Final answer:
The Japanese attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This was a surprise attack in which many American servicemen were killed or wounded, and a significant portion of the U.S. Pacific fleet was damaged or destroyed. The attack marked the United States' entry into World War II.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Japanese attack on the American fleet docked at Pearl Harbor happened on December 7, 1941. This date, described by Franklin D. Roosevelt as 'a date which will live in infamy,' marked the United States' entry into World War II. The surprise attack was meticulously planned by the Japanese forces who viewed the United States as a reluctant participant in the growing global conflicts of the era.
On that day, Japanese fighter planes launched two waves of attacks that damaged or destroyed the majority of the U.S. Pacific fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor. The attack caused major casualties, with roughly 2,400 servicemen killed and 1,100 wounded. The following day, the U.S Congress voted unanimously to declare war on Japan, officially entering the U.S. into World War II.
The attack, not just restricted to Pearl Harbor, was part of a wider offensive carried out by Japan. Close to the same time, the Japanese forces attacked other U.S bases in the Philippines, Guam, and Wake Island. Despite the initial shock and losses suffered, this attack ushered in a new era of American internationalism and was the catalyst that eventually led to Allied victory in World War II.
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