Pearl Harbor: A Day Of Infamy

Early in the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese carrier-based planes and submarines attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet and nearby military airfields at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Eight American battleships and ten other naval vessels were sunk or badly damaged.  A total of 64 American aircraft were destroyed and over 3,400 military personnel were killed or wounded.  The attack marked the entrance of Japan into World War II on the side of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy and the entrance of the U.S. on the side of the allies – thus World War II.  The attack was always considered possible, but not probable.  Were critical judgment errors made by America’s national leaders and its military that made America so vulnerable or did motivations by America’s European allies to have America represented in WW II result in this devastating attack?  Listen to this stimulating presentation to find out.

About the presenter - Paul E. Zigo, a history professor, author and military historian, is the founder and director of the World War II Era Studies Institute.  The institute is dedicated to furthering one’s knowledge and understanding of the WW II era and its impact on history.  He is a graduate of Temple University and the United States Army War College.  He authored and edited 2009 Witnessing History: The Eisenhower Photographs featuring all the photos of General Dwight D. Eisenhower taken by his personal wartime photographer, Al Meserlin.  He was also the executive producer and narrator of the cable network series Triumphant Spirit: America’s World War II Generation Speaks from 2001 - 2004.  In 2014, he authored the book The Longest Walk: The Amazing Story of the 29th Inf. Division on D-Day 6 June 1944 and in 2017, he co-authored the book Bataan – When Men Have To Die, an accounting of the fall of the Philippine Islands to the Japanese in 1942.  Recently, he authored and published the book Unconditional Surrender: Witnessing History – May 1945.  He is a 30 year veteran of the United States Army retiring as a Colonel and is a founding member of the National Museum of the US Army.

This presentation will be held online via Zoom.  Register and receive program link by entering your information below.  Any questions? Contact DeAnne O'Brien at dobrien@ivpl.org.