Essay Outline

Introduction:  December 7th, 1941, is a day that changed the history of the U.S. military, the country and even the world. Japan launched an attack on an American Naval Base in Pearl Harbor. This attack propelled America into World War II, changing the global landscape forever. The attack on Pearl Harbor  resulted in thousands of lives lost and four ships sinking, the worst being the USS Arizona. The USS Arizona was responsible for nearly half the American deaths during the attack. The Arizona is the only ship that originally sank and is still currently in the water. Today a memorial sits above the ship. Although this memorial is for the U.S.S. Arizona, people widely view it as the main memorial of Pearl Harbor, as  it does a great job representing what happened on December 7th, 1941. 

 

Thesis:  The USS Arizona Memorial uses historical context, ideologies, and pathos to express the importance and significance of the Attack on  Pearl Harbor. 

 

Body Paragraphs: 

 

 

• Historical context of what happened where the memorial stands, as well as what happened as a result, helps understand the importance of the attacks on Pearl Harbor. 

 

• Knowing the context of the USS Arizona Memorial is crucial in creating the importance and meaning behind the memorial 
• An attack where over 2,400 Americans died
• The USS Arizona was responsible for nearly half those deaths
• Japanese planes hit the ship with four bombs, the last one caused an explosion, and the ship to sink, many people on the  ship were trapped inside as the ship sank
• Remember what happened after the attack ( FDR “day in infamy” speech, entering World War II)
• Lead to the allies winning the War and destruction of Nazi Regime

 

 

• Introducing ideologies:  Ideologies of  remembrance, honor, and patriotism.

 

• Important ideologies left behind from Pearl Harbor are shown through the Memorial. 

 

• Remembrance:

• The entire memorial represent remembrance
• The memorial sits on top of the USS Arizona, which symbolizes the sacrifice and lives that were lost on December 7th, 1941
• Seven windows in Assembly Hall represents remembering the date of the attack
• Still to this day oil spills from the ship, symbolizes tears of the fallen
• Remembrance day every December 7th ceremony, with survivors of attacks meet on memorial to remember what happened
• Memorial is full of symbols and metaphors to remember the ultimate sacrifice countless people paid that day. Their deaths didn’t go unnoticed and will be remembered forever. 

 

 

• Honor:

 

• Honoring those who died on this day and sacrificed their lives while serving their country
• Shrine honors those who passed and gave their lives while serving the country
• There are 21 windows that symbolizes the 21-gun salute, an extreme honor in the military
• The opening in the middle of the memorial allows connection to those in the USS Arizona. People drop flowers into the opening to honor those who died during the attack.
• The Memorial is place of extreme honor, and the military views the people involved in Pearl Harbor as extremely honorable people
  

 

• Patriotism: 

 

•  This attack caused a strong sense of patriotism after in the country
• Increase in people enlisting
• Entire country backing entering the war
• Created powerful sense of pride 
• They design the whole shape of the memorial to represent patriotism and resilience
• The design rises on both ends, with a low point in the middle
• One end represents the pride Americans had prior to the attack. The low point represents how Americans felt after the attack. The other risen end represents how Americans came together for their country and won the war.
• American flag always flies high above the memorial to show America’s support for the attack

 

 

• Pathos: Part of the significance of the attack on Pearl Harbor was the emotions it drew in Americans. From the people who experienced the attacks to Americans across the country, people were full of anger and sadness because of the attack. They display these feelings throughout the memorial in several ways. 

 

• The amount of lives that were lost, especially apparent in the shrine, cause visitors to realize what happened, and cause emotion.
• Seeing the ship and thinking about the 900 lives still inside the ship is saddening
• Emotional ceremonies at the memorial:
• Ceremony on remembrance day gets emotional, especially for pearl harbor survivors who lived there.
• The other is the ceremony for survivors of the Arizona that passed. Many of these survivors will want to put their urns in the ship, and it is an emotional ceremony full of honor.
• Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial and understanding what happened there rekindles the feelings that countless Americans felt after the Pearl Harbor Attacks.

 

Conclusion:

• To forever remember the importance of the events on December 7th, 1941 the USS Arizona Memorial sits above the ship that once floated in Pearl Harbor.  
• The attack on Pearl Harbor created massive change in America and the significance of this event can be seen in the memorial.