Seventy years later, the attack on Pearl Harbor is still remembered and considered a fundamental part of American culture and identity. The Japanese attack that plunged the United States into World War II will always be seen as despicable, wicked and barbaric. It caused the death of several thousand men and the sinking of battleships symbolic of America and its pride. For this, it will be one of the many events that will never be forgotten for eternity. In American history, the Revolution, the writing of the Constitution, the Civil War, the sinking of the Titanic, Pearl Harbor and World War II, the Apollo missions and 9/11 are just a few examples of such events. However, of all the momentous events in American history, none have had such lasting effects as Pearl Harbor. From the ashes of Pearl Harbor rose a new nation, dominated by patriotism, industrial might, and the drive to become the most powerful nation in the world. This nation won World War II and emerged successfully as the world's sole superpower, economically, politically, and militarily, all thanks to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The many factors that determined the situation immediately after the attack also determined the future course of the war and the post-war situation, because only the combination of such a large number of factors could put America on the right path to world domination after the Japanese invasion. surrender, August 1945. Some of these factors influenced the military situation of the United States, for example, American aircraft carriers were not in port during the attack, while other factors influenced the political situation and social; the Japanese attacked without declaring war, angering the American public. The combination of these factors places America in an ideal position to dominate not only the war, but also the postwar situation. However, many of the reasons America became a superpower were due to the situation in Europe after Germany's surrender in May 1945 and therefore cannot be directly attributed to the attack on Pearl Harbor. But indirectly, the attack was essential. Again, returning to the factors that influenced the situation after the attack, Pearl Harbor set the stage for America to take the lead in the war, and without this exact situation in December 1941, the situation in the Postwar Europe and the Pacific might have been fundamentally different; it is even possible that the Allies lost the war entirely. Because the attack on Pearl Harbor determined how America entered the war, it can therefore be said that Pearl Harbor was the main contributing factor to America's situation after the war ended. It is for this reason that Pearl Harbor takes its place in American culture among events such as the crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Gettysburg; it had a hugely influential influence on how America won World War II, or even why America won World War II. However, this is not the reason why Pearl Harbor is remembered and takes its place in the hearts of the American people; It is remembered as the devastating attack that took us by surprise, our entry point into the war, and the only place since the War of 1812 where America has been attacked by foreigners on American soil. Although it is all of the above, Pearl Harbor should not be remembered as "the greatest military disaster andnaval history of our nation" [1] as is usually the case, but rather as an unfortunate and tragic loss of life that triggered the The United States entered World War II in the best possible position and secured their world domination after the end of the war and this continues today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original Essay In order to prove that Pearl Harbor was not a complete military disaster, it is necessary to examine the military situation before and after the attack. in depth. It is important to clarify the motive for the attack and the history leading up to it. James Bradley, an expert historian of the Pacific War and Japanese culture, explains in his book The Imperial Cruise the actions taken by Japan and the events that led to its attack on Pearl Harbor. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Japanese abandoned their feudal heritage and changed their entire government and culture in order to westernize and become an empire.[2] They dreamed of dominating the Pacific as Europe had done to Africa and Southeast Asia; they imagined creating the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, similar to the Nazi ideal of Großdeutschland (Greater Germany). As it industrialized and began to test its authority as a world power, Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria in 1931, seizing its vast resources and agricultural land, and then "in the summer of 1937 , he launched a full-scale attack against the rest. of China. »[3] The Western world was appalled that Japan could and would do such a thing. No Western nation in the 20th century wanted a non-white Eastern nation to gain a position of strength that could eventually challenge its supremacy in the Far East. The United States, the other dominant power in the Pacific, has embargoed Japan on its crucial supply of oil, among other important resources such as rubber. The Japanese determined that without American supplies they would not be able to continue the war in China and arrogantly decided that the best course of action was not to make peace, but to attack all colonial territories Americans and Westerners throughout the Pacific and to seize China. vital resources for