Pearl Harbor

World War II was a time of great sorrow for countries around the world. Many countries in Europe were fighting against one another. The United States had managed to stay out of the war, but that soon changed.

On December 7, 1941, warplanes from Japan made a surprise attack on a naval base near Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The results were deadly. More than 2,400 Americans were killed. Many warships were destroyed. It was a terrible day for the United States.

Japan attacked the United States because it had stopped selling needed goods to Japan. Japan was angry about this and decided to attack the United States.

The day after the attack, the United States declared war on Japan. Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States because they were allies of Japan. The United States became part of the war alongside Britain and the Soviet Union. Many more people were killed in World War II. It was one of the deadliest wars of all time.