Pearl Harbor
~December 7, 1941~
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor occured on December 7th 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They conducted this surprise military strike was intended to keep the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interferring with the military actions of the Empire of Japan. The attack began in the early morning when Japan launched 183 planes in the first wave to attack the U.S. Navys fleet. The men aboard the ships were extremely unprepared for the attack. They awoke to gunfire, alarms, and bombs being dropped. The Japanese sent 353 planes in all to attack the fleet at Pearl Harbor. When it was over, 90 minutes later, 2,386 Americans were killed and 18 ships had been sunk. The next day the United States declared war on Japan. This event lead to the United States entering into WWII and it will always be remembered in history because of the tragic deaths of so many.