Visiting Pearl Harbour is Important

Many compared the September 11, 2001 attacks to Pearl Harbour. It was a horrific attack on American soil.  Pearl Harbour is perhaps the most famous of the attacks on the United States. It is an integral part of US history and for that reason, visiting Pearl Harbour is important.

The attack on Pearl Harbour brought the United States into WWII. The involvement in WWII established the United States as the world's most prominent superpower. This speaks to the importance of the attack on Pearl Harbour in US history as well as world history.

By why is visiting Pearl Harbour so important?

The primary reasons to visit are to understand the motive for the attack, to understand the feelings of the victims of the attack, and to learn the history so we do not repeat it.

The motive for the attack is still disputed by historians. The empire of Japan was imperialistic. At the time, they were trying to expand geographically in Asia.  The United States was also imperialistic and did not want to lose resources to the Japanese. Additionally the Japanese expansion was very aggressive. The United States confronted Japan about its aggression and eventually placed embargoes on resources that were necessary for Japan to continue its war efforts in China.  Japan's response was to attack the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour.

By visiting Pearl Harbour, one can see Battleship Row and stand in the location where the ships were attacked. You can imagine what it felt like to see hundreds of enemy planes surprise you with torpedoes and bombs. You can look down from the Arizona Memorial at the USS Arizona below and consider the men who died before they even knew we were at war.

Pearl Harbour is one of the most important monuments in US history.  A visit to Pearl Harbour is more than just a history lesson, it is an opportunity to understand a generation that changed the world forever.