pearl harbor movie summary essay

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"Pearl Harbor" is a two-hour movie squeezed into three hours, about how on Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese staged a surprise attack on an American love triangle. Its centerpiece is 40 minutes of redundant special effects, surrounded by a love story of stunning banality. The film has been directed without grace, vision, or originality, and although you may walk out quoting lines of dialog, it will not be because you admire them.

The filmmakers seem to have aimed the film at an audience that may not have heard of Pearl Harbor, or perhaps even of World War Two. This is the Our Weekly Reader version. If you have the slightest knowledge of the events in the film, you will know more than it can tell you. There is no sense of history, strategy or context; according to this movie, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor because America cut off its oil supply, and they were down to an 18 month reserve. Would going to war restore the fuel sources? Did they perhaps also have imperialist designs? Movie doesn't say.

So shaky is the film's history that at the end, when Jimmy Doolittle's Tokyo raiders crash-land in China, they're shot at by Japanese patrols with only a murky throwaway explanation about the Sino-Japanese war already underway. I predict some viewers will leave the theater sincerely confused about why there were Japanese in China.

As for the movie's portrait of the Japanese themselves, it is so oblique that Japanese audiences will find little to complain about apart from the fact that they play such a small role in their own raid. There are several scenes where the Japanese high command debates military tactics, but all of their dialog is strictly expository; they state facts but do not emerge with personalities or passions. Only Admiral Yamamoto (Mako) is seen as an individual, and his dialog seems to have been singled out with the hindsight of history. Congratulated on a brilliant raid, he demurs, "A brilliant man would find a way not to fight a war." And later, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant." Do you imagine at any point the Japanese high command engaged in the 1941 Japanese equivalent of exchanging high-fives and shouting "Yes!" while pumping their fists in the air? Not in this movie, where the Japanese seem to have been melancholy even at the time about the regrettable need to play such a negative role in such a positive Hollywood film.

The American side of the story centers on two childhood friends from Tennessee with the standard-issue screenplay names Rafe McCawley ( Ben Affleck ) and Danny Walker ( Josh Hartnett ). They enter the Army Air Corps and both fall in love with the same nurse, Evelyn Johnson ( Kate Beckinsale )--first Rafe falls for her, and then, after he is reported dead, Danny. Their first date is subtitled "Three Months Later" and ends with Danny, having apparently read the subtitle, telling Evelyn, "Don't let it be three months before I see you again, okay?" That gets almost as big a laugh as her line to Rafe, "I'm gonna give Danny my whole heart, but I don't think I'll ever look at another sunset without thinking of you." That kind of bad laugh would have been sidestepped in a more literate screenplay, but our hopes are not high after an early newsreel report that the Germans are bombing "downtown London"--a difficult target, since although there is such a place as "central London," at no time in 2,000 years has London ever had anything described by anybody as a "downtown." There is not a shred of conviction or chemistry in the love triangle, which results after Rafe returns alive to Hawaii shortly before the raid on Pearl Harbor and is angry at Evelyn for falling in love with Danny, inspiring her timeless line, "I didn't even know until the day you turned up alive--and then all this happened." Evelyn is a hero in the aftermath of the raid, performing triage by using her lipstick to separate the wounded who should be treated from those left to die. In a pointless stylistic choice, director Michael Bay and cinematographer John Schwartzman shoot some of the hospital scenes in soft focus, some in sharp focus, some blurred. Why? I understand it's to obscure details deemed too gory for the PG-13 rating. (Why should the carnage at Pearl Harbor be toned down to PG-13 in the first place?) In the newsreel sequences, the movie fades in and out of black and white with almost amusing haste, while the newsreel announcer sounds not like a period voice but like a Top-40 deejay in an echo chamber.

The most involving material in the film comes at the end, when Jimmy Doolittle ( Alec Baldwin ) leads his famous raid on Tokyo, flying Army bombers off the decks of Navy carriers and hoping to crash-land in China.

He and his men were heroes, and their story would make a good movie (and indeed has: "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo"). Another hero in the movie is the African-American cook Dorie Miller (Cuba Gooding Jr.), who because of his race was not allowed to touch a gun in the racist pre-war Navy, but opens fire during the raid, shoots down two planes, and saves the life of his captain. He's shown getting a medal. Nice to see an African-American in the movie, but the almost total absence of Asians in 1941 Hawaii is inexplicable.

As for the raid itself, a little goes a long way. What is the point, really, of more than half an hour of planes bombing ships, of explosions and fireballs, of roars on the soundtrack and bodies flying through the air and people running away from fighters that are strafing them? How can it be entertaining or moving when it's simply about the most appalling slaughter? Why do the filmmakers think we want to see this, unrelieved by intelligence, viewpoint or insight? It was a terrible, terrible day. Three thousand died in all. This is not a movie about them.

It is an unremarkable action movie; Pearl Harbor supplies the subject, but not the inspiration.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Pearl Harbor (2001)

Rated PG-13 For Sustained Intense War Sequences, Images Of Wounded, Brief Sensuality and Some Language

