Attack on Pearl Harbor - Pacific War #1 DOCUMENTARY 

Video is Sponsored by Ridge Wallet: ridge.com/KINGSANDGENERALS Use Code “KINGSANDGENERALS” for 15% off your order! Pacific War Podcast: thepacificwar.podbean.com Pacific War Prelude 0.1 - How Europe Colonized Asia: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MEgIHN63ojU.html Pacific War Prelude 0.2 - How the Meiji Restoration Turned Japan into an Empire: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rHgbG1HsIrY.html Pacific War Prelude 0.3 - Rise of Ultranationalism in Japan: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7vQ6nxBRGd8.html Pacific War Prelude 0.4 - How America Became an Empire: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DY2CUazAaaY.html Pacific War Prelude 0.5 - China at War: China at War: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TnYHe80ZvBw.html Pacific War Prelude 0.6 - War in Europe: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U4EdDCZ4pCA.html Pacific War Prelude 0.7 - Why Japan Attacked America: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NacJi_WO3es.html

If the next 4 years are like this vid, then the Pacific War series could very well be THE definitive documentary series on this topic

The Pearl Harbour attack remains one of the strangest ironies. It was a wildly successful attack that achieved complete surprise and inflicted overwhelming damage for minor losses. It was also a strategically ineffectual attack that didn't particularly affect the United States Navy's ability to wage war, but did enrage the nation. The eight battleships in Pearl Harbour that day were all WW1-era designs; heavily armed and armoured, but all far too slow to fight the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific. Even worse, because the attack was conducted in a harbour, most of those battleships could (and would) be repaired and returned to service. Ironically, if the Japanese had merely declared war normally, they could have drawn the American battle fleet out to sea and then obliterated it with carrier and land-based aircraft. If done to maximum effect, the Japanese could've handed the US Navy a catastrophic defeat unlike anything seen since the annihilation of a Russian fleet at Tsushima. As it stood, the Americans were forced to rely on their own carriers, which were far better suited to Pacific warfare than the 21 knot old battleships. In practical terms, the Japanese sinking HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales three days later was more impactful strategically. Repulse was an old 31 knot battlecruiser and Prince of Wales was a modern fast battleship, capable of 28 knots. Both ships were fast enough to escort American and British fleet carriers, as well as intercept Japanese vessels. Combined with the American fast battleships just then coming into service (none of which were at Pearl Harbour, thankfully), the Allies would have had a reasonably powerful force.

Fantastic work!

Immediately following the Pearl Harbor attack, Admiral Nimitz flew to Hawaii to assume command of the Pacific Fleet. Then, Nimitz was given a boat tour of the destruction wrought on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Big sunken battleships and Navy vessels cluttered the waters everywhere. As the tour boat returned to dock, the young helmsman of the boat asked, "Well, Admiral, what do you think after seeing all this destruction?" Admiral Nimitz *laughed* and said, "The Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could ever make, or God was taking care of America. Which do you think it was?" Surprised, the young helmsman asked, what the mistakes were. Nimitz explained: "01-the Japanese attacked on Sunday morning. Nine out of every ten crewmen of those ships were ashore on leave. If those same ships had been lured to sea and sunk, we would have lost 38,000 men instead of 3,800. 02-when the Japanese saw all those battleships lined in a row, they got so carried away sinking those battleships they never once bombed our dry docks opposite those ships. If they had destroyed our dry docks, we would have had to tow every one of those ships to America to be repaired. As it is now, the ships are in shallow water and can be raised. One tug can pull them over to the dry docks, and we can have them repaired and at sea by the time we could have towed them to America. And I already have crews ashore anxious to man those ships. 03-every drop of fuel in the Pacific theater of war is on top of the ground in storage tanks five miles away over that hill. One attack plane could have strafed those tanks and destroyed our fuel supply. That's why I say the Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could make, or God was taking care of America."

despite knowing the outcome, I'm on the edge of my seat, excited to see the events unfold. that is some quality history telling, guys. good job

K&G never disappoints. Students of history or anyone in general can learn a great deal more from this channel than actual school.

6:45 "nobody received the message, bc personnel had left for breakfast" Personnel 1: you think one of us needs to stay in the room, just in case? Personnel 2: .....Nah, what's the worst that could happen?

Most comprehensive telling of Pearl Harbor I've ever seen, such a stunning video!

Having had watched Indie Neidell's hour-by-hour doc on Pearl harbor, this one was just an icing on the cake! It's so obvious that you guys have worked so hard on this one. Can't take enough of it, definitely watching it many more times!