themselves. Daniel Marston, author of The Pacific War, describes the reasoning for attacking Pearl Harbor: Admiral Yamamoto, a Japanese naval commander who had studied in the United States and understood American culture, knew that once a war would triggered with the United States, Japan would ultimately lose. Knowing this, he decided to try to win the war before it began and planned to deliver a crippling blow to the US Pacific Fleet based at Pearl Harbor in order to demoralize the American people and frighten them into Don't get into a war. After months of preparation, training and secret sailing across the Pacific, a Japanese fleet waited 230 miles northwest of the Hawaiian island of Oahu on the morning of December 7, 1941 and attacked Pearl Harbor. Now that the motive for the attack is known, a discussion of the attack itself to prove its status as an American victory can begin. However, it is important to clarify certain terms and questions that will allow us to do this. What exactly is a victory? According to veteran navigator Jim Clonts and author of Desert Storm, the definition of victory is simple: “Every military conflict requires defined objectives, both military and political. Achieving these goals defines thevictory. »[5] It is impossible to determine who is the winner without this clear definition. Another question, what is the difference between a tactical victory and a strategic victory? A tactical victory is the achievement of short-term goals, while a strategic victory is the achievement of long-term goals. This will be important in defining what exactly happened at Pearl Harbor and who exactly came out in the best position. Walter Lord, an author and historian from the mid-1900s, details the events of the attack in his book, Day of Infamy: When the Japanese attacked at 7:55 a.m. on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, with a strike force of 353 aircraft. and five midget submarines, they bombarded and torpedoed as many ships as they could, the battleships being their primary target, and finally ended the raid shortly before 10 a.m., sinking or seriously damaging a total of 18 ships, destroying 188 aircraft and killing and wounding approximately 4,000 men.[6] This was undoubtedly a major blow to the U.S. Navy; All eight battleships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were sunk, destroyed, or severely damaged. Why did the Japanese target US battleships? During the Great War, battleships, called dreadnoughts, were masters of the seas; they were the largest, had the most cannons, the most powerful guns and the most armor. They were the main proponents of power for all the navies of the world. No ship could withstand their assault alone, except for the other battleships. They served as flagships (command ships of a fleet) and aroused the pride of nations and the fear of enemies. The loss of a battleship was discouraging to his nation, the destruction of a battleship was uplifting. The Japanese targeted the battleships for this reason alone; the power of the United States Navy would be greatly diminished and the American public would be greatly discouraged from waging war, or so they thought. However, the Japanese only succeeded in one of these objectives. The loss of all eight battleships meant that the Pacific Fleet was essentially out of action and was therefore forced to return to San Diego to reorganize. However, as previously noted, Japanese Admiral Yamamoto wanted to knock the United States out of the war before it began. The United States suffered a heavy blow, but failed to make peace. On December 8, 1941, the day after the attack, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (known as FDR), President of the United States from 1932 to 1945, asked Congress to declare war on Japan in his famous Day of Infamy speech: “Yesterday, December On July 7, 1941, a date that will go down in infamy, the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan...it was evident that the attack had been deliberately planned several days or even weeks ago. In the meantime, the Japanese government deliberately sought to deceive the United States through false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace...We will always remember the nature of the attack on us...the American people, in their righteous power, will win. until absolute victory...I request that Congress declare that since the dastardly and unprovoked attack on Japan on Sunday, December 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire. »[7] The United States has not done so. retreat as planned by the Japanese. But why would the United States be so stubborn if its naval fleet, which constitutes its only means of asserting its authority in the Pacific, was simply destroyed? The reason is simple: many ships, including three aircraft carriers and the entire American submarine fleet ofPacific, were not in port during the attack.[8] They were spared destruction and so the United States was not crippled, as Japan had hoped. But aircraft carriers were more than survivors; they became the main supporter of the United States Navy in the Pacific for the remainder of the war. During World War I, battleships fulfilled this role, but after Britain built the first aircraft carrier (HMS Argus),[9] and as air power proved superior to battleship power , as evidenced by the sinking of the German battleship. battleship Bismarck in 1941, aircraft carriers have become the new flagships of nations. As a result, the United States had even more reason not to give in to the Japanese. With such power and ability to wage war, the United States was not even close to being crippled. This can be seen in the fact that some of the most decisive battles of the Pacific War occurred in 1942, less than a year after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In fact, the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first carrier battle in history, took place on May 3, 1942, less than five months after Pearl Harbor. The Battle of Midway, the largest naval air battle in history and what some consider the turning point of the war, took place on June 4, 1942, less than six months after the attack.