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Learn about the surprise military strike by Japan on the American naval base in Hawaii in 1941, which led the US to join World War II. Find out the background, details, and consequences of the attack, as well as the sources and references.
- Japan and The Path to War
- Where Is Pearl Harbor?
- USS Arizona
- Impact of The Pearl Harbor Attack
- How Many People Died in Pearl Harbor?
- 'A Date Which Will Live in Infamy'
- America Enters World War II
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
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. The Japanese government believed that the only way to solve its economic and demographic problems was to expand into its neighbor’s...
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. No one believed that the Japanese would start a war with an attack on the distant islands of Hawaii. Additionally, American intelligence officials were confident that any Japanese attack would take plac...
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. On December 7, after months of planning and practice, the Japanese launched their attack. At about 8 a.m., Japanese planes filled the sky over Pearl Harbor. Bombs and bullets raine...
In all, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor crippled or destroyed nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes. Dry docks and airfields were likewise destroyed. Most importantly, more than 2,000 people died. But the Japanese had failed to cripple the Pacific Fleet. By the 1940s, battleships were no longer the most important naval vessel: Ai...
The attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 U.S. personnel, including sailors, soldiers and civilians. Additionally, 1,178 people were wounded. 129 Japanese soldiers were killed. Half of the dead at Pearl Harbor were on the USS Arizona. Today the sunken battleship serves as a memorial to all Americans who died in the attack.
President Franklin D. Rooseveltaddressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress on December 8, the day after the crushing attack on Pearl Harbor. “Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” He went on to say, “No matt...
After the Pearl Harbor attack, and for the first time during years of discussion and debate, the American people were united in their determination to go to war. The Japanese had wanted to goad the United States into an agreement to lift the economic sanctions against them; instead, they had pushed their adversary into a global conflict that ultima...
Learn about the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, that brought the U.S. into World War II. See photos, videos and historical background of the event and its aftermath.
Aug 19, 2024 · Learn about the surprise aerial attack by Japan on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, that led to the U.S. entry into World War II. Explore the prelude to war, the course of the battle, the casualties, and the aftermath of the attack.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Jun 25, 2024 · Learn about the surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy on 7 December 1941 that brought the U.S. into World War II. Explore the impact, casualties, heroes, and legacy of the attack through photos, videos, oral histories, and more.
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.
Aug 19, 2024 · Learn about the Japanese surprise air attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, that brought the United States into World War II. See historical footage, photos, and recent news related to the Pearl Harbor attack.
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.
