair facilities, and other buildings,
leaving Pearl Harbor incapacitated. After his carrier was damaged by the United States
soldiers, he ended up commanding the other carriers. Chuichi Nagumo commanded Kaga,
Soryu, Hiryu, Ryujo, Zuikaku, and Shokaku which were the six main aircraft carriers that
were used to attack the Pearl Harbor.
Yoshio Shiga
Yoshio Shiga served as a lieutenant in the imperial Japanese navy. Shiga led the
first waves of attack on Pearl Harbor. While navigating his naval carrier Kaga, he noticed
the retaliation attacks at the Japanese diver bombers hitting Hickham Field. Kaga was
loaded with over a 100 torpedoes set to attack the Pearl Harbor. The entire ship had few
causalities and was the only one of the two aircraft carriers that reached Japanese shores
safely after the attack of the Pearl Harbor.
Shigekazu Shimazaki
Shigekazu Shimazaki had served as the leader, Japanese carrier officer, and one of
the participants during the attacks of Pearl Harbor. He was known for the second waves of
attacks caused. The attack had been a wide success and because of this, the Japanese
imperial empire gave him their congratulations. He navigated the Akagi. During the attack
there were a few technical difficulties. Four planes failed to launch, but the operation
remained largely successful. Shigekazu Shimazaki’s task force was responsible for sinking
eight American ships in Pearl Harbor. It was one of the only Japanese aircraft carriers that
did not lose any of its aircrafts.
Takeo Yoshikawa
Takeo Yoshikawa was a Japanese spy and had a wide knowledge and expertise on
the U.S Navy. Using an alias, he rented an apartment that over looked the Pearl Harbor
and watched and analyzed the movement of the Navy. Though he had no knowledge of the
attack on Pearl Harbor, he helped coordinate the plans for the attack once he out. He sent
codes and ciphers about the activities of the US Navy which were analyzed by the United
States but largely ignored. Initially the codes were for commercial purposes, designed to
confuse anyone finding it, but one note had greater significance than the others. It
contained the division of Pearl Harbor into five distinct zones. It also further helped the
Japanese Navy plan and place aircrafts in specific areas of attack, which would render the
Americans incapable of making a counter attack.
Minoru Genda
One of the famous Japanese military aviators during the Second World War was
Minoru Genda. He was also a politician within the liberal democratic party of the Sato
faction. He was well known for his role in planning the attack on Pearl Harbor. Born to a
farmer of Hiroshima prefecture on August 16th 1904, Minoru went to the imperial
Japanese naval academy and graduated in the year 1924. After 11 months of flight training
from 1928 to 1929, he graduated as a fighter pilot with honors.
He was assigned to aircraft carriers and became popular with the army for
conducting aerobatic demonstrations with his team. He lead a division of biplanes around
the country which was called “Genda’s flying circus”. In 1937 he gained combat
experience from the second Sino-Japanese war. He always had a vision of Japan’s war
against the United States and he thought if there was a chance for Japan there needed to be
a large naval air fleet which also had to be modern.
The concept of the attack on Pearl Harbor first came into consideration from
Genda in the year 1934. He was discussing with Takijiro Onishi about a surprise massive
attack on the Pacific fleet of the US Navy in Hawaii. Genda and Takijiro were working on
the carriers together when this thought came to him. Genda then got into the first carrier
division of the Japanese naval fleet. He got the chance to meet Admiral Yamamoto in the
early part of 1933, and he also shared Genda’s vision. At that point of time Takijiro was
working under the direct command of Yamamoto. He was working at the Ministry of
Munitions as the head of Naval Aviation Development division.
Takijiro and Genda had a difference of opinion about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Takijiro made it clear to Yamamoto that the attack would bring about a war with a nation
that could overpower Japan and the result may be complete annihilation and surrender.
However, due to the embargos America had already placed on Japan, Yamamoto was
desperate for the oil and natural resources he could get from Southeast Asia. Yamamoto
said that there might only be smaller chance for victory but this blow to the United States
could give Japan some time to take an offensive stance over the Western Pacific. Even
though he was not completely on board with the idea, Takijiro proved to be a capable and
helpful hand in regards to planning the attack. His area of expertise was the technical
details of the attack itself. He also played a major role in the attack on the Philippines,
which was the only country that was an ally of America who also had the capability to
retaliate on their behalf. Specifically targeting Japan’s base in Taiwan.
