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Pearl Harbor
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�Tora!�
The word that started the war
�Tora! Tora! Tora!� (Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!) Those words, spoken by a Japanese
flight commander as a command to attack, brought the United States of America into the
Second World War. It came as a surprise attack. The only Americans who had any idea
an attack was imminent were two army operators stationed at Oahu�s northern shore radio
station, when they attempted to inform their junior officer he disregarded their warning
thinking it was only some American B-17 planes which were expected to be arriving from
the West Coast. Because they were not wary of Japanese forces they had not raised
defenses to prepare for an attack, after all they were not involved in the war at that time.
There were airplanes parked wing to wing on airfields, anti-aircraft guns are unmanned,
and many ammunition boxes were locked in accordance with peacetime regulations.
There were also no torpedo nets protecting the U.S. fleet at anchor, and many officers
were on shore on Sunday leave. Because of this surprise tactic the Japanese exacted huge
damages on the Americans. With their 340+ fighter planes including Val dive bombers,
Kate torpedo bombers, high level bombers, and Zero planes the Japanese damaged eight
U.S. battleships and sank five more, the Americans also lost three light cruisers, three
destroyers, three smaller vessels, and 188 aircraft. While the U.S. racked up such huge
damage the Japanese lost only 27 aircraft and 5 midget submarines. The casualty list for
the U.S. is equally horrific with 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians killed, and 1,178
injured. Even though this much havoc had been wrought the Japanese force had not
succeeded in destroying their main targets the Lexington, Enterprise, and Saratoga this
and the fact that this incident brought greater unity to America in a time when it was
greatly needed was about the only good news that could be drawn from this huge travesty.
The official declaration of war had been delayed and just as the first attack was launched
the Japanese diplomats were making the proclamation of war. This battle was played as a
sneak attack by the media and prompted outrage in many homes causing a wave of new
recruits into the army ready to fight the Japanese to the death. And this all began with the
word �tiger�.
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