The USS Arizona Memorial is fully open following the completion of preservation work

The Attack on Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy.
Just before 8 a.m. local time on Sunday, December 7, 1941, 353 Japanese aircraft launched from six carriers struck the U.S. Pacific Fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor. Within two hours, eight battleships were damaged or destroyed, 188 aircraft lay in ruins, and 2,403 Americans had been killed. The first wave hit at low altitude with torpedo bombers; the second arrived twenty minutes later with high-level bombers and fighters strafing what was left.

The articles in this collection examine the attack from every angle: the diplomatic breakdown that preceded the first wave, the radar warning, the strikes on Battleship Row, and the strategic miscalculations the Japanese command made before, during, and after the raid — including the fateful decision not to launch a third wave against the harbor's fuel tanks and dry-dock facilities. Whether you're researching the chain of events, the human toll, or the immediate aftermath, you'll find primary-source accounts, ship-by-ship damage reports, and historian-led analysis here.

When you're ready to walk the harbor itself, book a guided tour of the USS Arizona Memorial and Battleship Missouri — the two sites that bookend America's entry into and victory in the Pacific War. For visitors short on time, the Pearl Harbor Excursion short tour covers the essentials in a single morning, with round-trip transportation from Waikiki.

The attack reshaped the twentieth century in under 110 minutes, drawing a divided isolationist America into the largest war in human history. The articles below help explain how, and why, those minutes still matter.

Atomic Bomb Memorial at Hiroshima

November 18, 2016 ·  
If you are ever in Hiroshima, Japan, you'll find plenty to do, like visit the beautiful Shukkei-en Garden or see a baseball game at the Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium. But there is one thing that's a must-do. Experience the Atomic Dome, the only remaining building near the epicenter from the atomic bombing on August 6th 1945. Awesome […]
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Cryptographers in Pearl Harbor and WWII

November 15, 2016 ·  
WWII was a war of deception and subterfuge. There is no better example of such deception than Pearl Harbor. On the morning of December 7th, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor while still holding peace talks with the United States. The Japanese did send a declaration of war, which conveniently did not reach the Americans […]
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The Harsh World War II POW Camps

November 15, 2016 ·  
The movie Unbroken followed the heroic story of Louis Zamperini from a rambunctious youth through his meteoric Olympic rise before joining the US Army Air Forces in time for World War II. Like many members of the military, his training brought him to Pearl Harbor, one of the most strategically important bases in the Pacific. […]
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How Did the Allies Win WWII?

November 13, 2016 ·  
From September 1st, 1939 to September 2nd, 1945, most of the world was engaged in a large-scale skirmish that claimed the lives of over 60 million people. The two warring factions, the Allies and the Axis, fought many bloody battles, pushing hard against one another, exhausting resources and men until one side was left with […]
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Battle of Midway

November 11, 2016 ·  
Pearl Harbor was the opening salvo in the battle for the Pacific. By using a surprise attack, the Japanese had hopes of crippling the United States Navy in port. Prior to the start of World War II, Japan had invaded first Manchuria, China, and finally French Indochina. America was leery of Japan’s aggressions but being so far away […]
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Pre-war history of Pearl Harbor

November 04, 2016 ·  
Pre-war history of Pearl Harbor – Wai Momi When we speak of the history of Pearl Harbor, the first thing that comes to mind is the Japanese attack, which happened in 1941 and determined the role that the US took in World War II. However, Pearl Harbor has a long history of legends, mystery, trade […]
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The Recovery - Rebuilding Pearl Harbor

October 27, 2016 ·  
“The Japanese specifically chose to attack on a Sunday because they believed Americans would be more relaxed and thus less alert on a weekend.” ~ Jennifer Rosenberg, historian It was one day of infamy – a few hours of nightmare – stemmed from a few minutes of hell. But it led to months of heartache […]
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Pearl Harbor Aftermath: Pearl Harbor After the Attack

October 23, 2016 ·  
By the time the people at Pearl Harbor had the chance to come to terms with what had happened on December 7, 1941, there was no doubt that the aftermath of the attack would take a long time to clear. America had suffered amazingly at the hands of the Japanese, losing 1,999 sailors, 233 soldiers […]
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Japan's Leaders: Who Was in Charge of the Pearl Harbor Attack?

October 22, 2016 ·  
The attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 was well coordinated, well-planned and no doubt a surprise to the US military that were stationed there. That was the plan, after all. But the attack – and the recovery – could not have been possible without the key players for both Japan and the US at […]
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The Women of Pearl Harbor

October 18, 2016 ·  
“It was then that I realized how important women can be in a war-torn world.” These were the words written by Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter Elizabeth (Betty) McIntosh, who was working at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese attacked. Her article, written a week after the attack, warned women of the things that […]
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