On this day, a day that will live in infamy, the Empire of Japan launched a truly stunning raid in one of history’s most well executed surprise attacks. They rained destruction on the US fleet stationed on Oahu in Pearl Harbor. In response to raised tensions in the Pacific, the Japanese ongoing war in China, the occupation of French Indochina, the United States had embargoed goods like scrap metal and oil to Japan. This would severely cut into Japan’s ability to wage war, and so the Japanese figured they had only one choice, to strike the United States so hard they would sabotage their ability to make war.
A strike group of six carriers and escorts moved across the Pacific in secret, and and on the morning of December 7th, 350 Japanese planes sortied to the skies over Hawaii and rained destruction on the United States Pacific Fleet. In only a few hours, the Japanese visited enormous casualties on the surprised American forces, damaging or sinking over a dozen ships and destroying 188 planes. It was a devastating blow to the battle line of the Pacific Fleet. They also killed 2,335 Americans, and wounded another 1,143 making it the deadliest attack on American soil until 9/11.
It would throw the United States into the ongoing world war, and be one of the great incidents which led to the downfall of the Axis powers in 1945. Japan had awakened a sleeping giant, and filled him with a terrible resolve.
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to visit Pearl Harbor, still an active naval base, and look around at all the historic sites. I visited the final resting place of the USS Arizona and walked along the pathways American servicemen would have walked as they dodged Japanese bullets and saw the waters where so many ships went to a watery grave. It was a truly humbling experience for me, and one I think that will live with me for the rest of my life. I reminded me just how expensive and destructive war can be. For all the beauty of Pearl Harbor, it still struck me it could be hiding so much devastation.
It was one of the greatest trips I’ve ever been on, and I would go back in a heartbeat. Anyone who can should absolutely do so. I’ll admit to being surprised by the diversity of the visitors, from Americans, Koreans, and the second largest group of tourists, Japanese visitors! It was frankly humbling to see so many international visitors, especially from former warring nations, rubbing shoulders at the site of one of the greatest military embarrassments ever visited on the United States. The museum was amazing, and the people were friendly and open, and I had the best fish tacos of my life. An awesome experience.
Eighty years on, I’m thankful for the chance to have visited, but I’m also thankful for the sacrifices made then to ensure that fascism did not end up succeeding in East Asia and around the world in the 1940s. It’s an important lesson to remember today, and I think we could all benefit from remembering and understanding it. Never forget.
Matthew Stienberg 