Pearl Harbor

Children's Literature

On December 7, 1941, the military forces of Imperial Japan launched a surprise attack against the American naval forces stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japanese pilots who attacked the Pacific Fleet shattered the backbone of American naval power in that sector. This surprise attack served the Japanese well in the short run. Linked to other attacks across the Pacific, the assault at Pearl Harbor set the stage for sweeping Japanese successes in the early months of the war. However, in the long run, the attack at Pearl Harbor set the stage for the complete destruction of Japanese military power. In Barr's Pearl Harbor readers are given a chance to better understand the events of December 7, 1941. As in other books in the Witness to History series, here the author concisely traces the historical stream of events while also presenting first hand and primary source information. As a result, this illustrated book is a fine introduction to the subject of the Japanese attack which triggered America's entry into World War II. This is a solid little book that helps bring history alive through scholarship and the words of a bygone era. 2004, Heinemann Library, Ages 10 to 14.
—Greg M. Romaneck

School Library Journal

Gr 6-8-Both books introduce the events covered with an explanation of primary-source material and its importance in studying history. In Pearl Harbor, Barr presents clear and easy-to-read background accounts of the motives and views of the leaders of the U.S., Japan, and Germany prior to the attack. Photographs accompanied by eyewitness accounts help readers to understand its intensity and the resulting U.S. declaration of war on Japan and Germany. In the concluding pages, the author invites readers to consider what has been learned from Pearl Harbor. The second title covers America's efforts to mobilize for war by inviting readers to think about what it is like to be involved in civil defense, volunteer for military service, buy war bonds, and use ration coupons; photos and first-person accounts are included. The segregation of and discrimination against African Americans, Japanese Americans, and women are discussed along with the change in the roles of women and families as a result of the war. Primary accounts include President Truman's defense of the use of the atomic bomb as well as Admiral Leahy's objections. Both texts are good purchases for social science and historical research and as a basis for discussion of the many issues raised.-Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.