[10]The United States n Not only were they still in combat after Pearl Harbor, they also engaged the Japanese in the Battle of Guadalcanal (August 7, 1942 – February 9, 1943) less than seven months later. All of the above battles were either an American victory or an inconclusive stalemate that hurt the Japanese more than the United States. This proves the fact that carrier combat was probably the most important military factor for America in winning the war. If the aircraft carriers had been destroyed at Pearl Harbor, the United States might have been inclined to do exactly what the Japanese wanted and make peace. The Japanese knew this too, as evidenced by the fact that they "assigned twice as many torpedo bombers per carrier as per battleship",[11] but none were there to sink. The power of the aircraft carrier is also manifested in its ability to influence morale. Simply, as with battleships in the Great War, the sinking of an aircraft carrier is discouraging to a nation and its military, while using them to deliver blows to the enemy is inspiring. As the Doolittle Raid in April 1942 demonstrated, the use of aircraft carriers both boosted American morale and lowered Japanese morale. In this raid, named after the operation's commander, Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, a force of bombers specially modified to take off from the decks of an aircraft carrier took off from the USS Hornet and bombed the capital Japanese from Tokyo.[12]This raid was immortalized. by the film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) and again by Pearl Harbor (2001). The damage caused to the city by the raid was minimal, but the psychological effects were enormous. This showed America that they were not crippled by Pearl Harbor, and the Japanese that they were not out of harm's way and that the United States was ready to bring the war home. Yamamoto was extremely concerned about this raid and made it a point to track down the missed American aircraft carriers at Pearl Harbor during the Battle of Midway, ironically losing four of his valuable carriers during the battle. They were extremely important during the war because they allowed the United States to stay at war and defend itself against Japan, as well as because their military and psychological applications were extensive. Now, inUsing the definition of a victory and the difference between a tactical and strategic victory, it can be determined that Pearl Harbor for the Japanese was a tactical victory, but a strategic defeat. Initially, it seemed that the Japanese had dealt a great blow to the U.S. Navy, and early in the war they did not lose a single battle until Midway. “For the Japanese, Pearl Harbor became a tactical success, but a strategic disaster. »[14] The failure to destroy the carriers was extremely instrumental in the Japanese strategic defeat and proved that they could not win the war. In the 1970 film Tora! Torah! Tora!, Yamamoto famously said immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor: "I fear that all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with terrible determination." » [15] Although this quote itself is true. little known, it reflects the attitude and convictions of the Japanese admiral of the time. Pearl Harbor was a greater loss for Japan than for the United States and was therefore the best way for America to enter the war. The “sleeping giant” Yamamoto refers to in his speech is the American public and its industry. Current U.S. military strength could be defeated, as Pearl Harbor and the invasion of the Philippines, Guam, and other U.S. islands showed. However, once ignited, the American war machine could not be stopped. As shown in Table 1 (see appendix), U.S. defense spending increased from $6.13 billion to $22.05 billion, an increase of 259%, in 1942 compared to 1941, following of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Federal spending also increased by more than 132% that year. In 1943, war production represented 32.23% of GDP. In 1945, federal spending was $72.11 billion, 89.49 percent of which was spent on the war.[16] In comparison, as shown in Table 2, the nominal GDP of the United States was greater than the combined GDP of all the Axis powers (Germany, Austria, Japan, etc.). By 1944, it was larger than all the Axis and Allied powers combined, accounting for an average of 65% of total Allied GDP for the entire war.