Today marks the anniversary of the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii. On this morning in 1941, hundreds of Japanese bombers descended upon Pearl Harbor for an unprovoked surprise attack on U.S. soil. By the day’s end, over 2,000 Americans were dead, including not only servicemen, but civilian men, women, and children.

Did you know? Prior to the attack, Americans were deeply divided on whether to get involved in World War II. Many Americans saw World War I as a failure and were not eager or ready to get involved in another European war, or any war for that matter. The Pearl Harbor attack, intended to hurt morale and dissuade American involvement, instead rallied the American people together to protect freedom. Within a week, the U.S. entered the war.

USS Shaw exploding at Pearl Harbor, unknown Navy photographer, December 7, 1941