"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."
-President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Although the Japanese originally intended for the bombing of Pearl Harbor to be a warning to Americans to back off and remain "neutral" in this world war, it did just the opposite (another reason for the bombing was to hinder America's naval force, so Japan could proceed with their imperialistic endeavors). Most historians tribute Pearl Harbor as one of the main causes for U.S. involvement in WWII. What most people don't know is why America was so unprepared for this war. It wasn't due to a lack of communication but due to a great underestimation of Japan. During this time, Japan was experiencing its own drive toward imperialistic actions, taking over new lands that may be owned to benefit the homeland, so America assumed Japan's military was spread too thin among various regions to successfully execute a forceful blow. The irony of this thought couldn't be stronger. At 7:45 a.m. on December 7th, the first of two surges hit. Though the attack only lasted about two hours, the mental, emotional, and physical damage inflicted lasted for years to come. This video will give first hand accounts of what people were truly experiencing during this tragic event.
"Twenty-one ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were sunk or damaged. Aircraft losses were 188 destroyed and 159 damaged, the majority hit before they had a chance to take off. There were a total of 2,403 American casualties, including 68 civilians, most of them killed by improperly fused anti-aircraft shells landing in Honolulu. There were 1,178 military and civilian wounded."
-Military.com