[17] This is the industrial power that the Axis faced when America entered the war. One of the reasons the United States was so ready to convert to the war economy immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor was due to the Lend-Lease Act. During the 1930s, Congress authorized monetary loans, as well as shipments of obsolete weapons, merchant ships, and warships to countries like Britain and China, which were already fighting the forces of the tyranny, in exchange for access to ports and bases around the world. For example, in exchange for World War I-era destroyers to help combat the threat of Nazi submarines in the North Atlantic, Britain granted the United States access to naval and air bases in places like Bermuda and Newfoundland. The Lend-Lease Act not only supported the nations already engaged in the struggle, but it also maintained the neutrality of the United States while actively participating in it, and maintained its preparedness for the inevitable all-out war economy. When the United States entered the war, Lend-Lease continued and expanded as the difference between Axis and Allied industrial production continued to increase exponentially. It was this industrial power that defeated the forces of Germany and Japan. In a 1-on-1 fight, the Axis forces were militarily superior due to their zeal andtheir training, but with the numerical and technological advantages enjoyed by the Allies, the war was essential to be won in both theaters in 1943-44. The only question left at that point: how long would it take to finish? The industry put forward by the United States during World War II was the main factor in winning the war, and without it, countries like Britain, China and the USSR could have fallen under the fascist threat. Industrial production was so great that the losses suffered during the attack on Pearl Harbor were considered easily replaceable, and after a year or two the United States found itself again in the same situation as before Pearl Harbor. battleships thought to have been permanently sunk at Pearl Harbor were sufficiently raised, repaired, and refitted to participate in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944.[19] This type of industrial production is unbeatable, even by today's standards. United States defense spending in 2010 was $700 billion, which, when adjusted for inflation, is less than half of the 1945 defense budget.[20] When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, they essentially signed their own death warrant, as the "sleeping giant" line suggested. They “firmly planted the seeds of the destruction of their navy and the near-destruction of their nation.” »[21] The other part of the “sleeping giant” that “woke up” was the American people. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, it did so without first declaring war. Because attacking a nation without declaring war was contrary to the principles of the Hague Convention (a precursor to the Geneva Conventions),[22] the attack on Pearl Harbor was viewed by the American people and the world as treacherous , terribly ruthless, uncivilized, treacherous and deceitful. Even Hitler, Japan's ally, seemed shocked by such a brutal attack. This angered the American public to the point that Army recruiting centers were lined up outside the gates the next morning, December 8, 1941. The same day, President Roosevelt addressed Congress requesting a declaration war in Japan. In his Day of Infamy speech. (see page 6), FDR put all Americans' feelings about the attack into perspective and provided fuel for the war effort that would last until 1945. As propaganda posters show, images 1 to 8 in the appendix, the anger of the American people and their desire for revenge would be immortalized by the phrase "'Remember Pearl Harbor.'[23] This would push young men to enlist, young women and older men to work in factories, and all American citizens to purchase war bonds The feeling of anger towards Japan was maintained throughout the war through the use of propaganda, as well as campaigns. of war bonds led by national heroes to boost morale, one of the most notable being the 7th war bond drive led by the servicemen who raised the flag at Iwo Jima immortalized in the famous award-winning photograph by. the Pulitzer Prize (see photo 9). From the ashes of Pearl Harbor came the fuel needed to win the war, that fuel being war bonds and an industrial workforce. It is also very important that the United States was attacked; America was not the aggressor. This fact has prevented the large faction of isolationists from speaking out against any involvement in the affairs of the whole world, because it is impossible to avoid a war taking place on one's own soil. After the First World War, the isolationist movement grew veryquickly in the United States; citizens wanted America to stand aside and stay out of the "European affair." This group was the only factor that kept Roosevelt from going to war in 1939. However, after the dastardly attack on Pearl Harbor, even the isolationists concluded that war was necessary. In fact, the Declaration of War was ratified almost unanimously by Congress, with only one dissenting voice, that of a pacifist representative from Montana, Jeannette Rankin, who also voted against the war in 1914.[24] The anger over the attack is essential to understanding the benefits of the attack on Pearl Harbor for the United States. No other possible situation could have ended in the same way. With the luck that the aircraft carriers had been spared and the easy replacement of equipment thanks to American industrial power, Pearl Harbor was essentially an excuse for FDR to declare war without being at all disadvantaged, while silencing the vast number of isolationists.