pearl harbor

1933- Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.

1938- Munich accord signed.

1939- Britain and France declare war on Germany.

1940- Germans invade Belgium and Netherlands.

1940- Battle of Britain begins.

1940- Blitz begins.

1941- Germany invades Russia.

1941- Japan bombs Pearl Harbor.

1941- Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.A.

In 1940, Franklin Roosevelt was re-elected president of the U.S.A. The U.S.A continued to be an isolationist, but they felt sorry for Britain. They lent Britain 50 warships. Eventually even food, weapons and other supplies were sent from U.S.A to Britain.

On the other side of the world, Japan wanted to extend their empire. They had plans to conquer countries from British and French Empires in South East Asia.

However they afraid that the Americans would interfere and war would break out…

Pearl Harbor is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, in North America. It is found in the Pacific ocean, to the west of Honolulu.

In the morning on 7th December 1941, the Japanese launched their attack on the American Naval base at Pearl Harbor. The attack was intended as a preventive action in order to keep the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with military actions the Empire of Japan was planning in Southeast Asia.

The surprise attack was conceived by Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, with a striking force of 353 Japanese aircraft led by Commander Mitsuo Fuchida. The attack was launched from six heavy aircraft carriers accompanied by 24 supporting vessels. A separate group of submarines was to sink any American warships which escaped the Japanese carrier force.

At 6:00 a.m., the six carriers launched a first wave of 181 planes composed of torpedo bombers, dive bombers, horizontal bombers and fighters.

At around 8:30, a second wave of 170 Japanese planes, launched 30 minutes after the first, appeared over the harbor. They concentrated their attacks on the moving battleship, hoping to sink her in the channel and block the narrow entrance to Pearl Harbor.

By around 10:00 am, the attack had stopped, but the losses were innumerable.

Twenty-one ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were sunk or damaged. Aircraft losses were 188 destroyed and 159 damaged, the majority hit before they had a chance to take off. There were a total of 2,403 American casualties, including 68 civilians, most of them killed by improperly fused anti-aircraft shells landing in Honolulu. There were 1,178 military and civilian wounded.

Japanese losses were comparatively light. Only twenty-nine planes, less than 10 percent of the attacking force, failed to return to their carriers. Brazened by their success, Japan began to invade and conquer the following countries:

Philippines from the U.S.A Malaya, Burma and Hong Kong from

Britain East Indies from Holland China and French Indo China.

On the 11th December, four days after the Pearl Harbor attack, Germany and Italy declared war against the U.S.A. Emboldened by Japan’s success, they thought that they were strong enough, together, to defeat the U.S.A.

VS

Germany Italy U.S.A.

In 1945, the U.S.A had created a new atomic bomb, which had cost them over U.S $ 2 million. They desperately wanted to try it out and see if it worked.

On 6th August, they dropped a bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing about 70,000 people.

This was partly as revenge for what happened in 1941, and partly because the Japanese army had continued to put up a strong resistance.

Three days later, U.S.A dropped a second bomb on the city Nagasaki, where another 36,000 people were killed.

On September 2nd, 1945, the Japanese finally surrendered. This signaled the end of the Second World War.

Members in the team;

•Janidu – Leader•Duneesha•Nuha•Shivangi•Sripatha•Alma