The attack was supposed to be a preventile action to neutralize the Pacific Fleet. That was supposed to protect the Japan's advance into Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. In 1940 the United States stopped airplanes, parts, machine tools, and aviation gasoline from being shipped into Japan. Japan accused this of being unfriendley. In 1941 the United States completely stopped all oil from being exported into Japan because of restrictions on domestic oil consumption.
The Attack on Pearl Harbor happened on the morning of December 7, 1941. It was a surprise attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by the Japanese navy. Attacking Pearl Harbor was supposed to make sure the United States Pacific Fleet didn't influence the war that the Empire of Japan was planning in Southeast Asia.
There were two aerial attack waves that totalled 353 aircraft that was launched form six aircraft carriers. The first group from the first wave attacked battleships and aircraft carriers. The second group attacked Ford Island and Wheeler Field. And the third group attacked aircraft at Ford Island, Hickham Field, Wheeler Field, Barber’s Point, Kaneohe. The first wave from the second wave had no targets because four planes failed to launch. The second group attacked aircraft carriers and cruisers. And the third group attacked aircraft at Ford Island, Hickham Field, Wheeler Field, Barber’s Point, Kaneohe. There was a possible third wave but because of several reasons Nagumo withdrew from it.
The shipyard, power station, fuel storage facilities were attacked. There were four United States battleships that were sunk and the other four that were there all had damage. Three cuisers were also sunk and damaged. There were 188 aircraft destroyed, 2,404 people were killed and 1,282 were were hurt. The Japanease had 29 aircraft and five midget submarines that were lost. Only 65 servicemen were killed or wounded and one sailor captured. The attack put the United States into an active alliance with the European Theater.
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