In 1936 Genda became fortunate enough to travel abroad after being chosen by the
Japanese naval department to be the military attaché. His mission was to assess the British
defensives, German Supermarine Spitfire Mk1, and Hawker Hurricane MK1 fighters of
the Royal Air Force compared to the Messerscmitt BF-109. His assessment made sure that
the A6M Mitsubishi of Japan could easily take over the European aircrafts. These details
were carefully recorded and during his tour to London they were secretly documented.
The naval studies and exercise that the Japanese conducted prior to the actual attack was
bolstered by the documents provided by Gendas trip to Europe. The strategies obtained
from Gendas studies were also used to detect weakness and holes, and to also formulate
tactics against the United States.
Genda once again met with Yamamoto after being assigned to the first carrier
division in 1941. When Yamamoto presented his ideas for the attack on the pacific fleet,
Genda was very supportive and warmed to Yamamoto’s ideas. Genda was a factory of
ideas and he introduced the concept of the surprise attack to Yamamoto. Genda was the
key for Yamamoto on the Pearl Harbor attack. The training for the fighter pilots and the
other naval and air attack divisions was done by Genda. It was his idea to use the shallow
water torpedo and level bombing to achieve the most damage. He was simultaneously
coordinating many other aircraft carriers. The imperial Japanese naval leaders were
persuaded by Genda to make Mitsuo Fushida the leader of the air attacks. Mitsuo Fushida
was classmate of Genda’s at the naval academy. However, Genda had a lot of points that
were in contradiction with those of Yamamoto’s. One of the bigger ones being their
differing opinions on the importance of carriers and battleships.
In 1962, Genda retired from the military and became a politician. He became a
member of the Sato faction after running for election to the upper house of liberal
Democratic Party. For more than 20 years, he remained influential in politics and on the
defense division. He opposed the Japans decision on ratifying the Nuclear Non
Proliferation Treaty. He mentioned that the requirement for nuclear arsenal might be on
the verge someday.
Takeo Yoshikawa
Hawaii is the home of 160,000 people of Japanese ancestry. Hawaii also became
the main headquarters for the intelligence division for the Japanese This is because the
Pearl Harbor port of Oahu is where the Pacific fleet of the United States naval forces is,
and it was easy for a Japanese spy to blend in with the masses. To relay the activities of
the US Navy to Tokyo, someone had to be present in Hawaii to survey the situation. The
opportunity to work as a spy in Hawaii was given to Takeo Yoshikawa. Born on March 7th
1914, he graduated top of his class from the imperial Japanese Naval Academy.
Yoshikawa served in the submarines division for some time before starting his training as
a naval pilot. Before completing his training, it was discovered that he had issues with his
stomach and was discharged from the naval forces during 1936. This caused him to
contemplate killing himself.
After a year, he started collecting information on the United States naval forces
and joined the naval intelligence. He was a well-known expert in intercepting
transmissions which he was recognized for, even from Adolf Hitler. One time, a shortwave
radio message in English that contained information on some transports to England was
leaving the port in Freetown; it was intercepted by Yoshikawa and passed onto the
Germans. This resulted in the English troops being destroyed, including ships vital to their
operations. He became fluent in English and became a junior diplomat in 1940 after
completing his English examinations.
Being an expert on the United States Navy, and along with his knowledge on
message encrypting and transmissions, he was sent to Hawaii with the name of Tadashi
Morimura, the vice consul. He reached the Hawaii port on March 27th 1941. The second
story apartment that he rented had a view of Pearl Harbor. After his arrival, he made an
effort to become familiar with his coworkers, but was also secretly observing the activities
of the fleet. His first step was to get familiar with the island. He befriended a Japanese-
Hawaiian cab driver who did occasional work for the consulate and received his help. He
also showed keen interest on the south coast of Pearl Harbor, which was where the Pacific
fleet was anchored.
The consul general Kita, was one of the people who knew the true identity of
Morimura. He aided Morimura by introducing him to a Japanese style tea-house. The tea-
house was located on the north side of Honolulu in the mountainside of Alewa Heights.
From the first time he visited it, Morimura knew that it was going to be his favorite spot.
There was a restaurant on Makanani drive that also gave him a good view of Ford Island
which was located in the center of Pearl Harbor. He used the telescopes that were present
at the tea-house. He was very careful and did not overuse any of the posts. He never
entered the enemy camps and never even thought about stealing the government
documents which might lead to his cover being blown up. Instead, he used the power of
his vision and entirely became dependent on his memory. He never took any risk by taking
notes or photographs.
