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Dec 6, 2021 · Learn how Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, propelled the U.S. into World War II and altered the course of world history. Explore the lead-up, the aftermath, and the legacy of the infamous date.
- Japan and the Path to War. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise, but Japan and the United States had been edging toward war for decades. The United States was particularly unhappy with Japan’s increasingly belligerent attitude toward China.
- Where Is Pearl Harbor? Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is located near the center of the Pacific Ocean, roughly 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland and about 4,000 miles from Japan.
- USS Arizona. The Japanese plan was simple: Destroy the Pacific Fleet. That way, the Americans would not be able to fight back as Japan’s armed forces spread across the South Pacific.
- Impact of the Pearl Harbor Attack. In all, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor crippled or destroyed nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes.
Learn about the surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, and its impact on World War II. Explore resources on the events, casualties, ships, aircraft, and heroes of the attack.
May 5, 2024 · Pearl Harbor attack, (December 7, 1941), surprise aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii, by the Japanese that precipitated the entry of the United States into World War II. The strike climaxed a decade of worsening relations between the United States and Japan.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, in the United States, just before 8:00 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, December 7, 1941.
- December 7, 1941; 81 years ago
Nov 30, 2018 · Learn about the surprise Japanese assault on the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii in 1941, which led to the U.S. entry into World War II. See photos of the damage, casualties and aftermath of the attack.
Learn about the history, causes, and consequences of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the fateful day that launched the Pacific War and changed the course of World War II. Explore articles, oral histories, artifacts, and more from the National WWII Museum, a national imperative and a patriotic duty.