183 minutes

Josh Hartnett as Danny Walker

Ben Affleck as Rafe McCawley

Alec Baldwin as Doolittle

Kate Beckinsale as Evelyn

Cuba Gooding Jr. as Dorie Miller

Jon Voigt as President Roosevelt

• Randall Wallace

Directed by

• Michael Bay

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Pearl Harbor

• A tale of war and romance mixed in with history. The story follows two lifelong friends and a beautiful nurse who are caught up in the horror of an infamous Sunday morning in 1941.
• Pearl Harbor is a classic tale of romance set during a war that complicates everything. It all starts when childhood friends Rafe and Danny become Army Air Corps pilots and meet Evelyn, a Navy nurse. Rafe falls head over heels and he and Evelyn and Rafe hook up. Then Rafe volunteers to go fight in Britain, and Evelyn and Danny get transferred to Pearl Harbor. While Rafe is off fighting, suddenly one morning comes the air raid we now know as "Pearl Harbor." — shoppingurl3
• Rafe and Danny are best friends who are also pilots. When World War II breaks out in Europe, America chooses not to join but they train nonetheless, so Rafe and Danny join the Army Air Corps. Rafe falls for a nurse named Evelyn, but when he gets the opportunity to join the British Air Corps, he jumps at it. Shortly after he leaves, he gets shot down and is reported killed. Danny and Evelyn, stationed in Pearl Harbor, lean on each other after learning this tragic news. But suddenly Rafe returns, and when he finds out about them, he freaks out and goes after Danny. But suddenly Pearl Harbor is attacked and they shoot down some planes attacking them. Roosevelt decides to retaliate against Japan, and Colonel Doolittle is placed in charge and asks Rafe and Danny to join him. They accept, knowing the chances of coming back are slim. But things between them are still tense. — [email protected]
• American boyhood friends Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker enter World War II as pilots. Rafe is so eager to take part in the war that he departs to fight in Europe alongside England's Royal Air Force. On the homefront, his girlfriend Evelyn, finds comfort in Danny's arms. The three reunite in Hawaii just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. — Jwelch5742
• The classic story of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is told through the eyes of two boyhood friends now serving as officers in the Army Air Corps. Rafe is an energetic young pilot who is selected to fly with the British in Europe while America is still not at war. After Rafe is shot down and presumed killed, Danny comforts Rafe's former lover Evelyn, and the two draw closer. But when Rafe turns up alive, the two former friends become enemies, and it is through the turmoil of Pearl Harbour that the two might reconcile their differences. — Anthony Hughes <[email protected]>
• In 1923, two Tennessee boys, Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker, pretend to be fighter pilots in a crop duster. They are very good friends & want to fight the dirty Germans (fallout of WW1). Rafe is uneducated and is always very protective of Danny. He even saves Danny from his abusive father (William Fichtner). By 1940, as grown men, Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Danny (Josh Hartnett) are First Lieutenants in the United States Army Air Corps under the command of Major Jimmy Doolittle (Alec Baldwin). Doolittle doesn't like that Danny and Rafe goof around in a $45,000 airplane. But he admires Rafe for the way he inspires the men and offers him the option of going to Europe and serving in the war. Doolittle cannot order Rafe, as the US is not at War, so Rafe volunteers. Rafe meets Evelyn Johnson (Kate Beckinsale), a Navy nurse who passes him for his physical examination even though he has dyslexia (after Rafe makes a passionate plea about why he is going to be the best pilot in the US and begs her not to take his wings away), and is instantly smitten. The two soon begin dating and fall in love. Four weeks later, Rafe and Evelyn, now deeply in love, enjoy an evening of dancing at a nightclub and later a jaunt in the New York harbor in a borrowed police boat. Rafe shocks Evelyn by saying that he has joined the Eagle Squadron and is leaving the next day. Before Rafe leaves for England, he makes a promise to Evelyn that he will come back for her. Evelyn and Danny are transferred with their respective squadrons to Pearl Harbor. At the time, Pearl Harbor is considered to be the safest posting possible, and as far as away from the fighting as it can be. The US policy is to cannibalize the Pacific fleet and supply the ships and airplanes to British and Russians to fight the Nazis. Admiral Husband E. Kimmel (Colm Feore), is the commander-in-chief of the United States Fleet and the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Pearl Harbor is considered too shallow for an aerial torpedo attack and the base itself is surrounded by submarine nets. Evelyn serves at the Tripler Army Hospital with fellow nurses Betty (Jaime King), Barbara (Catherine Kellner), Sandra (Jennifer Garner) and Martha (Sara Rue). Danny serves at the Wheeler Airfield with Billy Thompson (William Lee Scott), Red Winkle (Ewen Bremner), Anthony Fusco (Greg Zola), Gooz Wood (Michael Shannon), Joe McKinnon (Matt Davis) and lead aircraft mechanic Sergeant Earl Sistern (Tom Sizemore). Rafe serves with the British Eagles squadron with Ian (Tony Curran) and Royal Air Force Squadron leader (Nicholas Farrell). Petty Officer Second Class Doris Miller (Cuba Gooding Jr.), is a cook aboard the USS West Virginia. Rafe is shot down over the English Channel and presumed killed in action. 3 months later, Evelyn and Danny bond over their mourning for Rafe and unexpectedly develop feelings for each other. 3 months later they begin their own relationship and eventually have sex. Meanwhile, Japan prepares to attack the US Pacific Fleet, deciding the best way to do so would be a decisive strike on the Pearl Harbor naval base. The attack is planned by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Mako), Fleet Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Commander Minoru Genda (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa). The US has cut off Japan's oil supply from Southeast Asia, so they have no option but to go to war. Takeo Yoshikawa (Seth Sakai) is the Japanese spy in Pearl Harbor. Takeo takes detailed pictures of the entire base and sends them to the Japanese military for planning purposes. The Japanese fix wooden fins to the torpedoes to travel in shallow waters. Captain Harold Thurman (Dan Aykroyd), is a US Naval Intelligence officer overseeing the monitoring of Japanese espionage efforts. As near as November 29, Naval intelligence had no clue about the location of the Japanese carrier strike groups. Thurman believes that the fleet is headed to Pearl Harbor. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (Graham Beckel) refuses to mobilize the Pacific Fleet based on an intuition and demands hard facts. On 5th December, US intelligence intercepts a call from Tokyo to a Japanese dentist at Pearl Harbor to inquire about the weather and the location of the US carriers. On the night of December 6, 1941, Rafe unexpectedly returns, having survived the crash, and been stranded in occupied France in the interval. He quickly realizes that Evelyn and Danny are now together. Feeling hurt and betrayed, the two friends soon get into a fight at the local hula bar. When military police arrive, they flee the scene to avoid being put in the brig and fall asleep in Danny's car. The next morning, on December 7, they are interrupted by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor by Zero fighters, Val dive bombers and Kate torpedo bombers. The radar station at Pearl picks up the incoming planes but mistakes it for a scheduled flight of the B-17s coming from the mainland. Just before the attack, Tokyo messages their embassy in Washington to destroy all decoding machines and destroy secret documents, signaling imminent war. The surprise Japanese air raid sinks the battleships USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma and many other ships. The bombers also take out the main airfields protecting the Harbor. Danny takes Rafe to one of the training airfields, which has not been bombed by the Japanese. The USS Oklahoma is capsized due to repeated torpedo attacks and sailors are trapped inside, alive, who eventually drown in a watery grave. Back at the hospital, Evelyn helps tend to the dozens of wounded who come in and must help decide who can and cannot be saved. Evelyn saves the life of Major Jackson (Leland Orser) a USAAC officer. Meanwhile, Rafe and Danny are the only two who manage to get airborne and shoot down 7 Japanese aircraft with P-40s using their reckless tactics, including an old game of theirs called chicken. The Japanese call off the 3rd wave of their attack as they do not have the element of surprise. The two men then go to the hospital, where Evelyn takes blood from them for the hundreds of injured soldiers, and later aid in trying to rescue the many men still in the harbor. In the aftermath, the survivors attend a memorial service for the fallen victims after the U.S. declaration of war on Japan. Over 3000 American lives were lost in the attack. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Jon Voight) delivers his Day of Infamy speech to the nation and requests that the US Congress declare a state of war with the Empire of Japan. Rafe and Danny are both promoted to Captain, awarded the Silver Star and assigned to now-Colonel Doolittle for a dangerous and top-secret mission. The mission was authorized by Roosevelt to strike at the heart of Japan. President Franklin D. Roosevelt wants to send a message that the Japanese homeland is not immune from bombing. The US has long range bombers, but no place to launch them from. The Admirals are reluctant to assign the carriers as without the carriers there is no protection against invasion. It is a submarine commander who comes up with the idea to bomb Japan using the carriers and the long-range bombers. During the next three months, Rafe, Danny and other pilots train for ultra-short takeoffs with specially modified B-25 Mitchell bombers. The carriers are exactly 467 feet long. Lieutenant Jack Richards (Kim Coates), a United States Naval Aviator is in charge of making the planes lighter. Before their departure in March 1942, Evelyn meets Rafe and reveals that she is pregnant with Danny's child, although she doesn't want Danny to know so he can focus on the upcoming mission. She says that she is going to remain with Danny, though deep down she will always love Rafe just as much. Danny, Rafe and others are to fly B-25 Mitchell medium bombers from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet on Apr 18th, 1942, bomb Tokyo and some Japanese occupied territory in China. Major Jackson allows Evelyn to sit in the operations room to hear how the raid is going, as a thank you for saving his life. The carriers are discovered 642 miles from the Japanese coast, when the plan was to launch from 400 miles away. Doolittle removes all machine guns from the planes and gives the gunners broomsticks painted black to resemble a gun. Each plane is given an extra 10 cans of fuel to make it to China. The two men succeed in their bombing but crash land into a rice field in China when their bombers run out fuel and are captured by the Japanese who run towards the crash site. Just as Rafe is about to be shot, Danny knocks the soldiers over and is instead shot himself while the other American crew mates fight off the remaining soldiers. Rafe holds a dying Danny in his arms, telling him he can't die because he's going to be a father. With his dying words, Danny tells Rafe to raise his child for him. The film ends a few years later with Rafe and Evelyn, who are together again, and their son, Danny (biologically Danny's son), back at the farm in Tennessee visiting Danny Walker's grave. Rafe then takes his son flying, and the two fly off into the sunset in the old biplane.

