Myths Of Pearl Harbor

— -- Every American knows the date December 7, 1941 — the morning the Japanese Imperial Navy launched a massive air attack on the U.S. Naval base, killing 2,403 Americans and wounding 1,178.

The attack devastated U.S. forces in the Pacific, leaving 21 U.S. ships and 321 aircraft heavily damaged or destroyed, and drew the United States into World War II. What most people DON'T know is that the first shots of the battle were fired by an American naval vessel, nearly an hour before the air attack started. It is part of the untold story of Japan's secret weapon — the so-called "midget" subs, two-man submarines which were launched that morning to sneak into Pearl Harbor and attack U.S. ships from below as Japanese bombers and torpedo planes attacked from above.

On this episode of UNSOLVED HISTORY, we examine the role the midget subs played in the Pearl Harbor attack, the technology and strategy behind the subs, and the recent discovery of one sub sunk outside the harbor that morning. We accompany marine archaeologists on a dive as they get their first look at the sub, and we are there as a World War II veteran gets his second look at the midget sub — 61 years later. We put history to the test, as forensic photo analysts use state-of-the-art technology to examine a controversial photo taken from a Japanese plane that may the mysterious "fifth" sub firing on American ships inside Pearl Harbor that morning.

Could the Americans have been warned in time to defend themselves against the Japanese attack? What would have happened had the defenders of Pearl Harbor had even an hour's advance notice? And did any of the midget subs actually succeed in their mission? All part of the UNSOLVED HISTORY of the MIDGET SUBS OF PEARL HARBOR.

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