Pearl Harbor Facts – 42 Interesting Facts About Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor facts – 42 Interesting facts about Pearl Harbor. The Pearl Harbor was a watershed in American Naval History. The sheer audacity of the Japanese attack was also helped by the American belief that Japan will only attack American interests overseas like in Philippines and Malaya. The attack took many months of planning and the credit goes to the Japanese who have managed to keep it a secret. Numerous investigation later revealed that the American intelligence was caught napping and did not analyze several leads which would have given a forewarning on an impending attack. Let’s explore more facts about Pearl Harbor attack.

Pearl Harbor Facts

The Pearl Harbor attack was an attack on the US Pacific Fleet, which was carried out without a declaration of war by Japan on December 7, 1941.

Japanese plane in hundreds attacked and sunk 21 warships, damaged 150 aircraft and more than 2000 Americans lost their life.

Pearl Harbor attack pulled US into World War II.

The actual attack started at 7:55 AM and lasted for 110 minutes.

The first wave of bombardment began at 7:55 AM and the second wave of attack started at 08:40 AM

It was one of the most secretive and audacious attacks on which the Japanese traveled more than 3,400 miles across the Pacific Ocean.

The attacking force was stationed 230 miles north of the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

The actual planning of the attack was done by Admiral Yamamoto, commander-in-chief (C-in-C) of the Combined Fleet.

The plan was however opposed by an officer senior to Yamamoto, Admiral Nagano, the chief of the Naval General Staff.

The attacking fleet composed of six aircraft carriers, two battleships, and three cruisers.