Pearl Harbor attack, surprise aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii, by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, which precipitated the entry of the United States into World War II. Learn more about the details and significance of the attack in this article.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the Territory of Hawaii devastated U.S. naval power in the Pacific and precipitated America’s entry into World War II.