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Movie Analysis of Pearl Harbor Using Principles of Interpersonal Communication Term Paper

The movie is about World War II and it is also about a love story. In fact, it is a love triangle between two men and a woman. The name of the first one is Rafe and the younger of the two is called Danny. They grew up together in the same rural area and because Rafe’s father is a crop duster they had the chance to learn about airplanes. Thus, when they were older they became licensed pilots. Their love interest is a woman named Evelyn and they met her in the army because they became Army Air Corps pilots. Evelyn is Rafe’s girlfriend but not for long.

Their individual and intertwined stories became complicated when Rafe volunteered to fight alongside British pilots over in England. At the same time Danny and Evelyn were sent to work at Pearl Harbor a U.S. Naval facility located in Hawaii. While they were there they received news that Rafe was killed in action.

As Danny and Evelyn mourned his death they fell in love with each other. After some time Rafe returned home to the surprise of Danny and Evelyn. The conflict between all three intensified in the exact moment that the Japanese fleet was on its way to destroy Pearl Harbor and everything it contains.

The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the high casualty rate forced former best friends Rafe and Danny to put their differences aside so they can avenge what the Japanese Imperial Army did to America. The eventually volunteered to become part in a suicide raid deep into Japan. Their mission under Col. Jimmy Doolittle, was to bomb Japan by using modified bombers forced to fly out of a aircraft carrier.

Their daring mission proved to everyone that Japan is vulnerable but Danny sacrificed his life to make that raid a success. The United States eventually vanquished its enemies.

The Context of Interpersonal Communication

The main characters interact with each other because Rafe and Danny grew up as if they were brothers. They were neighbors but they became so close to each other – Rafe acted as if he is the older brother of Danny. Their relationship was intensified because Danny had an abusive father who treated harshly.

Rafe always had to come to his aid. When it comes to Rafe and Evelyn the strong interaction requires no further explanation. The pilot fell in love with the nurse. Their relationship blossomed because they were far away from their true families and they were in the midst of a brewing war.

But when Rafe was presumed killed in action, Danny was placed in a difficult position with regards to Evelyn. He realized that from the very beginning, when they were still children, Rafe has always been there for him and it is time to repay the favor. He has to take care of Evelyn. In the process he fell head over heels over her and that is one big problem when Rafe comes home to find his best friend acting like a traitor to him. The conflict begins in the lives of these three people as the conflict of war intensifies around them.

Types of Listening

There are various types of listening such as for enjoyment, to get information, to help others in need and to evaluate something that was said (Kanu, 2009, p.59). When Evelyn listened to the plea of Rafe not to flunk him in the medical exam she was listening to evaluate the truthfulness of what was said and she was listening to help him.

When Danny as a little boy, he listened to the instructions given by the older Rafe, he was listening for information. When the nurses listened to the small talk of the soldiers, they were listening for enjoyment. It is good to listen and not just talk (Collins & O’Rourke, 2009).

Types of Nonlistening

In the early phase of the movie one can see Rafe and Danny trying to play the game of chicken. But they did not use cars; they used their planes to play this game of bravado. The head of the air base Col. Doolittle was very angry at them especially at Rafe because he knew that he was the one who started it all.

As Doolittle was giving a short lecture it appears at first that Rafe was listening but he was not. It is one what will call as pseudo-listening and he only did it to show respect. He was not really listening because he knew what Doolittle was really thinking that he was just like him when he was a young man.

Positive Listening Skills

There are instances of the display of positive listening skills. This can be seen when a young Rafe was teaching Danny how to fly an airplane. They were in a make-shift plane with wooden implements for rudders and controls but Danny was all ears. He was eager to learn from Rafe and so he was listening intently and hanging on every word that was spoken.

Another example of positive listening skills can be seen when Doolittle would speak up and every soldier in attendance will dare not move because they fear that they will miss what their leader was saying to them.

There are different kinds of emotions but the most common are happiness, sadness, depression and joy (Kanu, 2009, p.56). In the movie happiness can be seen in the faces of the children when they were happy with their toys and when they are with their playmates. Happiness was also seen when the nurses get together and talk about boys.

