On December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Dubbed “Operation Hawaii,” it was intended to prevent the United States from interfering in Japan’s planned military conquest of Southeast Asia. To accomplish this, the plan was to destroy as many aircraft, naval vessels and equipment as possible.
At just before 8:00 AM that morning, hundreds of fighter aircraft and bombers took off, flying over Pearl Harbor in the first of two waves. The American forces were caught completely unawares, leading to mass devastation. The aircraft and submarines consistently pounded the naval base, resulting in the deaths of over 2,400 Americans, of which 2,335 were servicemen. Over 300 aircraft were damaged, while the majority of the vessels stationed there were either damaged or completely destroyed.
The next day, the US, which had thus far remained neutral, entered the Second World War. The following are a number of rare photographs from before, during and after the attack.
