Pearl Harbor, located near Honolulu, Hawaii, was the site of a devastating surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. Shortly before 8 a.m. that Sunday morning, many Japanese fighter planes descended upon the base. They succeeded in either destroying or causing significant damage to nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, as well as over 300 airplanes. The attack resulted in the loss of more than 2,400 American lives, including civilians, and left more than 1,000 people injured. In the aftermath of the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called upon Congress to formally declare war on Japan.

Source: History.com Editors. “Pearl Harbor: Attack, Deaths & Facts.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 6 Dec. 2022, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor.