Pearl Harbor was a surprise military attack conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The attack was a pivotal event that marked the United States' entry into World War II. The Japanese launched a series of coordinated air assaults targeting American warships, aircraft, and infrastructure at Pearl Harbor. The attack resulted in the sinking of four U.S. Navy battleships and the destruction or damage of numerous other vessels and aircraft. Additionally, over 2,400 American military personnel and civilians were killed, with another 1,100 injured. The attack achieved the Japanese objective of crippling the U.S. Pacific Fleet, but it also awakened a sleeping giant as the United States responded by declaring war on Japan and joining the Allied forces in the global conflict.