"We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey" - Kenji Miyazawa (宮沢 賢治)

At the meeting where the decision to start the war was made, the Emperor Hirohito sang the poem: "Why do the waves and winds roar in a world where all the nations on the four seas are siblings?" This is a tanka poem written by the Meiji Emperor at the start of the Russo-Japanese War, when he had no choice but to allow the war to begin, as he wanted thorough diplomatic negotiations at the time. Emperor Hirohito himself had been consistently sceptical of the military from the start of the China-Japan War and was a non-warrior, but it was ironic that the only way he could express his views was through a poem. He gave his reasons for authorising the outbreak of war in an unofficial recording made by an aide. "If I were to betray the decision of the navy to go to war, there would certainly be a great civil war in the country, and those around me whom I trusted would be killed. It does not matter that my life is not guaranteed, but in the end a violent war would have been waged, a war that would have been more disastrous than anything, a war that nobody could not have been ended, and Japan would have been destroyed"

“In the first six to twelve months of a war with the United States and Great Britain, I will run wild and win victory upon victory. But then, if the war continues after that, I have no expectation of success.”. - Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

Yes, I learned today that the 80th year anniversary commemoration for Pearl Harbor is the first to not have any veterans partake because they either died or are too infirm to partake. Thanks for posting! Very important that we learn and remember our history.

For those who want more detail I recommend montemayor, he has a very good series going so far

Awesome first video on the start of the pacific war, looking forward to following this for 4 years!! Though I think the Stuka sirens are really Hollywood cliche and cheesy, I think regular plane sounds with the whistling bomb sound effect would be more accurate and just as impactful

Thanks!

At this moment in time, nobody could've imagined that many of these ships that were sunk or damaged, would engage Japanese battleships in a night battle only 3 years later. Talking about poetic justice.

Great Video! Japan's decision to not attack Stalin's Russia through Siberia, in my historical analysis, was CRUCIAL for the Soviet victory at the Battle of Moscow. In my historical analysis, several reasons contributed to Japan's decision to attack Pearl Harbor (ignoring Siberia in the process): • 1) The memories of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. Unlike the Germans, Japan did not underestimate the Russians. The Russian victory at Khalkhin Gol, which was led by Zhukov himself; was, at the very least, traumatic for the Japanese. • 2) An eventual Japanese attack in Siberia would be a military suicide for Japan. If Siberia had been invaded, Japan would not only fight two enemies (China and USSR), but three (including the USA). If the Japanese had attacked Siberia, Japan would wage a war on three fronts! The war with the US was inevitable for Japan, regardless of Pearl Harbor. Washington would not tolerate a Japanese attack in Siberia. Remember guys, the USSR was the pivot of the Anglo-American strategy. A possible Japanese attack in Siberia and Stalin's final defeat were two possibilities that Washington and London could not even imagine and consider. Moreover, the diplomatic relations between Japan and US were tense since 1940. Following the oil embargo proposed by Roosevelt (90% of the Japanese oil was imported from the USA); Washington declared a real "trade war" against Japan. The embargo proposed by Roosevelt, which was encouraged by Molotov himself, had precisely the intention to prevent Japan from launching any offensive operation towards Siberia. By attacking Southeast Asia (including Pearl Harbor itself), however, Tokyo could still maintain a "suspicious peace" with Stalin on its northern flank. • 3) It was in Southeast Asia that Japan wanted to create its Colonial Empire. It was through the conquest of the French, Dutch and English colonies of Southeast Asia that Japan would be self-sufficient in oil, iron ore, coal and rubber for its war machine.

Well timed with the 80th Anniversary. RIP to all those who fell on that horrible day.

One has to stand in awe of the fact that Japan was a feudal society in near-complete isolation for centuries less than 80 years prior to this attack.

Great work on this video. This was the first time I was brought to tears. Not just because if what happened, but because of the amount of detail you covered in this video. Bravo!!!

I am very excited to watch the pacific war series unfold over the next 4 years. To put it in perspective, I will be graduating from college by the time it is over.

I'm so looking forward to the next 4 years!

Perfect Timing! I'll never forget my visit to the USS Arizona. Rest in peace 2 her crew and the other victims, the memorial is their watery tomb. I Tear up just thinking about it. 😢

Japan: We knocked out the American fleet at Pearl Harbor! Victory is ours! USA: *[Ramps up industry for war]* ya hear that? That's the sound of _FREEDOM_

My son is a Marine who fought in combat with the Navy SEALs a few years ago as an intel officer. He was inspired to become a specials forces attached Marine because he worked at a retirement facility in high school and spoke every day with WWII veterans. He also visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial and met with a survivor. They are only here for a few more years. Thank you all. You will never be forgotten.

