The United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was attacked by the Japanese. Many of the US ships in the Harbor were sunk or damaged including: eight battleships, three cruisers and three destroyers. Over 180 aircraft at the Airfields surrounding the Harbor were destroyed and 2,402 people were killed. On the USS Arizona alone, 1,777 men were killed.
The sneak attack provoked widespread condemnation from the people of the United States and was the deciding factor for the United States to enter the Second World War. The US Declaration of War against Japan the following day was followed on December 11th by Italy and Germany's declaration of war on the United States being reciprocated by Washington. The entry of the US into WW2 and the prominence of the Pacific theatre of war following Pearl Harbor meant that the war was truly global after the events of December 7th.
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| The USS Arizona explodes |
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