HISTORY

On the morning of December 7, 1941 Japan’s Imperial Japanese Navy did a surprise attack on the United States by bombing Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japanese destroyed 2 US Navy battleships, 2 destroyers and 188 planes. Many warships and battleships were also badly damaged. 2 333 people in Pearl Harbor were killed and thousands were injured. Only 65 men from the Japanese navy were killed. Japan wanted to destroy the Pacific Fleet so there would be no one to stop them going into Malaya and the Dutch East Indies to get oil. The United States and Japan had been fighting over oil for more than 2 decades. Bombing Pearl Harbor was one of the most significant attacks of World War II, as it caused the Americans to enter the war.