Amazing depiction of the attack. Congrats on releasing it on the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Thank you.

"The Imperial war machine has been unleashed. Do not struggle against what is inevitable. Anyone who stands in the way of our "Devine Destiny" will be swept aside by the march of history. You will bow before us or you will cease to exist." - Emperor Hirohito, Dec 7, 1941, probably.

Today, December 7 is the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thanks for this very informative video.

You're without doubt the best history channel on YT, thank you so much for all the good times and your hard work.

The quality of the animation and the presentation is awesome! This is the type of project that inspires me to support, so I will see you on Patreon in a few minutes. It is really nice to have something, even if it's just 20 minutes, to look forward to each week in what have become some dark times. Thanks K&G team, sincerely.

Amazing quality content right here, this will stand the test of time as one of the best most detailed historical documentaries on the subject. Nothing else even comes close. Thank you for what you do!

Hey Kings and Generals! Did you guys see the minute-by-minute coverage of Pearl Harbor Indy Neidell did on the World War Two channel? I was wondering if you took any inspiration or were just fans at all? You're all absolute rock stars by the way

KAG is now a big channel that they can afford animations as details as this! You guys have come so far.

This 4y long pasific war will be one of your best series! looking forward to the next one!

My father was there John Lincoln Trainor 1939-46, Commander of battery coastal defense (B 15) an 11” “Peek-A-Boo” Naval rifle. Stationed Fort Kamehameha.

Love how unbiased this channel is too, it only tells essentially operational and tactical truths of what happened then and manages to avoid any side-taking, you can see this in the Arab Israeli war videos as well

I love the Pearl Harbor episode already! This series will be an instant success!

Great breakdown!

I'm so hype for this series! Great work guys!

*_Tora! Tora! Tora!_* Absolutely great episode, once again guys!

Love the content, I think it would be important to emphasis how small the island is and how quickly a plane could fly over. You get a sense of the coordination in this video, and it is mentioned and can be deduced by the clock, but not how brutally brief the gap between this air field getting bomb and another air field on the other side of the island.

Beautifully done

Great video, looking forward to your next videos❣❣

Glad you got this out in time for Pearl Harbor Day

There’s an interesting thing about the USS Enterprise. On December 7th she was meant to be in harbor, but the task force had hit a storm and been heavily delayed. A pair of SBD Dauntless aircraft from the Enterprise would actually fight during Pearl Harbor, having been sent towards Pearl on routine patrol duty. Edit: Yeah I may have forgotten that the last part of the above was covered. Me dumb.

Great work

I have been waiting for this documentary thank you so much KNG

you guys have the best way to teach history good animation, well researched, a beautiful voice narrating all of this make you videos perfect

Pearl Harbor is a classic example of how secrecy can often be a double edged sword. If the Japanese had given a few hours notice of the impending attack, it is true that US air defenses would have been stronger, but if the US battleships had been caught in deep water, the death toll from similar sinking as happened in the attack happened there, the death toll would have been very much greater. Conceivably, the Japanese could have just focused on neutralizing US air forces in a first attack. let the us ships venture out and then really ruin the Navy. If this was then followed up with taking out the fuel supplies and port facilities, and by then this could have been achieved with naval bombardment, the result could truly have been stunning, but it may well be that the Japanese didn't have the fuel reserves in their fleet to play such games.

superb work! thank you!

Perfect timing in releasing this video on Dec 7. I am always impressed with the quality of your shows. Short, precise but full of details. Hit Like 500 times already.

Hawaii’s history is really interesting and not really talked about! You guys should do a video on Kamehameha the Great!

Pearl Harbor is probably my favorite moment in gaming

Magnifique ! Well done! Looking forward eagerly to the next video!

Excellent episode as always!

Japanese Navy: Let’s attack the Americans at Pearl Harbor. Japanese Admiral after the attack: I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant.

The graphics should use "aircraft" instead of "aircrafts." Craft is a collective noun that doesn't change when plural. Just a small thing.

Outstanding work

Great details

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 For all those who fought and died and those still fighting. You will never be forgotten.

*"I ask, that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan, on Sunday, December 7 1941, a state of war, has existed, between the United States and the Japanese Empire."* Franklin D. Roosevelt December 8, 1941.

Amazing. Great work.

Just started watching this channel. Love this.

