The Major Effects Of The Japanese Attack On Pearl Harbor
1408 Words
6 Pages
It was December 7th 1941. Americans were going about their daily lives and not realizing the traumatic event that would later shake the nation. The tension between the United States of America and the Japanese empire had been building with disagreements about expanding territory and relations with China. The attack on the naval base of Pearl Harbor was a pre-planned attack by the Japanese meant to disable the United States to keep them out of the West Indies, an attack for Japan’s own selfish gain. The Japanese sent hundreds of fighter planes to attack the many naval vessels at Honolulu which damaged nearly 20 of the ships in the United States Navy and three hundred airplanes. This attack also killed over two thousand American soldiers and
…show more content…
The minute the first bomb from a Japanese bomb hit Pearl Harbor, the opinion of the Japanese people changed in Americans eyes. Mentioned before, there had been earlier tensions between the United States and Japan with how they treated China and many people already thought differently of the Japanese Americans. There was a heavy prejudice against Japanese people on the West Coast. For example, “Anti-Japanese agitation in the United States began almost with the arrival of the first Issei, first-generation Japanese Americans. Not only did reactionary politicians favor action to block Japanese immigration, but reformers also called for restrictions” (Matray). With the prejudice and distrust already placed into American minds before the bombing, it made it easier for people to jump to conclusions on the entire race. In California in 1906, a school even wanted segregation between the Americans and people of other races such as Japanese descent. This early discrimination and distrust of the Japanese which is why it was easier for Franklin Roosevelt to make the decision of creating Japanese Internment camps. The attack on Pearl Harbor also led to Americans feeling unsafe. “After Japan 's attack on Pearl Harbor forced U.S. entry into World War II, Japanese Americans were targeted for special persecution because of an exaggerated fear they would conspire to aid the enemy” (Matray). At this time in America’s short history, there had never been an attack that caught Americans off guard like Pearl Harbor’s attack did. Most people had the illusion that since America was not on the same continent as the main part of the war, they were safe and had nothing to worry about. However, this attack on Pearl Harbor threatened their feeling of safety which is why many people jumped to conclusions about the Japanese Americans. This also made the American people okay with 270,000
The minute the first bomb from a Japanese bomb hit Pearl Harbor, the opinion of the Japanese people changed in Americans eyes. Mentioned before, there had been earlier tensions between the United States and Japan with how they treated China and many people already thought differently of the Japanese Americans. There was a heavy prejudice against Japanese people on the West Coast. For example, “Anti-Japanese agitation in the United States began almost with the arrival of the first Issei, first-generation Japanese Americans. Not only did reactionary politicians favor action to block Japanese immigration, but reformers also called for restrictions” (Matray). With the prejudice and distrust already placed into American minds before the bombing, it made it easier for people to jump to conclusions on the entire race. In California in 1906, a school even wanted segregation between the Americans and people of other races such as Japanese descent. This early discrimination and distrust of the Japanese which is why it was easier for Franklin Roosevelt to make the decision of creating Japanese Internment camps. The attack on Pearl Harbor also led to Americans feeling unsafe. “After Japan 's attack on Pearl Harbor forced U.S. entry into World War II, Japanese Americans were targeted for special persecution because of an exaggerated fear they would conspire to aid the enemy” (Matray). At this time in America’s short history, there had never been an attack that caught Americans off guard like Pearl Harbor’s attack did. Most people had the illusion that since America was not on the same continent as the main part of the war, they were safe and had nothing to worry about. However, this attack on Pearl Harbor threatened their feeling of safety which is why many people jumped to conclusions about the Japanese Americans. This also made the American people okay with 270,000