Introduction
Mr. Leo Siekiewicz's Interview
This exhibit and museum were created during an introductory seminar on the Asia-Pacific War, taught at Wake Forest University during the spring semester 2002.
The material and opinions are those of their respective authors and do not represent the views of the University or the Department of History.
The
USS West Virginia and the USS Tennessee in smoke in Pearl
Harbor.
"The attack on Pearl Harbor."
Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941 by the Japanese. President Franklin D. Roosevelt engraved this attack in history with his description "A day that will live in Infamy." However, too often we learn about Pearl Harbor from textbooks and become accustomed to and even comfortable with the events that took place on December 7, 1941. The purpose of this website is to explore the attack on Pearl Harbor through interviews with two veterans who experienced the events of that day at first hand. Uncovering the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of these men, who saw first-hand the Japanese nearly destroy Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Fleet, is vital to our understanding of the attack against the United States of America. The interviews account for many of the minute details and intense feelings that are absent in many other sources. It may just seem like a terrible day in history books, but the attack on Pearl Harbor takes on new meaning when a person obtains the thoughts, feelings, and emotions from first-hand accounts.
Arial Shot of Pearl Harbor
This exhibit was researched and designed by Brad Garner.