By mid-1941 the information that Morimura sent to Tokyo as encoded
transmissions from the Honolulu cable companies, was enough for a surprise attack. At
the same time, the U.S. had found out about the espionage in the area and had started the
espionage bureau. The port was closed to Japanese ships and the supply of petroleum to
Japan was stopped. There was a shutdown of German and Italian consulates and the
Japanese consulate was expected to be next. On December 6th, the final reconnaissance of
Morimura was sent to Tokyo through RCA communications.
Until the end of war Yoshikawa served with the naval forces and then got married
in his homeland. In 1945, he had to pose as a Buddhist monk on the fear of being arrested,
as the U.S. troops occupied Japan. He reached his two children and wife shortly after that
incident. After the war, he tried to do business but they were never truly successful. He
died on February 20th 1993.
Chapter 6: The Build Up To the Attack
There were many the reasons and conditions under which the notorious Pearl
Harbor attack took place. According to the Japanese, the attack was not a sudden one, and
had been carefully planned out. It had been planned for years until the fateful day which
they decided to launch the attack. The history behind the attack explains the real reasons
and the buildup that took place to push the Japanese to taking such a drastic step. It was a
bold move for the Japanese to attack one of the leading nations of the world.
The Great Depression of the 1930s had spared no country. It had not only brought
unemployment among the masses, and a lack of money, food, and shelter, but had also
demoralized the general public. Unstable governments all around the world were toppled
by more promising ones, which assured the masses of better times. People seized the
opportunity and ran their own dictatorship in the name of improving the condition for the
people. There were countries whose government needed no election and was easily
toppled by a new one. Administrative officers and politicians simply quit and went back to
their normal lives, in hopes of escaping responsibilities. Japan came under the rule of its
military which gradually took over the administration of the country because of the
incompetency of its preceding government. It is from here that the foundation to the Pearl
Harbor attack was formed.
The United States of America had always looked down on the eastern countries
when it came to colonization. Any ambitious venture of an Asian country to colonize or
trade with a country dominated by the Western power would be considered an
encroachment upon the holy rights of the West. China was one such country which the
Americans had a healthy relationship. In 1931, Japan was in a desperate need for
everything. In desperation they occupied Manchuria (an area in Northern China) as it was
the area closest to them with the most amount of natural resources. During the occupation,
the Japanese established light industries to facilitate their domestic needs. Though it was
done against the expected way of general international courtesies, it was the only way that
kept the Japanese surviving. The United States was not able to accept the way the
Japanese occupied Manchuria. The Americans had a strong alliance with the Chinese and
felt that by invading them, was also showing disrespect to America. As a result, tension
brewed up between both the nations. China acting chimed in to stir the fire between them.
Under such circumstances, the relationship between the U.S. and Japan grew hostile and
the world started considering these two as arch rivals.
After seeing the success in Germany, it prompted Japan to aim higher and start
thinking on a larger scale. Having tasted success from the occupation of Manchuria, it
gained confidence and started to look at potentially dominating the Asian political scene.
Besides the economic benefits that they would gain, it would also bode well for the
Japanese reputation. The Japanese considered themselves a more superior race in
comparison to the other Asians. This is because during that time, they were the only
country with a good literacy rate and excellent life expectancy. The growing population in
Japan also implied more mouths needed to be fed. In a way, it was a necessity for the
Japanese to accumulate as much as they could, just to they could stay afloat.
Two decades before this disruption of the relationship between the Japanese and
the United States, things were quite respectful between the two. There was a pact signed in
1911 between the two countries regarding the sharing of natural resources. The United
States was to send Japan a truckload of natural resources every year as part of the treaty
that was signed. However, in 1940, the United States dishonored the treaty and refused to
comply with its terms by scrapping its commitment to the dual party arrangement. This
infuriated Japan and caused the Japanese to regard the Americans as its sole enemy. When
Japan entered into a Tripartite Agreement on the same terms with Italy and Germany, the
Japanese had done so knowing that the other two countries also harbored hostile feelings
towards the United States. Because of this, Japan officially entered the Eastern force of
Axis Nations that was a major resistance to the West.
The United States now found itself in a problem. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
had committed a major blunder by sending military help to Great Britain. However it was
done so in accordance to a treaty signed between the Great Britain and the United States.
Throughout the war, United States had attempted to maintain a neutral stand. By sending
aid to Great Britian, it had unintentionally demonstrated to the Axis powers where their
loyalties lie.
It was a difficult situation for the United States. They wanted to resume a friendly
relationship with Japan, however they were unable to do so. By sending aid to Japan, the
American’s knew the supplies would be forwarded to the new allies of Italy and Germany.