Sadness is seen in the face of Evelyn when she realized that Rafe will have to leave her because he had to volunteer and travel overseas. Sadness was seen in the face of Danny when he was left behind while his best friend had the chance to fight the Germans in Europe.

Depression was palpable immediately after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. There seems to be no hope that they can recover from that devastation. However, this emotion was temporary because the United States had a great leader in the person of Franklin D. Roosevelt who rallied the troops and every American citizen to pitch in and help in the fight against imperialism.

Joy was felt when total victory was accomplished by the Allies against the Axis Powers. There were different emotions in the movie but there are times when the emotions are not as clear cut as the examples given just recently. Sometimes the emotions are mixed, just as in the case of Evelyn when he saw Rafe getting out of the plane safe and sound while at the same time she saw the coffin bearing the remains of Danny.

These emotions are easy to see even if the characters did not say anything to convey what they felt. The listener or the observer will only need to look at the non-verbal cues.

There are many signs such as tears that were shed and this signifies sadness. When it comes to depression no verbal skills are needed because silence speaks and communicates the heavy depression felt in their hearts. This is seen right after the surprise attack by the Japanese Imperial Army.

The bloody aftermath left many at a loss for words. Anger is seen in the wild eyes of the men especially when they are engaged in battle. Joy on the other hand is seen in the outstretched arms of the celebrators as they expressed the happiness brought by victory.

Factors Influencing Emotions

Their emotions and the way they expressed it was greatly affected by the circumstances surrounding them. This is very much evident in the middle portion of the movie when the United States declared war against the Nazis and the Japanese Imperial Army. More importantly the soldiers and their leaders were greatly affected by the events that transpired in Pearl Harbor. The destruction of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii became a rallying cry for many and it was their source of inspiration every time they are in the thick of battle.

The events in the Pacific and in Europe inspired them no end. This is very much evident every time Franklin Roosevelt would call on a meeting with his cabinet and his generals and he would be so emotional as he try to inspire them to fight their enemies. With regards to Rafe, Danny and Evelyn they were also affected by what they had to go through as friends and as lovers.

Conflict’s Cues

One of the most common signs of conflict is violence (West & Turner, 2009, p.306). There are plenty of instances of violence in the movie and therefore it is easy to see the relationship with the non-verbal cues that signifies that there is conflict brewing between two persons or two groups (Kalbfleisch, 1993).

Before the raid of the Japanese bombardiers who caught the Americans with their pants down in December of 1941, there was conflict within Japan. This can be seen in the agitated voices of the leaders every time they would talk about the significance of American and their need to defeat them in the Pacific.

Conflict Resolution

The type of conflict that was shown in the movie is not just an ordinary dispute between neighbors. The type of conflict shown happens in a massive scale such as the plan raid on Japanese soil. In this regard war could never be stopped without fighting. It can be argued that national leaders cannot see any other way to permanently end the global conflict. Aside from the war there is also plenty of interpersonal conflict between Rafe, Danny, Evelyn and the people that they love.

Conflict brings with it negative emotions and a lot of animated conversations and facial expressions connoting fear and anger. If there is conflict then there is also negative listening. There are only a few scenes wherein a successful conflict resolution strategy was used.

Most of the time, the conflict between two people pilots and soldiers were ended by applying extreme force killing each other in the process. But there are instances when conflicts were resolved by simply talking and applying the principle of positive listening. The first example is when Rafe and Danny’s father fought each other and Rafe made terrible accusations against him. But when Danny’s father explained what he went through Rafe understood why he is a difficult person to live with.

The second instance of a successful conflict resolution is when Rafe pleaded with Evelyn for her to look into his eye exam results with favor because he has no problem with his vision but he had problem reading the letters in the chart. He made it a win-win situation for him and for her. She would be instrumental in sending one of the best pilots into the war. When she realized that she has the power to take his wings away she gave her consent and gave him the stamp of approval.

I would do the same thing to resolve this conflict with regards to the initial conflict between Evelyn and Rafe. I would make her understand that the Army Air Corps are in desperate need for fighter pilots and I would be the perfect candidate. But the only problem is a problem with reading letters of the eye chart and not necessarily my vision. I would make Evelyn feel that this is a win-win situation for both of us. Conflict must be resolved to the benefit of both parties (Hargie, Saunders & Dickson, 2000).

Attachment Style

The attachment style that was very much evident in the movie is what was known as anxious-ambivalent (Knapp & Daly, 2002, p.154). This can be seen in the behavior of Danny. He is not secure when it comes to his self-image and this is the reason why he stayed away from forming relationships and in the movie he always stay in the background.

The person who demonstrates a secure attachment style is Rafe. He always comes forward and he always tries to lead his friends and his team. This is why he pursued Evelyn. This is the same reason why he wanted not only to become the best pilot but also to inspire the other pilots who are in the same squadron with him.

Rafe’s secure attachment style allows him to achieve a level of self-disclosure to his friends and most especially to Evelyn. He demonstrated the importance of self-disclosure (Neff, 2006). He was not afraid to tell Evelyn his dreams and desires for his future. He told her that his intention was to volunteer to the Royal Air Force and this intimate detail of his life he shared to Evelyn without any discomfort.

Watching Pearl Harbor is such a fun activity. I would definitely recommend this movie to my friends and especially to those who are studying interpersonal communication. There are so many scenes and the scope and breadth of the story allows for rich and complex interactions between colorful characters. This will enable any student of communication to find various case studies with regards to the principles of effective communication be it verbal or non-verbal skills.

Collins, S. & J. O’Rourke. (2009) Interpersonal Communication: Listening and Responding . OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Hargie, O., C. Suanders, & D. Dickson. (2000) Social Skills in Interpersonal Communication . New York: Routledge.

Kalbfleisch, P. (1993). Interpersonal Communication: Evolving Interpersonal Relationships . NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Kanu, A. (2009). Reflections in Communication: An Interdisciplinary Approach . MD: University Press of America, Inc.

Knapp, M. & J. Daly. (2002). Handbook of Interpersonal Communication . CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Neff, B. (2006) A Pastor’s Guide to Interpersonal Communication . New York: Haworth Press, Inc.

West, R. & L. Turner. (2009). Understanding Interpersonal Communication: Making Choices in Changing Times. MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

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"Movie Analysis of Pearl Harbor Using Principles of Interpersonal Communication." IvyPanda , 17 May 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/movie-analysis-of-pearl-harbor-using-principles-of-interpersonal-communication/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Movie Analysis of Pearl Harbor Using Principles of Interpersonal Communication'. 17 May.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Movie Analysis of Pearl Harbor Using Principles of Interpersonal Communication." May 17, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/movie-analysis-of-pearl-harbor-using-principles-of-interpersonal-communication/.

