On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy dispatched 6 aircraft carriers and more than 300 fighter planes to attack Pearl Harbor in the United States. As a result, 8 battleships, 3 cruisers, and 3 destroyers of the U.S. Navy were sunk or destroyed. Severe damage, 188 fighter planes were destroyed, 2,402 people were killed in the line of duty, and another 1,282 people were injured, causing unprecedented heavy damage to the United States. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor greatly angered the American public, and the public turned from isolationism to supporting participation in the war.
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in the United States
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and three U.S. battleships were severely damaged
On December 8, 1941, President Roosevelt spoke in Congress Said in the speech:
"Japan did not formally declare war this time, and its despicable attacks will always bear the dishonorable charge... The American people will surely win the final victory. We must not only do our best to defend, but also make this country Such despicable behavior can no longer endanger us... We will achieve final victory, God willing. I hereby only ask Congress to declare its participation in the war."
Roosevelt gave a speech in Congress on Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor
Roosevelt signed a declaration of war against Japan
In the end, the U.S. Congress The declaration of war against Japan was approved with only one dissenting vote, including 82 votes in the Senate and no objection, and 388 votes in favor and one vote in the House of Representatives (voted by the feminist and pacifist Ms. Janet Rankin). , was reviled by the masses and TV reporters afterwards, and lost his qualifications as a member of the House of Representatives the next year.) passed the proposal to declare war on Japan, marking the official entry of the United States into World War II, and the United States' entry into the war accelerated. The collapse of fascism, hoped for by China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and other countries, changed the war situation in the European battlefield, the Asian war and the Pacific battlefield, and accelerated the end of World War II.
Aerial view of Pearl Harbor in the United States, taken in Japan. October 30 before the sneak attack
The reason why the United States' participation in the war was able to change the situation of World War II was actually inseparable from the strong industrial strength of the United States. American factories were operating at full capacity and continuously delivering supplies to the battlefield. Providing help to the Allied forces was the fundamental reason for changing the war situation. At the same time, the US government continued to strengthen military mobilization and began to transform its economy into a wartime economy. The domestic people also responded positively, either by joining the army or joining the war. During wartime production.
Various trade union organizations also stated:
"We will not hold strikes during the war until we defeat the Japanese. "
The unprecedented high degree of unity of opinion in the halls of the U.S. Congress and among the people made Roosevelt deeply moved. In his later diary, Roosevelt wrote:
"The Japanese army's attack on Pearl Harbor Offensive, I feel relieved... The crisis has united our people... The apathy and divisions that used to manifest among an unpatriotic people... have disappeared without a trace. "
With the high degree of unity and unity of opinion among the people in the United States, major arsenals have been operating at full capacity to produce various advanced weapons and continuously transport them to the front lines of the battlefield to support the U.S. military and allied forces in their operations. So during World War II, the United States" How awesome is the "Arsenal"? How much weapons and equipment were produced in several years of war?
The tank production line in the United States
The United States announced its participation in the war, and Roosevelt almost mobilized All factories were converted to wartime production. Factories that produced printers were converted to the production of guns, and factories that produced cars were converted to the production of heavy equipment such as tanks and fighter jets. Ford's huge factories and ultra-long assembly lines could produce almost every hour. A 30-ton bomber was launched, and weapons and equipment were continuously transported to the front line. Large equipment such as fighter planes, battleships, bombers, aircraft carriers, submarines, and tanks were all implemented in an assembly line manner. A large number of hard-working workers worked continuously in the factory. , creating one miracle after another.
According to relevant data, in the more than five years since the United States entered the war, the number of various types of equipment produced by the United States is roughly as follows: 296,400.
p>Among them, North American Airlines produced 41,188 aircraft. The production of P-51 "Mustang" fighter jets alone was as high as 15,000 aircraft. It also produced B-25 "Mitchell" bombers and other combat aircraft.
P-51 "Mustang" fighter jets on the production line
Comprehensive-Volti Company produced 30,903 aircraft, of which 19,256 were B-24 "Liberator" , in addition, it also produces a small amount of V-11 fighter jets to assist China and the Soviet Union, and assists Lockheed in the production of P-38 "Lightning" fighter jets.