The United States was caught in the crossfire and unwilling to choose a side.
Japan in the meantime was starting to suffer. By severed its ties with the States,
they cut off any hopes of continuing to receive natural resources. Their allies Germany
and Italy were already engaged with war that they could not have afforded to spare any
resources for Japan. Japan had to look for an alternative somewhere, the closest being
Southeast Asia. The German success at war had caused havoc in the region of Southeast
Asia. Because of the German wins, the French and Dutch colonies in the Southeast Asian
region had been reduced to puppet governments. They no longer had the same command it
did twenty years before. The Japanese viewed this as a perfect opportunity for them to
take over.
The Japanese invaded the Indochinese regions in 1941. The Japanese knew that if
they launched an attack on this region, they would be able to topple the regime and take
control of the entire area. The Japanese were also very aware that should they take over
this region, it would only be a matter of weeks before the American would arrive to
support the colonies. As a result, the Japanese needed a plan to disable the American
forces in order to guarantee their ruling over the Southeast region of Asia. Because of this,
the idea to attack Pearl Harbor was formed. By crippling the American forces, Japan could
ensure they would secure natural resources but also avoid outside interference while doing
so. The Japanese had set their sights on places such as Malaysia, Philippines, and Burma;
but only after making sure that these areas no longer had reinforcements to defend
themselves. The Japanese knew they needed to remove the problem at its roots. The plan
was to crush the Pacific fleet of the Americans so that they would be disabled long enough
for the Japanese to secure their need and to subdue the morale of the colonies. It was the
Japanese aim to relinquish the control of the colonies with a peace treaty that would
restore its resources.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was not an immediate decision. It was a carefully
constructed and methodologically plotted to ensure there were no weak spots in the plan.
The military of the Japanese were alerted about the situation and briefings regarding the
exact circumstances started doing the rounds of every military base. The attack that left
the Americans yearning for revenge was only a means to an end for the Japanese. For the
Japanese, the attack on Pearl Harbor was part of a bigger plan, the attack was more a
defensive move done by the Japanese in order to survive.
Chapter 7: The Impact on the Japanese

The attacks lead to the vast destruction, loss of life, and property damage for the
United States. However, there were severe consequences for the Japanese, as well.
Two hours of bombing on December 7th 1941 had caused Pearl Harbor to tumble
and fall apart. The surprise attack took a heavy toll on lives, resources, aircrafts, and ships.
The Japanese government had declared war with a document that mainly targeted Britain
and the United States. This document further insinuated on how the action of the two
countries were destructive in nature and how the Japanese had no resources to combat this.
The Japanese ambassador for the United States also included in his speech, the various
atrocities that the United States committed. Although the Japanese citizens were prepared
for the war, Japan on a whole were taken aback. There were several accounts of
apprehension among the population but due to the imperialist nature of the Japanese
government they accepted the war with resignation and eventually supported the war.
Japan finally surrendered in 1945 but when the news of Pearl Harbor had reached the
Japanese citizens, it had caused them to question whether the attack was ethical. However,
due to their nationalistic nature, they could do nothing but continue to support the decision
of the government until the war ended.
American Japanese were the most affected with war at their homes. Sources state
that the war was a natural consequence it was inevitable. What was supposed to be a
warning to the United Stated, resulted in a widespread declaration of war. The attack on
Pearl harbor ultimately lead to the inclusion of America in World War II. “Remember
Pearl harbor” became the slogan chanted and was the hallmark of widespread calamity.
But the effects of the war were large and the consequences many. Below are the main
effects of the war on Japan.
Losses to Japan
Although the attack heavily impacted the United States, Japan too had a
considerable amount of losses. 29 Japanese planes were lost and 74 were bombed. 20 of
these planes were lost in second wave of attacks and 9 were lost in the first wave of
attacks. There were ten submariners who part of the destruction of the Pearl Harbor, one
was captured and killed by the US.
Deterioration of the American Japanese Relations
The relations between the United States and Japan were largely hostile even before
the war. The Japanese empire felt that western forces such as United States and Britain
looked at Japan as an inferior economy and disregarded it. This led to strains in the
relations between the two nations. Japan was expanding rapidly and acquiring several
small countries in Asia while trying to build its empire. The Japanese empire aimed to
conquer the countries in Asia and the Pacific. Britain and the United States opposed to
this. The Japanese empire’s demands were also not met and this further deteriorated the
relationship between the two nations. In the 1930s, Japan had invaded China and this
caused widespread discontentment among the United States. The more Japan expanded its
empire into China, the more severe the discontentment became from the United Stated.