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Bibliography

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An Historical Analysis of the movie Pearl Harbor (2001)

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Erik J Dahl

Tanine Allison

The World War II combat films made in Hollywood in the late 1990s and early 2000s demonstrate nostalgia for the celluloid-based, documentary-inspired techniques of the 1940s, while at the same time reveling in the possibilities of computer-generated imagery. This potential contradiction converges on the body of the American soldier, whose physical suffering is illustrated with a combination of optical, photochemical, and digital means. This essay argues that the violence inflicted on the American soldier’s body operates along a melodramatic logic that ultimately redeems the soldier from perceived transgressions in Vietnam and the War on Terror.The World War II combat films made in Hollywood in the late 1990s and early 2000s demonstrate nostalgia for the celluloid-based, documentary-inspired techniques of the 1940s, while at the same time reveling in the possibilities of computer-generated imagery. This potential contradiction converges on the body of the American soldier, whose physical suffering is illustrated with a combination of optical, photochemical, and digital means. This essay argues that the violence inflicted on the American soldier’s body operates along a melodramatic logic that ultimately redeems the soldier from perceived transgressions in Vietnam and the War on Terror.

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Course: US history   >   Unit 7

• Beginning of World War II
• 1940 - Axis gains momentum in World War II
• 1941 Axis momentum accelerates in WW2

Pearl Harbor

• FDR and World War II
• Japanese internment
• American women and World War II
• 1942 Tide turning in World War II in Europe
• World War II in the Pacific in 1942
• 1943 Axis losing in Europe
• American progress in the Pacific in 1944
• 1944 - Allies advance further in Europe
• 1945 - End of World War II
• The Manhattan Project and the atomic bomb
• The United Nations
• The Second World War
• Shaping American national identity from 1890 to 1945
• On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
• The surprise attack by some 350 Japanese aircraft sunk or badly damaged eighteen US naval vessels, including eight battleships, destroyed or damaged 300 US aircraft, and killed 2,403 men.
• Across the nation, Americans were stunned, shocked, and angered. The attack turned US public opinion in favor of entering the Second World War . The United States declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941.
• Japan’s allies, Germany and Italy, declared war on the United States on December 11. The United States responded in kind, and therefore entered World War II.

The Pearl Harbor attack

Motive for the attack, forewarnings about the attack, what do you think.

• On the attack at Pearl Harbor and the events surrounding it, see David M. Kennedy, Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999), 500-526; Gordon W. Prange, At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1981), 499-504.
• Kennedy, Freedom from Fear , 521-522.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, “ Address to Congress Requesting a Declaration of War with Japan December 8, 1941 ." Courtesy the American Presidency Project.
• Kennedy, Freedom from Fear , 512.
• See James L. McClain, Japan: A Modern History (New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2001), 470.
• Kennedy, Freedom from Fear , 519.
• Kennedy, Freedom from Fear , 517, 525.

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Pearl harbor, common sense media reviewers.

Violent war story mixed with soapy love triangle.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Both sides of the Pearl Harbor attack are shown; c

The pilots at Pearl Harbor who later flew in the D

Intense battle scenes, many injuries and deaths, s

Some innuendo between female nurses and male pilot

Occasional profanity: "son of a bitch,"

Soldiers drunk at a bar. An exchange of words betw

Parents need to know that Pearl Harbor is a three-hour Michael Bay war movie about the surprise attack that led to America's entrance into World War II. The movie features extended and intense battle violence with thousands of casualties, including characters we care about. Soldiers use profanity (&quot…

Positive Messages

Both sides of the Pearl Harbor attack are shown; care is taken to show the Japanese motives for launching the surprise attack. All the patriotic heartstrings are pulled with every trick in the Hollywood playbook, but what emerges is a strong sense of the people who fought at Pearl Harbor and in World War II, their bravery in defending America from fascism, making the event come to life from the pages of history.

Positive Role Models

The pilots at Pearl Harbor who later flew in the Doolittle raid that surprised Japan and restored morale to an America devastated by the losses at Pearl Harbor are shown to be brave and selfless in the interests of defending their country. Franklin Delano Roosevelt is shown to be a commanding and decisive leader, demanding more than what the military brass say is possible in the weeks after Pearl Harbor. Tells the story of the first African-American man to earn the Naval Cross.

Violence & Scariness

Intense battle scenes, many injuries and deaths, some graphic. Sailors on battleships shown drowning, burning, falling off the ships as they capsize and sink. Plane crashes. Hospital blood, intense injuries -- a nurse places her fingers into the neck wound of a man profusely bleeding. Gunfights between American and Japanese soldiers, grenades thrown. A disheveled farmer hits his son and knocks him to the ground; the boy's best friend strikes the farmer with a two-by-four.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Some innuendo between female nurses and male pilots. Nonsexual male nudity when nurses give shots in the buttocks in the infirmary. A couple decides not to have sex because they don't want to have any regrets. Another couple does have sex, and the woman becomes pregnant.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Occasional profanity: "son of a bitch," "bulls--t," "t-tties," "damn," "piss," "crap." A Japanese-American doctor is called a "Jap" by a racist white soldier. Some sexual innuendo between male sailors and female nurses.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Soldiers drunk at a bar. An exchange of words between a drunk naval pilot with his best friend turns into a violent bar fight, punches thrown, tables and chairs thrown and knocked over, glass breaking. They are shown the next morning in a car passed out, waking up hungover. Champagne, whisky, sake drinking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Pearl Harbor is a three-hour Michael Bay war movie about the surprise attack that led to America's entrance into World War II. The movie features extended and intense battle violence with thousands of casualties, including characters we care about. Soldiers use profanity ("son of a bitch," "bulls--t," "t-tties," "damn") and joke about seduction techniques. A couple decides not to have sex because they don't want to have any regrets. Another couple does have sex, and the woman becomes pregnant. There is some drinking and drunkenness. Cuba Gooding, Jr. plays a real-life hero of World War II, the first black man to win the Navy Cross. It's worth mentioning that the movie attempts to show Japan not just as "the enemy," but also as soldiers and leaders who had families and loved ones who were somewhat ambivalent about launching the attack. In one scene, an injured American soldier yells that he doesn't want to be treated by a "Jap" -- his prejudice the smallest hint of the Japanese-American internment camps that, for all the heroism and sacrifice in so many other ways, would be one of the most shameful aspects of American involvement in World War II. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (13)
• Kids say (47)

Based on 13 parent reviews

Why are people shocked that this is inappropriate for children?

