When war in Europe began to rage and tensions between Japan and the United States continued to increase, the decision was made to hold the Navy's 1940 fleet exercises in the area of Hawaii. Following those exercises, the fleet remained at Pearl. On February 1, 1941 the United States Fleet was reorganized into separate Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.
The newly formed Pacific Fleet was permanently based at Pearl Harbor. Further improvements were made to the channel and by mid 1941, the entire fleet was able to be berthed within the protective waters of Pearl Harbor, a fact not unobserved by the Japanese military command.
The decision to base the new Pacific Fleet at Pearl, forever changed the face of Hawaii. Both the military and civilian workforce increased dramatically. New defense projects meant new jobs and thousand of workers moved to the Honolulu area from the mainland. Military families became a major group in the already diversified culture of Hawaii.
A Much Different World Today
It has been over 60 years since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii marked the entrance of The United States into World War II. Much has changed in the world since December 7, 1941. The world has seen several other wars - Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. The entire face of the globe, as we knew it in 1941, has changed. The Soviet Union no longer exists. China has grown to the status of a world power just as the sun has set on the British Empire.Hawaii has become the 50th state and people of Japanese descent and those of mainland roots reside together in peace. The economic vitality of Hawaii today depends largely on tourism from both Japan and the U.S. mainland.
However, that was not the world on December 7, 1941. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese became an enemy of the United States. After almost four years of war, and countless dead on both sides, the Allies were victorious and Japan and Germany were left in ruin.
Japan, however, like Germany, has recovered even stronger than before. Today, Japan is an ally of The United States and one of our largest trading partners. Despite recent economic problems, Japan remains an economic power and arguably the major world power in the Pacific region.
Why We Remember
It remains, however, our moral duty to those who died in World War II, to remember what happened on that Sunday morning almost 60 years ago. We remember the soldiers of the Allied and Axis powers, the millions of innocent non-combatants who lost their lives on all sides, including those of Hawaiian blood who died because their land, through an accident of nature, was a target due to its strategic location in the Pacific.We remember so that we can ensure that it never happens again and, more importantly, lest we forget the sacrifice of those who died to ensure our freedom.
We invite you to read the conclusion of this feature "Lest We Forget: Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941".
In the conclusion we look briefly at the months immediately before the attack. We consider how history is often based on one's perspective of the event. We then look briefly at the attack itself and finally we examine both its immediate and lasting effects on Hawaii.
