, Japanese aircraft carried out a huge surprise attack on the big American air and naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Eight battleships are suck or badly damaged; three cruisers, three destroyers, two auxiliary ships, one minelayer and one target ship are sunk, 188 aircraft are destroyed or damaged on the ground. Reported casualties were given as 2,330 dead and 1,347 wounded. In 1955 official casualties were given as 2,330 dead and 1,347 wounded.
This attack destroyed much of the American Pacific Fleet. The attack also got the United States into World War II. The slogan "Remember Pearl Harbor" helped boost the morale of the population. American participation was an important reason why the Allied nations defeated the Axis nations, which were headed by Japan and Germany.
Japan wanted to acquire the rich resources of Asia. The United States were against this, so they demanded that Japan stop what they were doing, but Japan ignored this. The United States cut off its exports to Japan. Japan had few natural resources, and it relied on exports from the United States like petroleum and other goods.
General Hideki Tojo became premier of Japan in 1941. Tojo and other Japanese military leaders realized that only the United States Navy had the power to block Japan's expansion in Asia. They decided to try to weaken the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor.
Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo led the 33-ship Japanese striking force that steamed under the cover of darkness to about 230 miles north of Oahu.
On December 8, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed Congress. He called December 7 "a date which will live in infamy". Congress declared war on Japan. In a radio speech on the same day, Roosevelt told Americans they should avenge Pearl Harbor. He said "Every single man, woman, and child is a partner in the most tremendous undertaking of our American history.".
At the time of the attack, Nazi Germany had taken over much of Europe.