***Comparison-and-contrast Essay

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American and Japanese Perspectives of the Attack at Pearl Harbor , 1941

A Comparison and Contrast Essay

On December 7 , 1941 , the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor , leaving thousands dead planes destroyed and crippled the Pacific Fleet of the American forces in the Pacific region . Eyewitness accounts from both the Americans and the Japanese sides recount the events of that fateful night that began America 's involvement in what would become the bloodiest war in history , World War II . Although two sides tell the same story

, the manner by which each narrates about what happened and their respective reactions to it differ . While the Japanese recounts a story of triumph and success of an operation , the Americans could only remember the shock of being caught unprepared and look back at the Pearl Harbor incident as simply the hard beginning to a campaign for victory later on

The eyewitness story from the Japanese 's perspective reveals the long and thorough preparation they had to carry out the attack . The writer talks of the fleet going through a circuitous route towards Pearl Harbor , suggesting that the Japanese army intelligence has gone through the maps many times prior to the said event . It was also designed to be a major attack employing a lot from its arsenal , from fighter aircraft torpedo , high-level and dive bombers . They assembled at pre-dawn , a full hour before the attack . Commander Mitsuo Fuchida 's recollection is tinged with a tone of excitement and anticipation of a...