Pearl Harbor attack, (December 7, 1941), surprise aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii, by the Japanese that precipitated the entry of the United States into World War II. The strike climaxed a decade of worsening relations between the United States and Japan. Why Attack Pearl Harbor? As war was inevitable, Japan's only chance was the element of surprise and to destroy America's navy as quickly as possible. Japan wanted to move into the Dutch East Indies and Malaya to conquer territories that could provide important natural resources such as oil and rubber. The attack also destroyed 188 U.S. aircraft and sank or damaged 19 Navy ships. Now, 76 years later, the significance of Pearl Harbor stays with us as Americans remember that this attack launched the United States into World War II. We should also remember this date as a symbol of American grit and resilience.