Pearl Harbor: Why Was The Attack A Surprise?

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“This nation will remain a neutral nation, but I cannot ask that every American remain neutral in thought as well,” proclaimed President Franklin D. Roosevelt when World War Two began in Europe (Brinkley, 728). A remarkable amount of the population in the United States favored Great Britain, France, and the rest of the Allied nations over the Axis powers which consisted of Japan, Italy, and Germany. However, the American government did not want to get involved in another war, so they isolated themselves. In the Spring of 1940, Germany invaded western Europe causing one nation after another to fall. Then, Italy joined Germany and aided in the invasion of France. After all the attacks and invasions, all that was left was a weak British army. …show more content…
President Roosevelt sent for one last negotiation stating that if Japan left Asia alone, America would continue trade with them. Japan did not agree, and America sent out warning to its forces in the Pacific not knowing where to prepare but knowing that there was a threat, but the warning was too late (Pearl Harbor: Why Was the Attack a Surprise?). Almost a decade after the Sino-Japanese War began, Japanese bombers raced many miles to attack the unprepared Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A second wave of bombers preceded the first leaving the place in ruins. Military commanders in Honolulu, Hawaii took no precautions to prevent this from happening because the warning did not reach them in time (Brinkley, 733). The surprise attack damaged the naval base and was destructive to America. Due to the event, eight battleships, three cruisers, four vessels, one hundred and eighty-eight airplanes, and additional naval equipment was demolished. Around two thousand American servicemen were killed amid the bombing; however, few lives of the Japanese were lost (Brinkley, 734). The next day, America declared war on Japan; furthermore, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States three days later. America did not expect to intervene in the war until they were dragged into it by

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