This was specifically because China was a huge trading region for United States and the
conquest of China by Japan would lead to the loss in trade.
Saburo Kurusu was the ambassador to the United States. He had also implied in his
speech that the war was something that could not be avoided. It was a natural consequence
and was the result of aggression that Japan had faced from the west. The relationship came
to an absolute stand still when the United States declared an oil embargo on Japan. It also
eliminated trade from Japan by stopping the export of steel and other metals to the
country. The lack of resources in Japan caused it to team up with Italy and Germany
through the Tripartite Pact. The United States then also froze all of the Japanese assets that
they had. In response to the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, the United States declared
War on Japan. It meant the United States had officially entered World War II. For Japan,
having a strained relationship with the United States was not enough, it also resulted in an
unfavorable relationship with the allies siding with the United States such as Netherlands
and Great Britain.
Oil Embargo
Japan had been conquering kingdoms in Asia and Pacific hoping to a build a new
Asia. More importantly, Japan was a resource scarce nation and depended on several
countries to meet the needs of their people. This was especially true for oil. The Japanese
empire felt that conquest and expansion was the easiest way to secure resources
inexpensively. They wanted to build an empire much like the way Britain had, by gaining
resources and trading their home produced goods to ensure prosperity and growth for their
economy. The need for oil resource in Japan depended solely on imports. Being an
extremely resource scarce nation they could produce only 10% of the oil that they
required. They imported most of the oil from the United States. They required this oil for
defense purposes like the Japanese navy and the Japanese military. After the Pearl Harbor
incident, the United States restricted the exports to Japan and eliminated iron, steel, and oil
exports to the nation. Subsequently, they had to look for alternatives. The exports of oil,
steel, and iron to Japan went down by almost half. Eventually a complete oil embargo was
imposed on Japan and the United States stopped all trade with them. This also resulted in
the United Nations freezing the assets of the Japanese empire. Japan had to rely on other
nations to produce oil and allied with Germany and Italy through the Tripartite Pact. After
the war, Japan surrendered to the United States when its resources were decimated.
Superiority of Japan
When the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, the Japanese people were surprised as
the public did not know of the plans. However, they gave their support right up until
Japan’s surrender. Japan was expanding considerably when the United States decided to
curb this. The Japanese empire had the same vision of Adolf Hitler and hoped to make
Japan the number one nation in the world. The Japanese empire wanted to conquer the
world by expanding and ruling various countries. Japan was doing this by trying to build a
new Asia by conquering countries in the Asia and Pacific region.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a precautionary attack to ward off the United
States from interfering with the Japanese empire’s plans of expansion. It was done as a
warning to stop the United States from intervening. The attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in
Japan establishing themselves as superiors. This created pride for Japan and the attack was
seen as a patriotic triumph. It was a warning for the Americans not disrespect them and to
treat them as equals.
The Japanese empire believed that they were being treated unfairly by the United
States with treaties such as the Naval Limitations Treaty. The Nine Power Pact, the scrap
metal embargo, the oil embargo, and the constant attempts to try to reverse and contain the
actions of the Japan after the invasion of Manchuria was all seen as things that were unfair
to Japan. This created an anti-western movement throughout Japan.
The Japanese empire believed that its inherent racial superiority allowed it to be
the best in the world and dominate the Asia and Pacific region. Seeing Britain’s
expansion, they too wanted to expand. This influenced the population of Japan into
believing that the United States were wrong doers. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a well-
crafted and well devised plan which was daring and took lots of preparation. It required
careful considerations represented Japan in the positive light. It showcased what a true
leader looked like in Japanese eyes.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was considered a success. It took the United States by
surprise and inflicted a huge injury and caused rampant and widespread damage. This
increased the ego of the Japanese empire. The population of Japan celebrated and was
supportive of the military until the Japanese empire surrendered. It was a brilliant
operation and the shock that it inflicted on the United States was a reason to rejoice by the
population of Japan who viewed the western world as tyrannical and opposing.
Anti-Japan Movements
Anti-Japan sentiment was fueled by distrust and hostility of the Japanese
population. The attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in widespread anti-Japanese movements.
This was particularly true in the United States and in other countries that supported United
States like the British Empire and Netherlands. This further fueled the hatred for all of the
Axis nations. The Allies believed that the Japanese were conspirators and soon there was
widespread xenophobia towards the Japanese.
