Remember Pearl Harbor: American and Japanese Survivors Tell Their Stories

by Thomas B. Allen

This landmark volume will provide young readers with valuable insights into both the Japanese and American points of view and demonstrate why people on both sides feel the need to remember Pearl Harbor. 

Many people today still remember the infamous morning of December 7, 1941. Compelling narrative laced with first-person accounts from both American and Japanese survivors combines with dramatic archival images and a brief overview to paint a vivid portrait of what it was like to have witnessed, participated in, and lived through the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

64 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

Thomas B. Allen's writings range from articles for National Geographic Magazine to books on espionage and military history.
He is the father of Roger MacBride Allen.

Reviews

[Lenore Kuipers-Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an excellent representation of what happened at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The photography was extraordinary, as were the interviews with the survivors from the scene. A timeline of the events of WW2, maps, and a bibliography were also included. Pearl Harbor is a U.S. Navy base near Honolulu, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Hawaii was not a state yet, but just a territory.
Japan's emperor was named Hirohito, but he wasn't the "real" ruler. The real rulers we the army generals and navy admirals who had the hope of making Japan a very powerful nation with a big empire. To show the Japanese our anger as a nation of their conquests, and to warn Japan to do so no further, in July 1941 the United States cut off all oil exports to Japan. The Japanese were told to "get ready for war". Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet decided to strike a fatal blow to U.S. Navy ships at Pearl Harbor. They thought that we would be unable to fight back, and would have to negotiate with Japan to keep extending its' empire.
183 fighters, bombers, and torpedo planes went to Pearl Harbor, headed to Battleship Row. There was also a 2nd wave of 167 bombers and Zeros that primarily set fire to planes on the ground.
"AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR. THIS IS NO DRILL" 2,390 Americans were killed, and 1,178 wounded.

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for older children and tells both American and Japanese eye witness accounts. It explains about the Japanese midget submarines and torpedo planes. It is riveting to read the American accounts of watching this unfold. It inches a WWII timeline in the back.

[Tanner Mendelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book does an excellent job of describing the attack on Pearl Harbor by using American and Japanese survivors that lived through this event on December 7, 1941. A social studies teacher could use this book to discuss the different perspectives to gain a better understanding of what happened at Pearl Harbor. One thing that I learned from reading this book was that usually men and women who come back from war are known as veterans. On the other hand, the men and women who were at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 call themselves "survivors."

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

National Geographic does it again! Quotes from survivors combined with maps and photos bring this sad event in American history to life. Thomas Allen succeeds in putting a human face on both the Americans and the Japanese involved in the attack without being judgmental. Recommended!

[Duane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for any non-fiction collection. Filled with amazing photographs and illustrations, readers will learn the viewpoints of not only Americans that were that morning, but also the Japanese that were involved. A great book for any library's collection.

[Lucia Benzor · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a WWII unit, this book gives lots of 1st hand accounts from veterans of the war on both sides. I really liked this because we are always wanting students to see multiple perspectives. Great pictures and a timeline at the end of the book. Would have in a center or displayed in my library.

[Annie Oosterwyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple unfolding of events, great photos and personal recollections of survivors. If you want "just the facts, ma'am", this is your book.
Solid, concise upper elementary, middle grade content.

[M Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent- shows the devastation of Pearl Harbor from both sides.