Download The Positive Impact of Pearl Harbour on America

The Positive
Impact of
Pearl Harbour
on America
By: Student
Teacher: Mr.Cotey
Date: Thursday, December 17, 2009
“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United
States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the
Empire of Japan.”1 President Roosevelt recited this speech to the nation on December 8,
1941, just one day after the attack on Pearl Harbour. Throughout history, the United
States has been faced with many challenges. However, none quite like this. This attack
Rob Cotey 11-4-12 12:17 PM
Comment: This is your hook to grab the
reader’s attention and keep them reading.
was unexpected and left America with one of the toughest decisions they have ever had
to make. The outcome could have been catastrophic or valuable. President Roosevelt and
President Truman, along with all of the American citizens, made sure it was the latter.
Pearl Harbour had a positive impact on the United States because it galvanized the
nation, prompted America into entering World War Two, and led to the end of the war.
Firstly, Pearl Harbour positively affected the United States because it galvanized
Rob Cotey 11-4-12 12:16 PM
Comment: This is a strong thesis because it
is clear and to the point.
the nation. As a result of Pearl Harbour, the entire nation was unanimous in regards to
entering the war. 16 million American men and women joined the military to fight on
America’s behalf.2 As author John Denson said, “It took the dramatic event of the attack
on Pearl Harbor to shift public opinion overwhelmingly to support our entry into the
war.”3 Citizens were united by the feeling of vengeance and determination that the attack
had brought upon them. "Before we're through with them the Japanese language will be
spoken only in hell", said US Navy Admiral Bill Halsey.4 They were all fighting for a
1
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation. American Rhetoric
Top 100 Speeches, 2006. Web. 14 Dec. 2009
<http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrpearlharbor.htm>.
2
U.S. Army Divisions in World War Two. History Shots, 2009. Web. 16 Dec. 2009
<http://www.historyshots.com/usarmy/backstory.cfm>.
3
Denson, John. A Century of War: Lincoln, Wilson and Roosevelt. Washington DC: Von
Mises Institute, 2006. Print.
4
The Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbour. Pearl Harbour, 2007. Web. 15 Dec. 2009
<http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/pearl-harbour.htm>.
Rob Cotey 11-4-12 12:18 PM
Comment: Note that the author is citing all
of their sources to add credibility to their work
and also protect them from accusations of
plagiarism.
common cause and knew that it would take the support of the entire nation to get through
the war. The division in America that had been present as result of the civil war was now
forgotten. Furthermore, it compelled the women in America to unite together. As the
nation converted to a war economy, women were taking over the men’s roles in society.
This included working as teachers, doctors, and as part of the government.5 Women also
contributed largely to the factory work and production of weapons and war supplies
which were in such high demand. In addition, the United States was galvanized due to
Pearl Harbour because people were buying victory bonds and war stamps to fund the
troops and the government. Citizens of America were doing everything they could to
support their country at this critical time. Overall, Pearl Harbour was beneficial to the
United States because it united the previously divided country.
Secondly, Pearl Harbour had a positive affect on the United States because it led
to the end of World War Two. Among other battles, America’s extraordinary efforts on
D-Day at Omaha and Utah Beach led to the destruction of Nazi Germany and suicide of
their leader. Due to the contribution of American soldiers fighting against the Axis
powers, Germany surrendered shortly after. This meant that no more innocent Jews were
being killed and that it was the end of the war in Europe. Next, America’s
accomplishments weakened Japan and therefore shortened the length of the war. This
saved many lives. It is estimated that over 1,000,000 more people would have died if the
war had progressed further. Finally, because Japan was already weak, dropping the
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Prime
Minister Suzuki to surrender. This put an end to the war. Abolishing two of the strongest
5
The Women of World War Two. Female Roles in World War One & World War Two,
2002. Web. 14 Dec. 2009 <http://www.femalerolesinwwii.com/>.
threats also ensured that there would be no chance of another attack on US soil until the
nations could rebuild themselves. "No compromise is possible and the victory of the
democracies can only be complete with the utter defeat of the war machines of Germany
and Japan."6 This was said by Chief of Staff, G.C. Marshall and proves that the downfall
of these two nations was irrefutable. The United States military had no choice but to
defeat Germany and Japan. All things considered, the attack on Pearl Harbour eventually
led to the end of World War Two. This had a positive impact not only on America, but
the allied countries as well.
Lastly, Pearl Harbour prompted the United States to enter World War Two which
brought them out of isolationism, the depression, and allowed them to show their military
strength to the world. After the attack, Roosevelt had no choice but to declare war on
Japan. This instantly brought America out of isolationism. They were fully immersed in
the war and would never again return to their previous ways. Next, entering World War
Two helped strengthen the American economy. Still dealing with the aftermath of the
stock market crash, the United States had been in a depression for the past decade.
However the new, never-ending demand of weapons and war supplies started the
industries booming again. Chief U.S. economist Dr. Ian Shepherdson said, “As the
United States mobilized and expressed its resolve in the ensuing days, the stock market
came back.”7 This explains that the economic state of the country gradually increased
after entering World War Two. Moreover, joining the war gave America the opportunity
6
The Sleeping Giant Awakens. World War Two Quotes, 30 May 2004. Web. 17 Dec.
