December 7: Japan Opens War on U.S.
At 7:45am on 7 December 1941, the Japanese attacked an American naval base located in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (山本 五十六) had begun plans for the attack as early as January 1941. However, Commander Minoru Genda (源田 実) was responsible for the air tactics against the American fleet.
After graduating from the Japanese Naval War College in 1921, Yamamoto served as Japan’s Naval Attaché to the United States between 1925 and 1928. During this time, he developed a distain for the American Navy. However, even after the Tripartiate Pact was signed on 27 September 1940, he was not initially in favor of challenging America in the Pacific.
Yamamoto was promoted to Admiral on 15 November 1940. When he began to plan for the war with America, he believed that Japan’s best chance was to deliver a decisive blow against the American navy which would force the United States to negotiate a treaty with Japan. While devastating, the attack on Pearl Harbor was not the decisive victory Yamamoto had planned. Furthermore, he had underestimated the resolve of the American public.
On 14 April 1943, American Naval Intelligence intercepted a message that gave the details of an inspection tour of the South Pacific. Four days later, American Pilot Rex T. Barber shot down the plane on which Yamamoto was traveling. Yamamoto died in the crash.
Like Yamamoto, Genda was a graduate of the Naval War College. He also shared Yamamoto’s view of the superiority of air power. Genda developed his skills as a fighter pilot while bombing cities in China. Although he is credited with having low flying torpedo bombers used in the attack and was on one of the staging carriers, illness prevented him from piloting one of the planes used in the attack.
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Promoted to an Air Force General after World War II, Genda served in the military until 1962, the year he was elected to Parliament. Genda served in the Parliament until he retired in 1986. Genda died of heart disease on 15 August 1989; one day before his 85th birthday.
–Steven L. Berg, PhD
Photo Caption: Headline of special edition of the San Luis Obispo Tribune, 7 December 1941. (top) Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. (middle) Commander Minoru Genda (bottom).
Although Today in History is primarily student written, there are some days when we do not have a student author. You will enjoy another student entry tomorrow.
In response to this, the current president at the time, Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his “Infamy Speech” to congress. Only minutes after the speech was delivered, congress passed the notion to officially declare war on Japan.
FDR’s speech was short and to the point; congress passing the notion forward though, would mean that the United States was now officially a part of World War II.