Intense war story’s silly love triangle takes over., what's the story.

PEARL HARBOR begins as America is sending equipment and supplies to Europe, but has not yet entered World War II. Friends Rafe ( Ben Affleck ) and Danny ( Josh Hartnett ) are army pilots. Anxious to get some action, Rafe volunteers to go to England, where he can join an American division of the RAF. Before he leaves, he meets a pretty nurse named Evelyn ( Kate Beckinsale ), and they fall in love. He leaves for England, and Danny and Evelyn are assigned half a world away, to the Naval Station at Pearl Harbor. When Rafe is reported killed, Evelyn and Danny are devastated. They comfort each other, and become involved. Rafe arrives to find them together, just before the Japanese attack. That attack, lasting just about as long on-screen as it did in reality, is devastating to the unprepared Naval Station and to a country that thought it could stay out of the war. But Rafe and Danny train for a counterattack on Tokyo to send Japan a message that America can and will punish those who attack the U.S.

Is It Any Good?

Director Michael Bay has visual flair and superb command of action sequences. Dan Ackroyd is fine as an intelligence officer and Jon Voight shows us FDR's compassion, political skill, and intelligence. Affleck, Hartnett, and Beckinsale look gorgeous and do their best to give some depth to the cardboard characters, but they cannot overcome a soapy plot and dialogue that is often wooden and sometimes wildly anachronistic. Pearl Harbor fails to provide any sense of the reason for the conflict, and it bends over backward to be fair to the Japanese, portraying them as brave and loyal. But it is also dismayingly U.S.-centric, showing (inaccurately) both the English and the Japanese in awe of American spirit and strength.

But both the love story and the war story here have a synthetic feel to them that doesn't permit us to care enough. Like Titanic , Pearl Harbor ties a love story to a catastrophe, with the theory that if it can make us care, make us gasp, and make us cry, they'll have a box-office bonanza. It's worth seeing -- but only once.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the events that led to World War II and about some of the real-life characters who are depicted. Make sure that they know that in 1941, the armed services were segregated. Dorie Miller, like most other black soldiers, was not trained to fight and was assigned to cooking and menial jobs.

Michael Bay movies tend to have a similar style. How is Pearl Harbor a good example of this?

Movie critics were brutal in their reviews of Pearl Harbor , criticizing aspects like the dialogue, the love triangle, and the never-still camera shots. What do you think? Are movie critics given too much credit from audiences as well as the movie studios, who use the critics' positive reviews of their movies to help market them on movie posters and DVD cases?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 25, 2001
• On DVD or streaming : December 4, 2001
• Cast : Ben Affleck , Josh Hartnett , Kate Beckinsale
• Director : Michael Bay
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
• Genre : Drama
• Character Strengths : Courage
• Run time : 183 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sustained intense war sequences, images of wounded, brief sensuality and some language
• Last updated : August 29, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Movie Review

Plot Summary

Film Review

If anyone has read the reviews of 2001's Pearl Harbor , you'll be getting a solid, all-around feeling that the movie is almost as big a disaster as the horrible event itself. The JfH is here, folks, to set the record straight. I didn't see Saving Private Ryan . No Thin Red Line . No Platoon . No Operation Dumbo Drop . (I did see a little of In the Army Now on TV) I mean -- think about it? How many war epics aren't R?? Naturally, to make this film more available to a broader audience, it had to be toned down to warrant a PG-13 rating. But really -- do we need to see dismemberments and guts being spilled to know what war's like (like Private Ryan ) I don't think so. Pearl Harbor ain't Saving Private Ryan . But it ain't Titanic . And it ain't Armageddon (same director as this film). But, in fact... is it all three?

With all that to preface what is next in line, I bring you the content. Blood/Gore is obviously expected being this is a war film and thousands die when the Japanese surprise attack our naval fleet. Besides, one of the main characters is a nurse. Enough said. We see mildly bloody cuts and wounds, some bullet holes in people, but nothing excessively gory that stands out. The worst of the film includes Evelyn trying to stop a patient's neck wound from bleeding, and as she applies pressure to his neck wound, a bit of blood squirts out and lands on her uniform. We later see the closeup of a hand hanging off a stretcher/bed and is dripping blood. Aside from those we see Evelyn cutting the string of stitches for Dorie Miller (Cuba Gooding Jr) but isn't all that explicit. Earlier, we also see an empty plane on the ground that has dried blood splattered on the cockpit glass. Later, we see a character who apparently has shrapnel in his neck and two small slightly bloody bullet holes.

Sex/Nudity isn't the worst, but isn't the purest or most moral either. Several characters make reference to sex or wanting to have sex, but nothing really explicit. The extent of the sex comes when Danny and Evelyn share an extremely intimate moment in a parachute hanger where we see him shirtless and her in her bra as they kind of roll around and kiss. It becomes implied that they have sex. Swearing isn't the best as there are at least 8 "s" words, 6 S.O.B.s, and 9 uses of "G-d*mn." It could have been worse, but the way they used the swearing, it certainly wasn't necessary. Neither was the sexual content (is it ever?).

More a wide-audience pleasing blockbuster than a masterpiece drama, Pearl Harbor delivers what it needs to. Not the next Private Ryan but not the next Armageddon either. Overall, I liked the movie, although it could have been a little shorter. It's understandably violent being a war film involving a surprise attack that leads to the slaughtering of a U.S. harbor. With everything taken into consideration, I can't grant this film more than 3 and a half stars. I advise caution before seeing this film. Read all the content details carefully . It's a moderately rough flick and NOT suitable for kids (or even some adults). And due to the content mentioned, I can't clearly recommend or suggest the film.