2009 <http://www.angelfire.com/la/raeder/Unitedstates.html>.
7 Economists. High Frequency Economics, 2009. Web. 16 Dec. 2009
<http://www.hifreqecon.com/economists.html>.
to demonstrate the strength of their army and navy. As the war continued, the United
States Navy grew to be the largest in the world, composed of over 250 ships, 60
submarines, and 7 aircraft carriers.8 In reference to this, Douglas MacArthur said, “there
is not a finer fighting organization in the world!”9 Through the numerous military
invasions that took place in Europe as well as Asia, the United States was able to prove
the ruthlessness and courage of their troops. American Colonel David M. Shoup said in
1943, "Casualties many; Percentage of dead not known; Combat efficiency; we are
winning."10 This established them as a superpower and confirmed their position as one of
the most able-bodied countries in the world. To sum up, forcing America to enter the war
as a result of Pearl Harbour had a positive impact on the country.
All in all, Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour had a positive effect on America
because it united the nation, forced the United States into entering World War Two, and
led to the surrender of the Japanese which ended the war. December 7, 1941 marked the
first ever attack on US soil. This event changed the lives of American citizens forever.
The United States took one of the most harmful events in its history and
made it beneficial to not only themselves, but to other nations as well. President
Roosevelt believed in his country and the endless ambition of the American People. He
said, “With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our
people - we will gain the inevitable triumph.”11 From George Washington to Barack
8 Ships of the Royal Navy in World War II. Ships of the Royal Navy in World War II, 2009. Web. 14
Dec. 2009 <http://www.acepilots.com/ships/uk.html>.
9
Douglas MacArthur Quotes. Brainy Quote, 2009. Web. 17 Dec. 2009
<http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/douglas_macarthur.html>.
10 World War Two Famous Quotes. World War Two, 2006. Web. 17 Dec. 2009
<http://www.worldwar-2.net/famous-quotes/famous-quotes-index.htm>.
Rob Cotey 11-4-12 12:20 PM
Comment: The author recaps their thesis at
the beginning of their conclusion. They then
go on to review the main pieces of evidence.
Obama, America has always stood out as a nation who fights for what they believe in. In
the immortal words of Douglas MacArthur, “Americans never quit.”12
Rob Cotey 11-4-12 12:22 PM
Comment: Strong closing sentence as it
reflects on America the country.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation. American Rhetoric
Top 100 Speeches, 2006. Web. 14 Dec. 2009
12
Douglas MacArthur Quotes. Brainy Quote, 2009. Web. 17 Dec. 2009
<http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/douglas_macarthur.html>.
11
Bibliography
•
•
•
Carter, Patrick, Fiorella Finelli, and Derek Grant. American History. Toronto ON:
Emond
o Montgomery Publications, 2008. Print.
Berard, Gerry World War II - American Involvement in the Pacific and the Far
East. 2002. 23
o Oct. 2009 <http://www.essortment.com/all/pearlharborjap_rotp.htm>.
Pearl Harbour Raid, 7 December 1941. World War 2 in the Pacific, 7 Oct. 2000.
Web. 15 Sep. 2009 <http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwiipac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm>.
•
Attack at Pearl Harbour, 1941. EyeWitness to History, 1997. Web. 15 Sep. 2009
<http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pearl.htm>.
•
Farmer, Alan. The Second World War. Chicago, IL: Contemporary Books, 2004.
Print.
•
Stillwell, Paul. Air Raid: Pearl Harbour! Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute P,
1981. Print.
•
Causes of Incarceration. Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project, 1997.
Web. 4 Nov. 2009 <http://www.densho.org/>.
•
World War Two Japanese Internment Camps in the USA. History on the Net, 14
May 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2009
<http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW2/japan_internment_camps.htm>.
•
Siasoco, Ricco V. & Shmuel Ross. Japanese Relocation Centers. Info Please,
2007. Web. 4 Nov. 2009 <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/internment1.html>.
Rob Cotey 11-4-12 12:23 PM
Comment: Don’t forget your bibliography!
•
PEARL HARBOUR ATTACK - 7 December 1941. Solar Navigator, 2007. Web. 4
Nov. 2009 <http://www.solarnavigator.net/history/pearl_harbour.htm>.
•
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation. American
Rhetoric Top 100 Speeches, 2001. Web. 16 Dec. 2009
<http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrpearlharbor.htm>.
•
U.S. Army Divisions in World War Two. History Shots, 2009. Web. 16 Dec. 2009
<http://www.historyshots.com/usarmy/backstory.cfm>.
•
The Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbour. Pearl Harbour, 2007. Web. 15 Dec. 2009
<http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/pearl-harbour.htm>.
•
The Women of World War Two. Female Roles in World War One & World War
Two, 2002. Web. 14 Dec. 2009 <http://www.femalerolesinwwii.com/>.