IN DEFENSE OF ADMIRAL NAGUMO It is important to understand the reasons why the Japanese fleet didn’t launch a third attack wave, thus sparing the facilities and oil depots in Pearl Harbor, as this has often been regarded as a gross mistake by most historians and typically blamed (unjustly) on Nagumo. There are at least 7 reasons why Admiral Nagumo took the best course of action by ordering a withdraw of the Kido Butai from Pearl Harbor, thus canceling the 3rd wave: 1. American anti-aircraft performance had improved considerably during the second strike, and two-thirds of Japan's losses were incurred during the second wave. 2. Nagumo felt if he launched a third strike, he would be risking three-quarters of the Combined Fleet's strength to wipe out the remaining targets (which included the facilities) while suffering higher aircraft losses. 3. The location of the American carriers remained unknown. In addition, the admiral was concerned his force was now within range of American land-based bombers. 4. Nagumo was uncertain whether the U.S. had enough surviving planes remaining on Hawaii to launch an attack against his carriers. 5. A third wave would have required substantial preparation and turnaround time and would have meant returning planes would have had to land at night. At the time, only the Royal Navy had developed night carrier techniques, so this was a substantial risk. 6. The task force's fuel situation did not permit him to remain in waters north of Pearl Harbor much longer since he was at the very limit of logistical support. To do so risked running unacceptably low on fuel, perhaps even having to abandon destroyers en route home. 7. He believed the second strike had essentially satisfied the main objective of his mission-the neutralization of the U.S. Pacific Fleet-and did not wish to risk further losses. Moreover, it was IJN practice to prefer the conservation of strength over the total destruction of the enemy. As it can be seen, Nagumo’s decision to withdraw the Kido Butai from Pearl Harbor was the right one given what it was possible to know at the time. Nagumo did what any reasonable commander would have done in his situation, even if other less cautious commanders may have disagreed. Even Yamamoto himself, although he agreed with Nagumo's reasons at the time, later recanted and blamed Nagumo again for the ‘fiasco’. However, Yamamoto did this only months later, after having seen how fast the Americans had regained control of the initiative. Of course, this was in no small part due to having access to the repair facilities and oil deposits that have been left intact on Pearl Harbor. It is easy to judge, but remember that perfect hindsight 80 years after the fact does not count to judge the actions of the only commander that was present at the time, as all the responsibilities, not just of the Pearl attack but of the Striking Force, and even the future of the Japanese fleet in the war rest on his shoulders alone.

He wasn't at Pearl Harbor but one of my family member flew an A6M during the war 😉.

Wow. Awesome work.

cool animations from top view...excellent.

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." - Isoroku Yamamoto

Flipping incredible work

excellent summary

The reason why so many important installations, such as the fuel storage tanks, survived the attack was because Yamamoto had ordered his men to not create smoke, as it would affect visibility and damage assessment. The 3rd wave was supposed to finish of installations such as the submarine base, harbor facilities and fuel tanks, but as we all know, Nagumo cancelled it. Nagumo was known as a very cautious man, and if Yamamoto had been allowed to chose the commanding officer for this job, it would certainly NOT have been admiral Nagumo. But his hands were tied by the traditions of the Japanese Navy.

Shout out to the Japanese for saving the world by dragging America into the war

The way he said Oahu killed me, but amazing work as always!

Amazing... Thank you for putting so much effort and visual aesthetics that are simple and easy to understand. They highlight all the key moments of every battle, and that came into play here with this episode. 👏 Bravo 👏👏👏😁

Rip to all soldiers who died on that day , I can't believe its already 80 years

I love the irony of Japan's decision to focus the battleships. The glaring flaw is so obvious in hindsight. Consider the following two statements: 1) Japan focused the battleships. Reasoning that without battleships, the US would be unable to attack Japan! 2) Japan used exclusively aircraft carriers to accomplish their objective... It's something even a child would point out today, but in 1941 the irony was missed by everyone.

Great Video!

loving your Pacific War vids

Watch Tora Tora Tora ! It's WAY better than that awful thing so called "Pearl Harbor"

The Japanese get a lot of flack for targeting the battleships as opposed to making sure that they took out the American aircraft carriers however this makes a lot more sense when one considers from the Japanese perspective that they have the best aircraft carrier fleet in the world without peer, and that battleships are still a huge threat and because the American Pacific fleet lost so many battleships they would be incredibly limited in their strike capabilities for a huge chunk of the war even after Midway because the biggest problem with aircraft carriers is they require a huge escort because they themselves are not very defensible. I'm sure someone's going to comment and say that aircraft carriers can defend themselves and yes that is true however why would aircraft carriers want to fight when their job is mainly to support. Air air power and submarines are a lot more powerful and world War II and harder checks to main battleships but they are still a force to be reckoned with and because the US lost so many they would be a lot more cautious until they could get the ones damaged at Pearl harbor back online. not to mention that the US naval would be fighting a two front naval conflict with Germany given the priority.