[25]Essentially, it was a perfect opportunity to strengthen themselves without fear of reprisal. I repeat, the feeling aroused by the attack became fuel for the war effort. As previously stated, the attack essentially won the war for the United States; and the resulting combination of industrial might and popular anger is the reason. The United States has always had industrial might, but without the passion for revenge, what support would the war effort have received? If the Pacific Fleet had not been surprised by the attack, had not defended itself, and had not emerged in a relatively acceptable position, America could have entered the war, but for what purpose? How many people would have gone to work in the factories if there had been no anger, if there had been no “Remember Pearl Harbor”? This is why Pearl Harbor should be considered the best possible way for the United States to enter the war; the combination of industry and mass support and patriotism for the war made the attack essentially a confirmation of "Japan's inevitable defeat".[26] Without this feeling, the war would have been much more difficult to wage and maintain politically. Finally, the German and Italian response was also very important in understanding the benefits of the attack on Pearl Harbor. On December 11, 1941, Germany and Italy jointly declared war on the United States. While this may seem like a very irrational decision given what we now know about American patriotism and industry, it was actually a completely valid decision at the time. After witnessing the devastating attack inflicted on the United States, Germany, like Japan, believed that America had been quickly eliminated from the war. While the United States had not yet sued for peace, Hitler believed that a declaration of war by Germany and Italy would push them over the edge. Obviously, this was not the case as Congress responded the same day with its own declarations of war. But at the time, Germany and Italy had little reason to be afraid. No one had yet seen the American military in action, having only been at war with Japan for three days, and the mighty Atlantic separated the two powers now at war. Hitler believed that Japan would defeat the United States before Germany had to face them. Another reason for declaring war was that Germany was in the midst of the Barbarossa Offensive, the massive invasion of the Soviet Union that dominated the European theater. If Germany declared war on the United States, as dictated by the terms of the Tripartite Pact, the alliance signed by Germany, Japan and Italy in September 1940 whichformed the Axis powers, Japan could declare war on the USSR and help the United States. The Germans attack the Soviets on two fronts. Japan, however, was not interested and Germany found itself faced with a very undesirable situation. The United States didn't like it either, now being forced to fight in Europe and the Pacific, but it was in a more advantageous position fighting Germany than Germany was fighting the United States. Between 1940 and 1942, FDR and Churchill met at numerous conferences, such as the Atlantic Conference, where "the two leaders agreed to meet regularly to discuss strategy"[27] against Germany in case the The United States would enter the war, and also determined at the Washington Conference that the Allies would focus on a "Europe First" policy rather than Japan in the Pacific. The United States had no such strategy in the Pacific, and Britain's only plan was simply "the main fleet to Singapore".[28] Even without such a strategy, the United States fought on both fronts with equal ferocity and industrial support. As history shows us, American offensives have won on both fronts. The United States had the ability to fight in multiple theaters at the same time, due to its enormous industry, while Germany and Japan could not. Because the United States had this capability, because of the patriotism and industrial might it displayed, the declaration of war on the United States can be said to have occurred at the time Germany lost the war . And because Pearl Harbor is the reason why Germany declared war, we can therefore conclude that Pearl Harbor lost the war for Germany. The inevitable fate of Germany was very beneficial to the United States, because Germany's defeat allowed America to dominate the post-war situation in Europe, to advance its capitalist and democratic cause across the world and become the leading world power. FDR's primary goals during World War II were not only to end the fascist threat, but also to assume global leadership and replace Britain as the most powerful nation in the world. By winning the war, providing economic support to all the countries devastated by the most destructive war in history, and helping to create the United Nations, the United States made this dream come true. If the United States had not entered World War II, this would never have happened. Because these results occurred, and given that being the number one world power is a very advantageous position, it can be said that entering World War II was the best decision America ever made due to its position thereafter. Even though the United States didn't know what the outcome would be, the fact that this outcome happened makes it the best decision ever made. As we have discussed, Pearl Harbor allowed the United States to enter the war in the best possible position and should therefore be considered the cause of America's prestigious and wealthy position today, because, without the way the United States entered the war, and without the war itself, it would not be where it is today. As a reminder, the military and social situations that followed the attack on Pearl Harbor sealed the fate of the war, which allowed the United States to take its place after this massive conflict as the sole global superpower, making from Pearl Harbor the best thing to do. what happens to America throughout its history...