Pearl Harbor Persuasive Essay

Pearl Harbor, To Never Be Forget Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was a nightmare for Americans and a shock to the rest of the world. The United States of America was jolted into the reality that they were not invincible from foreign attacks. Before that day, Americans underestimated Japan and foolishly ignored many warning signs. This paper will provide an overview of the attack on Pearl Harbor. While the United States of America remained neutral in World War II until 1941, many other countries were engaged in the war. The war was the Axis powers, consisting of Germany, Italy, and eventually Japan, versus the Allied powers which included Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and over the course of

On 9 February 1940 America’s Under Secretary of State Welles was sent to Berlin, London, Rome, and Paris hoping to negotiate peace for Europe by President Roosevelt. Mussolini, dictator of Italy, refused to consider any negotiations. On the conclusion of the trip to Berlin, Welles was quoted to have said “The man is saturated with hate for England and France” (Nelson 52). On 9 April 1940 Germany conquered Denmark and then Norway shortly after. On 10 May 1940 Germany began their assaults on Belgium, Netherlands, and France who all surrendered within thirty eight days (Nelson 52). Although the United States of America did not join the war until December of 1941, they began giving supplies and assistance to the Allies in September of 1940 (Office of the Historian). Signing the Tripartite Pact on 27 September 1940, Japan joined forces with Germany and Italy (Prange 4). Japan held Hitler in great awe for his military exploits. On 26 July, 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to freeze Japanese assets in retaliation for the occupation of French Indo-China (History.com Staff, “United States Freezes Japanese Assets”). Rear Admiral Takajiro Onishi,