Difference Between Pearl Harbor and 9/11

Pearl Harbor vs 9/11

The United States of America was dragged into World War II when the military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was bombed by Japanese military forces. The Japanese were already at war with China and several Southeast Asian countries.

It was war, the enemy was obvious and known, and it was very clear where to counterattack. Although there were a few civilians killed in the attack, most of the casualties were soldiers. The Japanese people were united in their support for the decision of their leader, the Emperor of Japan.

The Japanese people were the first to resort to the use of suicide planes to attack the enemy. The attack on Pearl Harbor happened on December 7, 1941. A few months short of its 60th anniversary, on September 11, 2001 (9/11); the United States of America was again attacked by members of the al-Queda Muslim extremist organization.
They hijacked four commercial planes and used them as bombs when they maneuvered them to hit the World Trade Center twin towers and the Pentagon. Unlike the Pearl Harbor attack, most of the casualties were civilians. It was a terrorist attack that killed almost 3,000 people.

While there might be several Muslim leaders who support their leader Osama Bin Laden and their cause, they were not very vocal about it. The people who carried out the attack came from different countries with their religion and extremist beliefs as their common denominator. This enemy of the USA is not as big as Japan nor is it supported by an army, but it is a very cunning and treacherous enemy hiding behind their religion to get personal gain, satisfaction, and a sense of power. Unlike the war against Japan, the war against al-Queda is expected to last longer and even after the death of its leader terrorist activities will continue.

Although the American people supported its war against terrorism, it took so long to resolve that they found it taxing not only on the taxpayers’ part but also on the soldiers and their families. It has a more negative effect on everyone than Pearl Harbor did. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, people in the USA were not as afraid as they are after the 9/11 attack. Most Americans felt unsafe even in their homes because nobody knows when or where they will attack again.

Summary:

1.Pearl Harbor was an act of war while 9/11 was an act of terrorism.
2.The attack on Pearl Harbor was supported by the Japanese people while the 9/11 attack was not supported by all Muslim people.
3.Although both WWII/Pearl Harbor and 9/11 utilized suicide planes, Pearl Harbor was against an army of a nation that was at war while 9/11 was against a terrorist group that is composed of people from different nationalities but have one religion which is Islam.
4.Most casualties of Pearl Harbor were soldiers while the casualties of 9/11 were mostly civilians.
5.The war that was caused by the Pearl Harbor attack ended after less than five years while the war against terrorism doesn’t seem to end even after Bin Laden’s death more than nine years later.

Sharing is caring!