Japan was quick to follow up her victory gained on the water by attacking Los Angeles from the air in the middle of May. Here again the great value of the silent motor was proved and the height to which the Japanese plane could rise. As the enemy stole over the city in the silence of the night, not a sound could be heard from their motors at the great heights which they were sailing. Bombs began to fall in the business section and the skyscrapers crumbled to pieces. Every street light was ordered out, leaving the city in total darkness. The people were aroused at the first noise of exploding bombs and rushed out to find the city in darkness. This caused a panic. Army officers tried to quiet the people and keep them in their homes because they realized the danger if they rushed out into the streets where the bombs were falling. Powerful searchlights were sweeping the sky in an effort to locate the invading planes. Then the giant aircraft guns were trained on the enemy, but the distance was so great and the planes moving so swiftly, that they were unable to do much damage. They only succeeded in bringing down three of the bombing planes. The United States scouting planes were sent out immediately, followed by the fighting planes carrying 6-inch guns. They found that the Japanese planes were dropping bombs from a height of 60,000 to 80,000 feet and the United States planes were unable to rise high enough to attack them. The battle waged thruout the night and when the sun rose the next morning, the beautiful city of Los Angeles was in ruins. Thousands of people had been killed and the most of the important buildings had been destroyed. The people of Los Angeles were more excited than they had ever been during earthquakes. The destruction and loss of life were so great that everyone forgot all about their property and money and only thought of saving their lives and protecting their loved ones. The commanding officers held a hasty conference, realizing the great damage the enemy had done and the small damage they had been able to inflict upon them and knowing that the enemy would follow this attack by more attacks it was decided that to force the people to remain meant certain death and a destruction of the balance of the valuable property, so the only thing to do was to move the people out as fast as possible and surrender the city. After the commanders had held this council, news of their decision was conveyed to the subordinate officers.