The morning of December 7, 1941 promised the people of Pearl Harbor a brilliantly beautiful Sunday – when suddenly all hell fell upon them: Around eight o’clock in the morning, the US naval base on the south coast of the Hawaiian island of Oahu was taken over by the Japanese navy without a declaration of war attacked. The fighter bombers took off from three aircraft carriers located approximately 400 nautical miles north of Oahu. In the first few minutes of the first wave of attacks, the US Navy loses its three battleships “Nevada”, “California” and “Arizona”.
The second wave of attacks began 45 minutes later. The bombers take fire again at the air bases and the port. In addition, fighter jets are circling over Pearl Harbor to monitor the airspace.
Pearl Harbor becomes a turning point for America
After the first reports came in from Hawaii, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the declaration of war against Japan. Germany and Italy thereupon fulfill their alliance obligations and declare war on the USA four days later. The war in Europe turns into a world war.
Pearl Harbor was a turning point for America, says the US historian Rob Citino: “The large, neutral USA was drawn into a war as a result. […] I am convinced that the US would never have entered the war without the shock of Pearl Harbor. “
More than 3,400 military or naval personnel were killed and more than 1,100 were wounded in the Japanese attack. A total of eight American battleships, several cruisers, destroyers and supply ships and around 300 aircraft are badly damaged or destroyed by 360 Japanese fighter bombers. A part of the US Pacific fleet, such as the aircraft carriers “Saratoga”, “Lexington” and “Enterprise”, was on the high seas at the time of the attack and thus escaped the attackers.