Sinking of the USS Rockefeller (Napoleon's World)

The sinking of the USS Rockefeller by Japanese torpedo boats on September 14, 1924 was the catalyst for the Pacific War, making hostilities between the Allies and the Asian Powers official after months of tense standoffs and minor skirmishes. Three small Japanese torpedo boats ambushed the Rockefeller, which was the flagship of the American fleet, near Fiji and demanded its surrender as it had entered Japanese waters. After two hours, Captain William J. Baldwin attempted to turn the ship around and leave, and it was struck by seven torpedoes in shallow water. Of the crew of 2,144, as many as 1,577 were killed and hundreds more captured by the Japanese. Oceanian radio boats nearby heard Japanese frequencies confirming the sinking of the vessel and Port Moresby was quickly notified of the attacks.

The sinking of the Rockefeller resulted in President Charles E. Hughes of the United States asking Congress for a declaration of war against Japan on the 17th of September, and the full mobilization of all American military interests on November 1st. Within days, the Asian Powers had unanimously elected to go to war against the Allies, and thus the sinking of the Rockefeller is seen as the official start of the conflict (unofficially, an undeclared state of conflict and tension had existed for many months).

Many American historians claim that the sinking of the Rockefeller was a war crime, as survivors reported that they were attacked without warning when complying with Japanese demands to turn around and that Captain Baldwin in fact ordered the guns emptied in case a deck gun were to accidentally misfire during the standoff. In 1974, the Japanese government issued a formal apology to the families of the dead and the survivors for the attack against the Rockefeller, admitting that it was a move of hubris on the part of the torpedo boat commanders.