The number of aircraft produced by Douglas Aircraft Company is 30,696, of which the largest production number is the C-47 transport aircraft, with a total of 10,174 aircraft, and the production number of A-20 "Havoc" attack aircraft is 7,478 aircraft. There are also other models, or various fighter jets produced by other manufacturers.
The B29 "Superfortress" bomber on the production line
The Curtiss-Wright Company produced 26,154 aircraft, of which the P-40 "War Eagle" fighter jet produced the largest number, reaching 13,738 aircraft. A total of 3,181 C-46 Commando transport aircraft were also produced.
The P39 fighter jet is on the production line
In addition, there are Grumman Aircraft Engineering Company, Boeing Company, Lockheed Aircraft Company, *** Aircraft Company, Bell Aircraft companies, Glenn Martin Aircraft Company and other companies are also involved in production. The models they produce include F4F "Wildcat", B-17 "Flying Fortress", P-38 "Lightning" production factory, P-47 "Thunderbolt" , P-39, B29 "Superfortress" and B-26 "Predator" bombers, etc. Its annual output has reached an astonishing 40,000 aircraft.
102,400 P-38 "Lightning" fighter jets and various tanks or armored vehicles assembled in the open air
To support ground operations, the number of tanks produced by the US military is also staggering. The number of people producing tank equipment is close to 200,000, and the annual output has reached 20,000 vehicles, which is thousands of times more than before the war. Before the war, the U.S. Army's tank production capacity even ranked behind Poland, ranking seventh in the world. By 1940, the total number of Army tanks was only more than 300.
Tanks being produced on the production line
However, after the US military entered the war, its production capacity suddenly increased to the first in the world, several times more than other countries, and a large amount of assistance was provided to the Allied Forces. Among them, the number of M4 Sherman tanks produced by Detroit's Crest Factory reached nearly 40,000. In addition, a certain number of tanks or armored vehicles such as M22 light tank, M24 tank, M26 tank, M2 medium tank, M2 tank, M3 tank, T30 heavy tank and T32 heavy tank were also produced.
Vehicles being produced on the production line
In addition, the US military also produced 372,400 cannons, 2.38 million trucks, 87,600 warships, 5,400 freighters, 582.2 10,000 tons of aircraft bombs, 20.086 million pieces of light weapons and 44 billion rounds of light weapons and ammunition.
Ships under construction in U.S. shipyards
Among them, the production capacity of warships is the most astonishing. In order to conduct global operations and support frontline troops, the total tonnage of warships produced by the U.S. military exceeded the total tonnage of the world at that time. . Throughout World War II, the United States built 155 aircraft carriers alone, including 27 large fleet aircraft carriers, 11 light aircraft carriers, and 117 escort aircraft carriers. Among them, 147 aircraft carriers were produced between the United States' participation in the war and Japan's surrender, accounting for 94.83% of the total number of aircraft carriers. An average of 36 aircraft carriers are launched every year, and one aircraft carrier is completed every ten days. In addition, it also produced 10 battleships, 48 ??cruisers, 349 destroyers, 498 frigates and 203 submarines, as well as a large number of landing ships or landing craft, with a total tonnage of more than 13 million tons.
In terms of army numbers, the U.S. Army had only 100,000 troops before 1940. However, by 1945, the total number of U.S. Army troops mobilized reached 10.5 million. Its army mobilization capacity and wartime production capacity were both The world was shocked.
At the beginning of the war, the U.S.’s military production capacity was twice that of Germany and Japan. However, by 1944, the U.S.’s military production capacity had increased to twice that of the Axis powers, while providing more than 50% of the Allies’ combat supplies.
Even the leaders of the Soviet Union admired it. During the meeting of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin in Tehran in 1943, Stalin once said in a toast:
"To the United States Productivity, without them, this war would have been lost long ago.
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Japan’s signature of surrender
This fully reflects the affirmation of the United States’ wartime production capabilities. It also shattered Germany and Japan’s estimation of the United States’ industrial strength. Japan’s sneak attack on the Pearl Instead, Hong Kong set fire to itself. Not only did it not deal a heavy blow to the US Navy, but it woke up a sleeping lion. At the same time, it is not difficult to see the potential of a powerful industrial country in the war.