USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The Japanese attacked in two waves. The first wave was detected by United States Army radar at 136 nautical miles (252 km), but was misidentified as United States Army Air Forces bombers arriving from the American mainland. Top: A: Ford Island NAS.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Japanese aircraft flew in two waves. The first wave attacked airfields and anti-air defenses on the west side of the island, while the second wave, almost an hour later, concentrated on the eastern side. Both waves met over Pearl Harbor.

Detailed explanation-3: -The pilots were to attack the American fleet in Pearl Harbor. The fate of the Japanese nation was on their shoulders, they were told. Their second wave would arrive one hour after the defenses had been awakened, so half the young men could not expect to survive the day.

Detailed explanation-4: -On the morning of December 7, 1941, nearly 400 Japanese combat aircraft attacked American military installations at Pearl Harbor and several other locations on the island of Oahu, taking the Americans by surprise and inflicting heavy losses. The attackers arrived in two waves of bombers, torpedo planes, and fighters.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Japanese strike force consisted of 353 aircraft launched from four heavy carriers. These included 40 torpedo planes, 103 level bombers, 131 dive-bombers, and 79 fighters.