PEARL HARBOUR TIMELINE

PEARL HARBOR TIMELINE

THRUSDAY 26th, NOVEMBER 1941

SUNDAY 6th & SATURDAY 7TH, DECEMBER 1941

MONDAY 8th, DECEMBER 1941

Franklin D. Roosevelt sends to the japanese authorities a peace petition that gets no response. Soon after that, Roosevelt is informed by the U.S code-braking service about a japanese message intercepted. It is finally deciphered the morning of the next day, Sunday, and content of the messages talks about breaking off relationships with the U.S.

Another message is intercepted and the the possiblity of an attack on Hawaii is now actual. They realize that the last message talks about giving in the americans the "main message" at 1 p.m, which corresponds with the early morning of Hawaii. Consequently, they send an alert to Hawaii, but radio contact is unavailable so they use commercial telegraph, which reaches the islands after the attack.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt together with Winston Churchill declares war on Japan, although the causes were not the same.

Roosevelt declared the following:

“December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.”

THURSDAY 11th, DECEMBER 1941

ROOSEVELT DECLARES WAR ON JAPAN

SUNDAY 7th, DECEMBER 1941

Nazi Germany and the fascists Italy declare War on the U.S as they are allies of Japan. Hitler announces this saying the following:

"I can only be grateful to Providence that it entrusted me with the leadership in this historic struggle which, for the next five hundred or a thousand years, will be described as decisive, not only for the history of Germany, but for the whole of Europe and indeed the whole world."

The japanese fleet made out of 6 aircraft carriers commanded by Japanese Vice Admiral Chūichi Nagumo leaves Hitokapu Bay towards Pearl Harbor. There are 427 aircrafts and 5 i-boats (submarines)

GERMAN DECLARATION OF WAR

JAPANESE PLANES

SUNDAY 7th, DECEMBER 1941

News of the attack are broadcasted to the American public via radio bulletins interrupting entertainment programs all over the country. This bad news unite the country within the shock and desire of helping the affected soldiers.

SUNDAY 7th, DECEMBER 1941

SATURDAY 7th, DECEMBER 1941

At 7:53 a.m, the first Japanese air raid (with 51 'Val' dive bombers, 40 'Kate' torpedo bombers, 50 high level bombers and 43 'Zero' fighters), starts the attacks when Mitsuo Fuchida orders: "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (which means "Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!").

The first attack wave targets are airfields and battleships. It lasts until 9:45 a.m. and the results are five war-boats sunk, together with three light cruisers, three destroyers, three smaller vessels and 188 aircraft. In total, nearly 2,400 americans were killed and may others wounded. On the other side, the Japanese lose 27 planes and five submarines in the entrance of the Harbor.

At 7:02AM, the Japanese are seen on an American radar in Fort Shafter (Honolulu) by two US Army privates (a soldier of the lowest military rank) who told the news to a junior officer. He, expecting a flight of Boeing B-17 arriving in Flying Fortresses that day, obviates the alert.

In Washington, Japanese diplomats present the war message to Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, at 2:30 p. By the way, this "main message" arrives when Hull is being told about the air raid at Pearl Harbor.

SUNDAY 7th, DECEMBER 1941

A second wave of 163 planes arrived one hour later, at 8:55, at Pearl Harbor and attacked the resources of the U.S naval base as well as the USS's such as the Arizona, which was destroyed with a 1760 pounds bomb thrown by a high level bomber.

SUNDAY 7th, DECEMBER 1941

JAPANESE DECLARATION OF WAR

OPANA RADAR SITE

6 japanese aircraft carriers positioned 220 miles north of Oahu Island (one of the Islands of the Archipelago), launch 183 planes at 6:05 a.m in the first wave of attacks. Their objective is reaching Pearl Harbour and destroying the U.S pacific fleet anchored there, both boats and airplanes.

By the way, there is no reason to believe an attack will be soon deployed over the islands, so U.S generals order parking all the airplanes wingtip to wingtip (to save space), putting the anti-aircraft guns down and storing the prepared ammunition and soldiers are given leisure time as it is Sunday. Also the torpedo net is inoperative and the boats unprepared.

USS Arizona sinking