History That Doesn't Suck 194: Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941
Dec 7, 2025
Experience the chaos of December 7, 1941, as Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor unfolds. Sailors confront unimaginable horrors while battleships become graveyards. Learn about the decision-making that led to this pivotal moment in history, and hear gripping firsthand accounts of bravery in the heat of battle. Discover the immediate aftermath, including FDR's powerful address to Congress, prompting a united call to war. The day lives on in infamy, marking the shift in the Pacific theater.
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Radar Warning Ignored
- Radar operators Joseph Lockard and George Elliott detected a large incoming formation over 130 miles out before the attack.
- Their warning was dismissed as incoming B-17s, revealing how human assumptions undermined early detection.
Fuchida's Reconnaissance And Signal
- Flight Commander Fuchida Mitsuo led the 183-aircraft strike and signaled TORRA as the attack began.
- He observed Battleship Row and confirmed the target alignment before ordering the assault.
Shallow-Water Torpedo Tactic
- Japanese torpedo planes flew at 20 feet and used modified torpedoes with stabilizing fins to operate in shallow harbor waters.
- The low approach and engineering tweaks enabled catastrophic damage to anchored battleships.