81 Years Ago Today: The Attack on Pearl Harbor

“and if any conclusion was reached, it was that there are no simple lessons in history, that it is human nature that repeats itself, not history.”
― John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945

TODAY in History: The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Here are a few quotes and images from that historic day.

The Arizona. Nearly half the casualties were men on this ship.

“At 1:23pm Zeros were approaching Pearl Harbor where it was 7:53am. At that moment the flight commander radioed Admiral Nagumo TORA, TORA, TORA@ The repeated code word, meaning "tiger," stood for 'We have succeeded in surprise attack'." Two minutes later torpedo bombers began diving on Battleship Row.”
― John Toland, Infamy: Pearl Harbor and its Aftermath

I remember when I was young reading one of John Toland's books about the attack on Pearl Harbor. I found it mesmerizing, couldn't put it down. The December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403. 

The West Virginia

“It is easier to start a war than end one.”
― John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945

Related Links

Beyond Pearl Harbor: Things You Didn't Know

Pearl Harbor Day Reflections