Parental Guide: Content Summary

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Pearl Harbor Movie Review

Updated 16 September 2022

Subject Movies

Downloads 38

Category Entertainment

Topic Pearl Harbor (Movie)

Pearl Harbor Movie Review is here to talk about the film, Michael Bay's direction, and Kate Beckinsale and Rafe McCawley's performances. This is not a movie that you should watch if you're not familiar with the events in the movie. It's a historical drama that is meant to give viewers a feel for the events of World War II, but unfortunately, it falls short of doing so.Film Review of Pearl Harbor The film depicts the American Navy as a bunch of obnoxious morons who spend their days whooping and courting empty-headed bimbos. The Japanese, by contrast, are composed, resourceful, and smart. And yet we don't see the Japanese high command exchanging high-fives, pumping their fists or roaring with excitement.This movie isn't just about war, it's also about falling in love. The two main characters are Ben Affleck, a pilot, and Kate Beckinsale, an actress. Josh Hartnett plays the pilot's best friend.Michael Bay's direction Michael Bay is an American film director and producer. His action-filled, high-concept movies feature fast cutting, stylistic cinematography, and extensive use of special effects. The films are also known for frequent explosions. Pearl Harbor is Bay's directorial debut, and his direction is a strong point of the film.It was made in 2001, and starred Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale. Although it centers on a love triangle between a Japanese captain and a British captain, it also attempts to be a Titanic-style war movie. The movie was released to mixed reviews and was criticized for its historical inaccuracies.Kate Beckinsale's performance The upcoming Pearl Harbor movie is a reimagining of a historical event, but the film's star, Kate Beckinsale, was not the first star cast in a major movie. She previously appeared in Brokedown Palace, a movie starring Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck. Beckinsale is a well-known prankster, and one of her best gags is told in the film.Kate Beckinsale's performance is one of the highlights of this $139 million-dollar Hollywood blockbuster. In a 2016 interview, the actress laughed off the love triangle in the film. The movie tells the story of a nurse who falls in love with two first lieutenants.Rafe McCawley's performance Rafe McCawley's starring performance in Pearl Harbor movie is well-received by audiences. Rafe has the role of a pilot who falls in love with a nurse and joins the British Air Corps. However, he is shot down and is thought to be dead. His family and friends are devastated. When Rafe finds out about this, he chases after them and shoots down enemy planes.The performances of Danny Walker, Rafe McCawley, and Evelyn Johnson make this Pearl Harbor movie a worthy watch. But while the acting is good, the story lacks in characterization and is overly rushed. Wallace packs in too many sub-stories and is overly embellished.Danny Walker's performance Danny Walker's performance in Pearl Harbor is one of the most powerful in the entire film. The movie is set on the eve of the Pearl Harbor attack, and the two lead characters are Danny Walker and Rafe McCawley, two Army Air Corps pilots. Both men were airborne during the attack, and each was credited with four kills. Danny also manages to score three kills near the end of the attack.Danny's performance is outstanding, and the film captures the intense emotions of this historic event in a powerful and moving way. As the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, Danny is tasked with saving his friend Rafe. Danny and Rafe are involved in a military plan to destroy the Japanese, but Danny ends up risking his own life to save Rafe's. After the attack, Danny and Evelyn begin a relationship, and Danny becomes a father for the first time.Lack of moral values Although Pearl Harbor is one of the biggest summer hits, it doesn't quite rival Titanic in terms of moral values. There are also a lot of negative reviews, which isn't a very brave thing to do. It is important to remember that the world of history isn't the Warrior Culture that we live in today. While this lack of moral values may seem like a small complaint, it is important to remember that it is not the fault of the film.The movie is filled with soap opera-like moments and a lack of moral values. It also features a soap opera-like introductory scene, typical Hollywood language, and an impressive amount of special effects. Unfortunately, the film's main character, Dolittle, is not given the full range of character development he is credited with. As a result, the movie is more of a "disappointing" film than an "A" film.

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Movie Summary – Pearl Harbor Essay

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Pearl Harbor was an attack by Imperial Japan in response to the oil export cut off by the United States. The film “Pearl Harbor” (2001), is about the day that will live in infamy which depicts the happenings of the attack and response by the Americans. The film Pearl Harbor, directed by Michael Bay, is successful in getting its message through, that Pearl Harbor, while tragic, was what the United States needed to participate in WWII. The cinematographic techniques help portray that the Pearl Harbor attack was what gained the American support for involvement in WWII.

This film was also successful in depicting the event in such a way that textbooks simply could not. Pearl Harbor was what the United States needed to enter WWII. During WWII, Americans believed that WWII was Europe’s problem and their problem alone. For Franklin D. Roosevelt the situation was a delicate one, if he decided to have the United States participate without a clear motive, it would be political suicide to his career. Not only to his career, but also to his respective political party’s reputation.

When crisis erupts in the country, the political party in power will always be at fault, the depression had already taken a toll on the nation and most people held FDR and the Democrats at fault. Also, most American people believed that they didn’t need a war to add to the depression and make things worse. In addition, after WWI the idea of isolationism spread, the people of the United States wanted to keep to themselves and definitely did not want to involve­­­ themselves in Europe’s war.

The cinematographic techniques of the movie help deliver the message throughout the film, that Pearl Harbor while tragic, was a beneficial event in American History. The cinematographic techniques used in the film are successful in conveying the covert message of the film, that Pearl Harbor was a beneficial event in the long run. The film’s plot in regard to Franklin D. Roosevelt is a key cinematographic technique which helps convey the purpose that in a way, Pearl Harbor was the open door that the United States needed to enter WWII.

During a scene where President Roosevelt addresses his cabinet and asks “I’m going to ask you all what the Allies are asking me, how long until U. S. involvement in the war? ” The response from one member of cabinet was, “We don’t have a reason for war, and the people don’t see it as our problem. ” The President’s question to the cabinet member clearly shows that everyone is waiting for United States involvement in WWII. The response of the cabinet member is appropriate, if they decided to get involved without the support of the people then that would be political suicide for President Roosevelt’s career.

That is an example of why although tragic, Pearl Harbor served as what the United States needed, a motive to move their tanks, planes, and troops to the war front, the United States was already sending food and supplies to the Allies. The cinematography of the film also helps portray that the Japanese had good reason. Japan, at the time, had a militaristic government. They didn’t hide the fact that they wanted to control areas in the Asia Pacific, they started with China. Once attacks on China began, the oil used to attack was American oil.

America refused to have a role in a mission of conquest like one Britain had. Exporting oil to Japan would be hypocritical since they revolted against Britain for them being a militaristic empire. They stopped oil exports to Japan and Japan only had 18 months supply of oil, which was being consumed faster due to war. The movie made it clear that Japan had no choice, but to go to war to save their country. Japan either was to not act and let the country lose their power, or attack the United States for their oil.

During the film, Admiral Yamamoto, says that war is their only option to save the country, which was put in the film to directly imply that Japan was between the wall and the sword. Honor, is what Japanese soldiers wanted to bring to their family by doing what their country asked of them, in the film there is a voice over of a Japanese soldier that says he wants to bring honor to his family by bombing Pearl Harbor. This portrays the Japanese as not savage or cold hearted, they simply were trying to save their country and bring honor to their families.