There were also widespread internments for those that the United States and its
supporters regarded as suspicious. This gave rise to the Italian American internment,
Japanese American internment, Japanese Canadian internment, and German American
internment. This also caused the United States to consider the Germans and Italians as
enemies. Further atrocities that the Japanese caused on America made the population of
the US want to strike back. They demanded for interventions on eradicating the Japanese
expansion in China. With more unrest at home, the United States imposed more
restrictions and embargos on Japan. The European population also became anti-Japan and
boycotted all the goods and services of Japan.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, there were several licenses that circulated and
were issued with the words “Jap Hunting licenses.” Several Americans believed in the
extermination of Japanese troops. The United States saw the attack on Pearl Harbor as a
low and cowardly sneak attack. The attack on Pearl Harbor ruined the impression the
United States had about the Japanese population. Due to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the
citizens of the United States sought to seek revenge and were aggressive towards those of
Japanese descent residing in America. The anti-Japanese sentiment became so strong that
there were laws passed preventing white people from marrying Japanese. Signs on
properties with the words ‘No Japs wanted here’ were found. Wide spread anti-Japanese
propaganda was printed which had catchy slogans and posters which targeted the Japanese
population. This lowered the status of the Japanese in America. The Japanese Americans
also lost jobs and the immigrants from Japan couldn’t get jobs or were only have to get
paid minimal wages. Executive Order 9066 was signed and in turn caused the anti-
Japanese sentiment to increase. The citizens of United States wanted to send all their
perceived enemies to internment camps. The consequences of the attack on Pearl Harbor
were large and widespread. anti-Japanese sentiments were also found in Britain and other
Allies.
Niihau Incident
Niihau is a part of western Hawaii and the Japanese initially assumed that this
island was uninhabited. They selected this island to land their damaged airplanes and war
crafts after attacking the Pearl Harbor. The pilots were also asked to wait in Niihau where
the Japanese government would then pick them up. Unknown to the Japanese, Niihau
Island was actually populated. A Japanese Zero crash landed with the pilot Shigenori
Nishikaichi on board, in Niihau on December 7th 1941. He was captured and killed. Three
Japanese pilots came to his rescue but attempts to reach him were futile. The pilot’s
commander ended up committing suicide by shooting himself. Pilot Shigenori Nishikaichi
took part in the second wave of the attack of the Pearl Harbor.
The residents of Hawaii initially did not know about the attack on the Pearl Harbor
but the largely publicized hostility in newspaper and in the other forms of media was
common knowledge. The Hawaiian native Kaleohano knew that the Japanese would come
to attack the United States. The native Hawaiians who had inhibited Niihau gathered and
treated Shigenori Nishikaichi with respect and with hospitality. They took away all his
arms and ammunitions and treated him well. They were however unable to grasp what he
was trying to say as he conversed fluently in Japanese and very scanty English. Kaleohano
sent for a Japanese American named Ishimatsu Shintani to interpret and translate what
Shigenori Nishikaichi. But Ishimatsu Shintani didn’t speak the dialect that Shigenori
Nishikaichi did. It caused the Hawaiians to send for another Japanese descendant named
Yoshio Harada to translate. Shigenori Nishikaichi spoke a few words and informed him
about Pearl Harbor and the surprise attack. Yoshio Harada didn’t convey this information
to the Hawaiians and decided to assist the Japanese man in escaping. Harada convinced
the Hawaiians that the pilot will have to stay for a little while and the Hawaiians agreed.
Shintani went to Kaleohano and asked him to return the pilot’s papers with a large sum of
money but Kaleohano refused. At this point, Nishikaichi and Harada attacked one of the
guards and they took the pistols from Harada’s residence. Kaleohano saw Harada and the
pilot coming and decided to alert the inhabitants of the island. The entire island fled
towards safety. Harada and Nishikaichi tried to travel on Shigenori Nishikaich’s plane.
However upon reaching Kaleohano’s home they noticed that it was empty. Kalima an
inhabitant also agreed to help the two Japanese in the search for Kaleohano and the next
day they kept Kaleohano’s mother in law Ella as a hostage. A fight then broke out among
the entire people causing Harada to commit suicide and ultimately killing the pilot.
