Attack on Pearl Harbor

At 7:48 a.m. on December 7, 1941, the blue waters of the Pacific were cast under a dark shadow as more than 350 Japanese warplanes attacked Pearl Harbor on Oahu. Locals watched in horror as smoke gathered in the distance and before long they were running for shelter as rogue bombs dropped across the island. The attack claimed the lives of 2,403 Americans and left thousands more injured. Before noon, authorities declared martial law and less than 24 hours later the United States entered World War II. Fearing another attack, nearly all aspects of Hawaiian life were under military control-barbed wire surrounded beaches, residents were forced to carry identification cards, and curfews were enforced. The tragedy also called the loyalty of Japanese Americans into question. Almost 120,000 were sent to internment camps for the duration of the conflict. The war would rage on for four years after the bombing, but the impact of Pearl Harbor would be felt long after.