The Day of Infamy

A few minutes before 8:00 on a bright sunny Sunday morning, on December 7, 1941, Japanese carrier-based aircraft, torpedo bombers, and submarines launched a surprise attack on the United States Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii. Nearby military airfields were also attacked by the aircraft. Pearl Harbor was, and still is the principal naval base of the United States Pacific Fleet. The Japanese hoped to cripple the American fleet, which they thought would be the number one threat to victory against the United States. Within a few hours the Japanese had destroyed eight American battle ships, 200 American planes (still on the ground), and killed approximately 3000 American naval personnel. Thirteen other naval vessels were either sunk or badly damaged. Luckily the American aircraft carriers were not at Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack. As a result of the attack, the United States declared war on Japan the following day and entered World War II. Since then, December 7, 1941, became known as the "Day of Infamy."

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