Line drawings by Alexander van Maanen, 2011
Tora! Tora! Tora! is the title of a film dealing with a real historical event. The Japanese fleet attacked the American Pacific Fleet at her home harbour Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941 lacking a proper war declaration by Japan. The United States although yet not involved in the Second World War stopped in 1940 shipment of for instance of airplanes and aviation gasoline to Japan as a reaction by the Japanese invasion in French Indochina. This was followed by ceasing the oil exports in July of the next year when Japan take over the control of French Indochina. Japan desperately needed oil and other materials and seeking for other ways. The results are well known. First was to destroy the United States as an import Pacific power and that’s the main reason for the attack on 7 December at Pearl Harbor. The American battle fleet included the aircraft carriers were to be destroyed. The attack on Pearl Harbor can be compared with the Dutch attack on the British battle fleet lying anchored at the Thames near Chatham in 1667. The second Anglo-Dutch war wasn’t gone very well for the Dutch Republic and the attack was in fact the last hope for better results at the peace negotiations. The attack was very successful and the British flagship Royal Charles was taken by the Dutch to the Netherlands. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was even successful if not for a significant difference. Although five battleships were destroyed or heavily damaged just like another 13 ships and 2,386 Americans were killed escaped the aircraft carriers this fate while they were at that moment not in Pearl Harbour. They played an important role in the war. But the disabling of the American battleships was a severe blow for the Allies regarded the forthcoming events. The next severe blow was just three days later when the British battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battle cruiser HMS Repulse were destroyed off Malaya by Japanese aircraft attacks. The result was when Japan attacked the South Eastern Area none battleships were available, the heaviest units were some heavy cruisers like the HMS Exeter and the USS Houston. The battle in the Java Sea on 27 February-1 March 1942 made an end of the combined allied naval forces in that area when the ABDA-squadron commanded by the Dutch rear admiral KAREL DOORMAN completely was destroyed.(1)
Pennsylvania-class
The USS Arizona was of the Pennsylvania-class and her building was ordered on 4 March 1913. laid down at the Brooklyn Yard 16 March 1914, launched 19 June 1915 sponsored by Esther Ross and commissioned 17 October 1916. She was sunk by the Japanese attack taking with her 1,177 lives and the wreck is nowadays a memorial. She was finally stricken from the navy list 1 December 1942.
With a displacement of 31,400 tons were her dimensions 600’(waterline)-608’(over all) x 97’3” (waterline)-106’ (extreme) x 28’5”(mean)-33’5” (maximum). The Parson steam turbines allowed a speed of 21 knots while with a speed of 12 knots her range was 8,000 nautical miles. Her crew numbered 1,385 men. Her armament consisted at the moment of the attack of 12-14” guns, 12-5” guns, 12-5” anti aircraft guns and she carried with her two floatplanes. The armour consisted of a 14”(amidships) belt, a 3”deck, a 16” conning tower and 9-18”gun turrets.
Note
1. See for instance on the notes dealing with the Battle in the Java Sea like the Dutch cruiser Hr. Ms. JAVA and the American cruiser USS Houston.
