December7,1941wasoneoftheworstdaysinAmericanhistory.NearlyallAmericanswhoareoldenoughtorememberthatdaycanstillrememberwhattheyweredoingatthemomenttheyheard“thenews”.ThenewswasthatAmericahadbeenattacked!
Shortlybefore2:00P.M.,aradiodispatchcameintoWashingtonfromHonolulu,Hawaii.“AirRaid,PearlHarbor—Thisisnodrill.”JapaneseplaneshadbegunanattackonthelargestAmericanmilitarybaseinthePacific.Theyfirstdestroyedplanesontheground.Thentheybombedtheshipsintheharbor.
Noonehadexpectedtheattack.Sonoonewaspreparedforit.AnditdidnottakelongforJapanesetodotheirdamage.Whenthesmokecleared,theNavycounteditslosses.Eighteenshipshadbeensunkorbadlydamaged.Nearly150planeshadbeendestroyed.Morethan2,400Americanshadbeenkilledandmorethan1,200wounded.
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