World War II
The attack of the Pearl Harbor also resulted in the entrance of the United States
into World War II. Japan was a resource scarce nation and depnded on oil and resources
from the United States. When the trade was restricted, Japan had to sign a pact to get
resources from Germany and Italy. Germany, Italy, and Japan composed of the Axis and
declared war on the United States. America was in turn, supported by Great Britain,
France, Netherlands, Soviet Union, and China. The war had severe impact on the world
economies leading to mass destruction, high death tolls, and loss of property and
infrastructure. Japan intended to seize British dominated colonies in Asia and the Pacific
to obtain resources at nominal costs. The attack on Pearl Harbor fueled mass hate around
the world. Britain, Australia, China, and more importantly the United States formally
declared a war on Japan.
American Japanese
The American Japanese were hard hit by the onset of the war. Although none of
the American Japanese were charged with crime and treachery, they were all hated and
bullied. The anti-Japanese sentiments hit them hard. The Executive Order No 9066 was
issued which resulted in all the Japanese Americans required to move into internment
camps that were protected by barbed wire in remote locations within the United States.
These were relocation centers were heavily guarded. These centers were also cramped and
over crowded with bad sanitation facilities and no heat. Most Japanese Americans were
expected to work in the military or do menial jobs. The attack of Pearl Harbor resulted in
the United States deporting a large amount of Japanese. The people of Japanese descent
also faced a lot of racism on American soil. They were prevented from getting good jobs
and were relegated to hard labor or work that offered very little pay. Several places fired
all their Japanese employees. After the war the Japanese Americans were ordered to leave
the internment camps, but they had to rebuild their lives from scratch. Farmers of Japanese
American descent lost all their land, crops, and customers. Business men who were of
Japanese American descent faced huge revenue losses. Japanese Americans were forced
out of their homes and had to sell everything. This was only applicable to those that were
lucky enough to be notified ahead of their deportation. They were also hated by the
masses and were suspected and accused of everything. Having no one to trust them, the
Japanese ended up being forced to fend for themselves and become a minority group with
little to no support.
Chapter 8: The Aftermath of the Attack
Throughout this whole attack, at one point, there was a belief that Japan was able
to gain an edge over the United States of America. The then President of America at that
time was Franklin D. Roosevelt. He did not want his country to actively participate in the
war. In several of his interviews, he had openly discussed the military incompetency of the
States in the ongoing war. He was a leader who did not want his people to bleed in a war
in which they had no cause to fight for. The neutrality attitude towards the ongoing war
proved harmful for the United States in the end. The casual and laid back mindset of the
President eventually led the military to get complacent while half the world was engaged
in war. The military were ill prepared for any emergency situations. Many historians see
Roosevelt as the prime cause of the devastation that ensued at Pearl Harbor.
The main fight was going on in a different arena, with a different opponent.
Though unofficial, America considered Germany as its main opposition. The Japanese
intelligence placed inside the United States confirmed the theory that the United States did
not want to fight a smaller war when there was a fiercer war to possibly face. The
intelligence sent to the Japanese stated that Roosevelt was not foolish enough to declare
two independent wars on two separate nations with America’s current military abilities.
This was where the Japanese felt they had an advantage. If the United States had
spent a little more time understanding the Japanese people, a surprise attack was
inevitable. The battle strategies of the Japanese are littered with surprise attacks and is
considered standard military procedure. Whenever Japan felt threatened it responded by
launching attacks that were completely unannounced and caught their enemy by surprise.
The Pacific war is considered to have started in Pearl Harbor itself. Although
Japan lost the war in the end, the battle that started everything cannot be discounted. It
was a carefully planned and brilliantly executed attack that achieved its objective. It
bought time for the Japanese to invade and exploit the Southeast region of Asia. The
breathing space Japan needed to manage the exploitation back home was provided by the
effects of the attack.
One of the many drawbacks in the attack was realized much later. Japan had
restricted its objective to a relatively small area. They had the element of surprise working
in their favor. They could have capitalized and aimed for bigger and more sensitive
targets. The Pacific fleet was only one part of the American military. Had the Japanese
focused on more than just destroying one wing of the American military, it could have
achieved better results. Many oil reserves and vital beach facilities of the United States
were lying around vulnerable to an easy attack from the air. The Japanese never thought
about targeting such places and instead went straight for the obvious option of assaulting
Pearl Harbor. Moreover, they sunk only three ships - Utah, Oklahoma and Arizona. Of
these three, Utah was already in deplorable condition and would not have been used for
battle. Although Japan managed to catch America by surprise, they allowed them to stand
back up and enter the arena with brand new determination and motivation.
 Another objective of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was to demoralize the
Americans enough to push for a peace treaty between them and the Japanese. This part of
the plan did not work. Instead of breaking the States down, the nation came into a full
confrontational mode. The public of United States fully supported President Roosevelt in
planning an answer to the assault. This only affirmed the American way of facing
problems, to never back down and continue fighting till their last breath.
