Do you mean the event that triggered America's entry into the Pacific.
1. America was totally unprepared for the attack. Japan followed a well thought out and very well executed plan.
2. There was no one around who could take responsibility for the war effort. By the time people figured out what had happened, the Japanese were back on their aircraft carriers.
3. The navy suffered the most. They couldn't get out of the harbor. They were "sitting ducks."
4. The planes were all placed in one place against the advice of some. This was a terrible mistake. Almost any plane that could make in the air was shot down immediately. If there was no air resistance (by Americans) the Japanese had almost no opposition.
5. It was Sunday. Almost everyone was relaxed or on the beaches.
6. The radar station that could have relayed information had rookies maning it. They did not realize until it was too late what was going on, and what their screens were telling them.
7. The affects of Pearl was felt until the battle of midway. Then the war began to turn in America's favor. Even so Japan's defeat took 3 more years or so.
8. Yamamoto knew it was a mistake to attack Pearl Harbor. He wrote in his diary that all the attack would do would be to awaken a sleeping giant. He of course was right. He was also educated in part in the United States and knew what it was capable of.
That ought to get you going.
