December 7:

1941 : Pearl Harbor bombed
At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, a Japanese dive bomber
bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan on
its wings appears out of the clouds above the island
of Oahu. A swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes followed,
descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a
ferocious assault. The surprise attack struck a
critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew
the United States irrevocably into World War II.
With diplomatic negotiations with Japan breaking down,
President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his advisers knew
that an imminent Japanese attack was probable, but
nothing had been done to increase security at the
important naval base at Pearl Harbor. It was Sunday
morning, and many military personnel had been given
passes to attend religious services off base. At 7:02
a.m., two radio operators spotted large groups of
aircraft in flight toward the island from the north,
but, with a flight of B-17s expected from the United States at the time, they were told to sound no alarm.
Thus, the Japanese air assault came as a devastating
surprise to the naval base.
Much of the Pacific fleet was rendered useless: Five
of eight battleships, three destroyers, and seven
other ships were sunk or severely damaged, and more
than 200 aircraft were destroyed. A total of 2,400
Americans were killed and 1,200 were wounded, many
while valiantly attempting to repulse the attack.
Japan's losses were some 30 planes, five midget
submarines, and fewer than 100 men. Fortunately for
the United States, all three Pacific fleet carriers
were out at sea on training maneuvers. These giant
aircraft carriers would have their revenge against
Japan six months later at the Battle of Midway,
reversing the tide against the previously invincible
Japanese navy in a spectacular victory.
The day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, President
Roosevelt appeared before a joint session of Congress
and declared, "Yesterday, December 7, 1941--a date
which will live in infamy--the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by
naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." After a
brief and forceful speech, he asked Congress to
approve a resolution recognizing the state of war
between the United States and Japan. The Senate voted
for war against Japan by 82 to 0, and the House of
Representatives approved the resolution by a vote of
388 to 1. The sole dissenter was Representative
Jeannette Rankin of Montana, a devout pacifist who had
also cast a dissenting vote against the U.S. entrance
into World War I. Three days later, Germany and Italy
declared war against the United States, and the U.S.
government responded in kind.
The American contribution to the successful Allied war
effort spanned four long years and cost more than
400,000 American lives.

history.com/tdih.do