Pearl Harbor
It was the morning of the 7th
day of December 1941, when the Japanese, emboldened by their conquest
of large parts of South East Asia, and in preparation of their
intended capture of overseas territories of the United Kingdom, the
Netherlands and the United States, launched the infamous attack
against the U.S. Navy, stationed at Pearl Harbor.
At dawn of that day, six aircraft
carriers positioned themselves and over 350 fighter planes, bombers
and torpedo planes attacked and sank or severely damaged almost the
entire Pacific fleet of the American naval forces.
The Japanese celebrated this successful
sneak attack as a great victory over the Americans.
In hindsight even the most fanatical
Japanese admirers of Emperor Hirohito and his Generals must admit
that sinking American ships, killing 2400 Americans, wounding another
1200 was a gigantic mistake:
It caused the Americans to declare war
on Japan, a war which started on the 8th day of December
1941 and ended after two atomic bombs were used by the Americans, in
September of 1945.
There are, even today, so I am told,
Japanese visitors to Pearl Harbor, having their photographs taken,
smiling broadly and showing with spread fingers, the V for victory
sign.
It matters not where you go, you will
find people who deny historical facts.
The Pacific Theater of War cost a total
of 36 Million lives, about half of the total number of victims of
World War 2.
May all of them rest in peace.
Bertstravels
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