Despite all loopholes and setbacks, the attack on Pearl Harbor demonstrated the
Japanese ability to be strategic and tactical. The intricate planning of the operation, the
efficient bombings, and the surprise threw one of the mightiest nations of the world off
guard. It proved that the Japanese could fight back when pushed. The attack did thrust
Japan’s intentions into the limelight, but it also showcased the Japanese military. It
demonstrated that the Japanese military were a brave bunch that was willing to sacrifice
their entirety for their belief.
Conclusion
The abilities that nations have when threatened is surprising. Never would anyone
expect a country to go against the wishes of United States. Never would anyone expect a
surprised attack of such caliber. The attack on Pearl Harbor inspires nothing but open
mouthed awe and stupefaction.
The Pearl Harbor attack is a striking example of what could happen from paranoia
and a few bad decisions. The Japanese claim that in their defense, they only planned a
preventive attack because they were sure that the US were going be willing to settle with a
peace treaty and end the battle. The Japanese only intended to prevent the Americans from
interfering in their military operations in Southeast Asia and give themselves a chance to
restock on their resources.
The attack on Pearl Harbor continues to be seen as a war crime today. On
December 7th 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed that it would be a day that
would live in infamy. He solidly maintained that the attack had happened without a
declaration of war and without any explicit warning. There is a conspiracy theory
surrounding the Pearl Harbor attack which states that certain elements in the U.S and
British governments knew about the attack. It is said that they remained quiet to make sure
that U.S was drawn into the war.
The attack however, managed to unite a nation that was in pieces. The singular
event of Pearl Harbor was enough to motivate the rest of America and drive them towards
working together. The aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack saw the Americans fighting
with more dedication and with the words, “Remember Pearl Harbor” uttered through each
soldier’s lips. It also sparked of a sense of fear and paranoia into the American people.
They were completely astounded by how they were taken so easily by the Japanese that
day. It made them seriously reconsider their defenses and warning systems. They also
became more stringent as far as intelligence was concerned. They began to thoroughly
screen any person who was involved in government affairs.
Immediately following the attack, the Americans tried to make the best of the
situation and made sure that they acknowledged only a fraction of the damage caused.
This was done in an effort to keep their soldiers’ morale in one piece. Unfortunately the
final answer to the Japanese challenge can be considered as one of the worst in the history
of mankind – The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.
But that is a completely different story that can be left for another time. As far as
this book goes, I sincerely hope that you found the book interesting and I thank you once
again for purchasing it.

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Check Out My Other Books

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Irma Grese & the SS Girls From Hell
World War 2: A Brief History of the European Theatre
World War 2 Pacific Theatre: A Brief History of the Pacific Theatre
World War 2 Nazi Germany: The Secrets of Nazi Germany in World War II
The Third Reich: The Rise & Fall of Hitler’s Germany in World War 2
World War 2 Soldier Stories: The Untold Stories of the Soldiers on the Battlefields of WWII
World War 2 Soldier Stories Part II: More Untold Tales of the Soldiers on the Battlefields of WWII
Surviving the Holocaust: The Tales of Survivors and Victims
World War 2 Heroes: Medal of Honor Recipients in WWII & Their Heroic Stories of Bravery
World War 2 Heroes: WWII UK’s SAS hero Robert Blair “Paddy” Mayne
World War 2 Heroes: Jean Moulin & the French Resistance Forces
World War 2 Snipers: WWII Famous Snipers & Sniper Battles Revealed
World War 2 Spies & Espionage: The Secret Missions of Spies & Espionage in WWII
World War 2 Air Battles: The Famous Air Combat that Defined WWII
World War 2 Tank Battles: The Famous Tank Battles that Defined WWII
World War 2 Famous Battles: D-Day and the Invasion of Normandy
World War 2 Submarine Stores: True Stories from the Underwater Battlegrounds
The Holocaust Saviors: True Stories of Rescuers who risked all to Save Holocaust Refugees
Irma Grese & The Holocaust: The Secrets of the Blonde Beast of Auschwitz Exposed
Auschwitz & the Holocaust: Eyewitness Accounts from Auschwitz Prisoners & Survivors
World War 2 Sailor Stories: Tales from Our Warriors at Sea
World War 2 Soldier Stories Part III: The Untold Stories of German Soldiers
World War 2 Navy SEALs: True Stories from the First Navy SEALs: The Amphibious Scout & Raiders
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