Events leading up to the "day that shall live in infamy"
11/26: A Japanese fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Chuichi Nagumo leaves the Kurile Islands for
Hawaii. Their orders: Attack the US at
Pearl Harbor. The fleet maintains radio silence to avoid detection
12/1:
FDR returns from a vacation in
Georgia, anticipating that a Japanese attack is imminent somewhere in the Pacific. The Imperial conference in Tokyo decides that Japan should declare war on the
US, the
UK, and the
Netherlands.
12/2: Vice-Admiral Nagumo recieves his go-ahead to proceed with the attack. The US intercepts a message ordering the destruction of all codes and code-breaking systems.
12/3: The Japanese fleet stops for refueling in the Pacific one last time before attacking.
12/7: Pearl Harbor is attacked
- 0610: First wave of Japanese aircraft launched for attack.
- 0700: First wave of Japanese aircraft detected by the Opana Radar Station.
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0715: Second Wave of Japanese aircraft launched.
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0720: Japanese planes misidentified as B-17 bombers from the mainland US. Opana ordered to shut down.
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0739: Opana loses aircraft in "dead zone" caused by local terrain.
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0740: First wave sights Oahu, deployment begins.
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0749: Order to attack issued to all Japanese fighters.
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0753: "TORA TORA TORA" Surprise attack successful on Pearl Harbor
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0755: Japanese dive bombers attack US airfields. Torpedo planes begin their attack on Pearl Harbor.
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0800: B-17's from the mainland arrive in Oahu. Planes are caught between enemy and friendly fire.
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0808: KGMB interrupts radio broadcast, orders for all Navy, Air Force, and Marine personnel to report for duty.
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0810: USS Arizona bombed. Munitions stored in forward part of ship detonate, ship is sunk within nine minutes.
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0815: KGMB broadcasts orders for all military personnel to report for duty a second time.
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0830: Third call for military broadcast on all local radio stations.
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0850: Lt. Commander Shimazaki orders deployment of second wave over military bases in Oahu.
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0854: Second wave attacks. Bombers attack Naval air stations and ships in Pearl Harbor. Fighters maintain air control and hold off US air resistance.
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0900: Dutch liner Jagersfontein joins the fight on the side of the US. Orders for people to return home broadcast over all radio stations. "This is the real McCoy."
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1000: First wave returns to Japanese fleet stationed north of Oahu.
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1100: Schools in Oahu ordered to close.
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1115: Governor Poindexter issues state of emergency on local radio.
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1142: Army orders all radio stations to go off the air.
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1230: Honolulu police raid Japanese Embassy. Many documents contained there are burned. Army orders a blackout to occur at sundown.
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1240: Governor Poindexter confers with FDR about martial law. Both agree martial law is necessary to maintain order.
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1330: Japanese fleet retreats. Blackouts ordered every night until further notice.
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1625: Martial law declared.
12/8: FDR asks
Congress for a
formal declaration of war against Japan.