The animation , the narrative. So good.

Amazing detailed analysis ... Keep it up! :)

Fact: all the battleships destroyed or sunk in pearl harbor were either outdated or out of service

I've studied this topic before and wrote papers on it. This video takes liberty with "facts" that do not align at all with what I know from this topic. Typically if you are introducing something that is not commonly known or agreed upon you need to provide some sources. I know that's hard for a video like this, but at the same time you're looking at a credibility problems when you do it. - The US knew the war was inevitable. That's quite the claim. I'm sure some analysts thought that, but the military/government at large did not. The US was an isolationist country since WW1 ended. This is almost a conspiracy level theory presented as historical fact by this channel (I do love this channel btw). Such as the people who claim FDR knew Pearl Harbor was going to happen and let it so he could enter the US into the World War. The US knew Japan was angry about the embargoes, but there is no reason for them to have suspected a full on attack on U.S. soil that could be used to draw them into a war. FDR really wanted to join the war in Europe, but the public at large was not interested. So the only way for this scenario to be real is if they expected Japan to attack them. Regardless major citation is needed for this. - The US was convinced an attack was coming. The books I read to write my papers on Pearl Harbor showed that *recent* (as in days before the attack) intelligence had indicated the Japanese were preparing for an attack. Your video is suggesting the US military had been preparing for months for this. Also to note that a message was being sent from US command to Pearl Harbor to prepare for an attack, it was being hand delivered to the base commander *as the attack occurred*. So I'm pretty sure your video is misconstruing the events and almost painting the military's posture as incompetent instead of truly surprised. Also note that it is historical fact that the sortie that showed up during the conflict to help is part of the reason the attack wave was missed. The radar station actually thought it was them flying in, thus the urgency of an attack was not there. The base commanders being "out to breakfast" is a new take that I have not read or heard (again painting a picture of incompetence). - The Japanese knew the carrier groups were not at Pearl Harbor. This is more believable given the level of spies they had on the Island. But this isn't a known or commonly held belief about the attack. None of the books I used researching this (from commanders on both sides of the conflict) mentioned this fact. It's believable, but also requires a citation. - The declaration of war being delayed is known, but this seems to try to paint Japan in a good light about their surprise attack. Imperial Japan literally deployed their fleet to attack Pearl Harbor 2 weeks before the declaration of war was issued. Their attack was commencing within 12 hours of such a declaration (which happened over the night for the US). The video again tries to indicate incompetence along with the US playing victims, instead of actually being victims of a surprise attack. To be fair to the Japanese they thought it was inevitable that war would happen, and didn't realize the US had not taken such a posture. Which is why they were able to move their fleet across the pacific without any resistance. I think this video is taking liberty with some controversial statements of fact. Not that these aren't true, but that this contradicts known history on the topic. I feel extra snippets of "according to US Navy records released blah blah we know they knew X". And if this is recently revealed information, that would go along way selling what is being stated. While I know you don't do this for other history videos, Pearl Harbor is still in living memory (though just barely). This topic has been significantly studied and combed over for decades. If you're going to drop bombs (pun intended) on December 7th, take care.

Outstanding! video🤝

Powerful vidieo. Good work and timing.

No mention of the fact that a Russian spy handed the US plans of the attack, nor that British Intelligence warned the US of the likelihood of an attack at Pearl Harbor and even suggested the actual date? Also, a mini sub was reported INSIDE the anti submarine net before the attack and engaged. Despite the fact mini subsvhsve very short range, no attempt was made to find the vessel that carried them. You mentioned that the radar report wasn't passed on, whereas I have repeatedly read it was, but dismissed as US planes returning from the mainland, despite the fact they were approaching from the wrong direction and no flights were due. In summary, it has been suggested that the US Government wanted a war, which the public didn't at that time, so by forcing Japan's hand with the highly damaging oil embargo, amongst others, as well as ignoring all the warning signs, they got the public on board after the Japanese 'surprise' attack.

Great video

Amazing work again!!!

Amazing video! cant wait for the next part!!!

Great job my man , really enjoyed this one !

Amazing series so far. Might even be your best!

i love the way you can still see the torpedo trails underwater as they hit the ships.... really awesome presentation overall!

Amazing video 📹 Good graphics 👌

Great work!!

great stuff keep up the good work

Excellent!

Thank you for Releasing this on Dec 7th. We will never forget 🙌