Pearl Harbor (2001), also achieved what a textbook couldn’t. It’s one thing to read about Pearl Harbor, it’s another to witness it. Any textbook can tell you of sinking ships, and the scene of Pearl Harbor along with its victims. Pearl Harbor the film showed the events that took place on the day that will live in infamy in a way that helps one truly understand why this had such a great impact in American History. Before the attack, the film shows how the Americans truly didn’t know where the Japanese naval fleet was, how fierce arguments began due to the panic of not knowing the location of the whole fleet.

Once the attack began, viewers could truly witness how intimidating the Japanese bombers seemed, the panic that arose due to the time the attack took place. The aftermath was well portrayed by the film, the sunken ships, those who were trapped and drowned in the vessels they lived and worked on, the destroyed airfields, and the dead lying and floating everywhere. The near dead who struggled to the clinic, missing limbs and burned all over. How the nurses had to pick and choose those to be let in based on their chances of surviving.

The lack of supplies and personnel to attend all of the attack victims. The sights portrayed in the film truly let us understand how filled with panic, sadness, death and grief the day was. The film is successful in portraying the event on a deeper level in a way that textbooks could not. Pearl Harbor (2001), a film that serves to remind us that what happened on December 7, 1941, while tragic is what the United States needed to help win WWII for the Allies, stop Europe being under Nazi Germany’s control, and solidify their role in the world as a superpower.

If it not had been for the events that took place on December 7, 1941, WWII would have been won by the axis powers, the United States wouldn’t be a superpower for one main reason, that they wouldn’t have built the atomic bomb first, which put fear into other countries. This film also gives us a unique grip and point of view on Pearl Harbor that entire textbooks on this subject could not give us. December 7, 1941, a day that will live in infamy.

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Pearl Harbor

By: History.com Editors

Updated: December 6, 2022 | Original: October 29, 2009

Pearl Harbor is a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii, that was the scene of a devastating surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.

Japan and the Path to War

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise , but Japan and the United States had been edging toward war for decades.

The United States was particularly unhappy with Japan’s increasingly belligerent attitude toward China. The Japanese government believed that the only way to solve its economic and demographic problems was to expand into its neighbor’s territory and take over its import market.

To this end, Japan declared war on China in 1937, resulting in the Nanking Massacre and other atrocities.

American officials responded to this aggression with a battery of economic sanctions and trade embargoes. They reasoned that without access to money and goods, and especially essential supplies like oil, Japan would have to rein in its expansionism.

Instead, the sanctions made the Japanese more determined to stand their ground. During months of negotiations between Tokyo and Washington, D.C ., neither side would budge. It seemed that war was all but inevitable.

Where Is Pearl Harbor?

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii , is located near the center of the Pacific Ocean, roughly 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland and about 4,000 miles from Japan. No one believed that the Japanese would start a war with an attack on the distant islands of Hawaii.

Additionally, American intelligence officials were confident that any Japanese attack would take place in one of the (relatively) nearby European colonies in the South Pacific: the Dutch East Indies, Singapore or Indochina .

Because American military leaders were not expecting an attack so close to home, the naval facilities at Pearl Harbor were relatively undefended. Almost the entire Pacific Fleet was moored around Ford Island in the harbor, and hundreds of airplanes were squeezed onto adjacent airfields.

To the Japanese, Pearl Harbor was an irresistibly easy target.

USS Arizona

The Japanese plan was simple: Destroy the Pacific Fleet. That way, the Americans would not be able to fight back as Japan’s armed forces spread across the South Pacific. On December 7, after months of planning and practice, the Japanese launched their attack.

At about 8 a.m., Japanese planes filled the sky over Pearl Harbor. Bombs and bullets rained onto the vessels moored below. At 8:10, a 1,800-pound bomb smashed through the deck of the battleship USS Arizona and landed in her forward ammunition magazine. The ship exploded and sank with more than 1,000 men trapped inside.

Next, torpedoes pierced the shell of the battleship USS Oklahoma . With 400 sailors aboard, the Oklahoma lost her balance, rolled onto her side and slipped underwater.

Less than two hours later, the surprise attack was over, and every battleship in Pearl Harbor— USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS California, USS West Virginia, USS Utah, USS Maryland, USS Pennsylvania, USS Tennessee and USS Nevada —had sustained significant damage. (All but USS Arizona and USS Utah were eventually salvaged and repaired.)

Impact of the Pearl Harbor Attack

In all, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor crippled or destroyed nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes. Dry docks and airfields were likewise destroyed. Most importantly, more than 2,000 people died.

But the Japanese had failed to cripple the Pacific Fleet. By the 1940s, battleships were no longer the most important naval vessel: Aircraft carriers were, and as it happened, all of the Pacific Fleet’s carriers were away from the base on December 7. (Some had returned to the mainland and others were delivering planes to troops on Midway and Wake Islands.)

Moreover, the Pearl Harbor assault had left the base’s most vital onshore facilities—oil storage depots, repair shops, shipyards and submarine docks—intact. As a result, the U.S. Navy was able to rebound relatively quickly from the attack.

How Many People Died in Pearl Harbor? 

The attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 U.S. personnel , including sailors, soldiers and civilians. Additionally, 1,178 people were wounded. 129 Japanese soldiers were killed. 

Half of the dead at Pearl Harbor were on the USS Arizona. Today the sunken battleship serves as a memorial to all Americans who died in the attack.

'A Date Which Will Live in Infamy'

President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress on December 8, the day after the crushing attack on Pearl Harbor.

“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.”

He went on to say, “No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.”

America Enters World War II

After the Pearl Harbor attack, and for the first time during years of discussion and debate, the American people were united in their determination to go to war.

The Japanese had wanted to goad the United States into an agreement to lift the economic sanctions against them; instead, they had pushed their adversary into a global conflict that ultimately resulted in Japan’s first occupation by a foreign power.

Did you know? The single vote against Congress's declaration of war against Japan came from Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana. Rankin was a pacifist who had also voted against the American entrance into World War I. "As a woman," she said, "I can’t go to war, and I refuse to send anyone else."

On December 8, Congress approved Roosevelt’s declaration of war on Japan . Three days later, Japan’s allies Germany and Italy declared war against the United States.

For the second time, Congress reciprocated, declaring war on the European powers. More than two years after the start of World War II , the United States had entered the conflict.

HISTORY Vault: Pearl Harbor - 75 Years Later

Journey through the "day that will live in infamy" by exploring the details that still surprise us 75 years later, including accounts from experts, military minds, and even those who lived through it.

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