1) On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Over 2,400 Americans were killed and many ships and aircraft were destroyed in the attack. 2) In response, the U.S. entered World War 2 by declaring war on Japan. Germany and Italy also declared war on the U.S. a few days later. 3) The attack on Pearl Harbor was intended to neutralize the U.S. Pacific fleet so that Japan could invade territories in Southeast Asia without interference. However, it had the effect of bringing the fully industrial might of the U.S. directly into the war against Japan and its Axis allies.

2. 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.

4.  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…

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8.  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.

10. 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.

13. Japanese losses were comparatively light. Only twentynine 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.

14. 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.

15.  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.

16.  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.