Viewpoints on the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Viewpoints on the Attack on Pearl Harbor — page 5
and calm at the same time I asked him what was wrong He told me he saw smoke coming from Hickam Field He was right to be alarmed This is Hitting the Airfields First Before bombing the ships anchored on Battleship Row the Japanese hit U S military airfields on Ford Island Many aircraft were destroyed when they were sitting on the airfields unaware that the attack was coming It was an attempt by the Japanese to prevent an American counterattack to protect the ships But most of the aircraft were away from the harbor at that time The aircraft that were not destroyed would be incredibly important to the United States effort in the war After attacking the airfields the Japanese launched their attack on the battleships 8