Before ,during,and after the "Attack on Pearl Harbor"

Essay by DragnFli404High School, 10th gradeA+, September 2002

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Before the "Attack on Pearl Harbor"

Japan was at war with China since the mid-1937. They desperately needed oil and other raw materials. It became harder and harder for them to get these products. Everyone seemed to be cutting off the supply. President Franklin D. Roosevelt transferred the American fleet to Pearl Harbor to deter the Japanese. In 1941 the western nation stopped the trade with Japan. On November 20, 1941 Nomura and Kurusu present a proposal to Hull that Japan will withdrawl from Indochina if the oil trade is restored. They ended up extending it to Nov. 29 with no success. Because they were desperate to get these products and were cut off by the world it seemed from getting them they planned the attack carefully. America expected Japan to attack the Indies, Malaya, and probably the Philippines but never expected them to attack the U.S. This attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S.

into World War II.

The Surprise Attack

On Dec. 7, 1941 Japan surprised the USA by sending attack planes to certain targets at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Their goal was to attack the US battleships and airplane hangers when not expected.They flew over and attacked the flight line. Americans were scrambling to get to their planes and get into the air to fight back, but they were shot in the process. One man came out alone to a machine gun and kept shooting at the planes coming in and out. He truly was a hero that day. But they just kept coming so quickly.