Air Raids on the U.S.

By Harvey Gray

The first air raid that the United States was involved in was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. On December 6, 1941 President Roosevelt had recieved a message intercepted by military intelligence that Japan was terminating its relations with United States because of the heavy western sanctions on Japan. As President Roosevelt read this and he said "this means war". The next morning Japan had reached Pearl Harbor and bombed it taking out nearly all of the navy fleet that was their. About eight Americanbattleships were destroyed along with thirteen other navy vessels that were either sunk or badly damaged. Around 200 military aircraftwere destroyed and around 3000 military personnel were killed or wounded. At the same time time Pearl Harbor was being attacked there were several other locations under attack. This was the entrance of Japan in the war on Germany's and Italy's side. All the ships were destroyed with the exception of the Oklahoma, Utah, and the Arizona and all of those ships all saw actions in the war later on. This attacked embarked on the United States to enter the war on the allied side. The United States after the bombing of Pearl Harbor went on to Tokyo Japan and bombed them on retaliation to let everyone know that if you come over to our home and attack we will come to yours and attack.