Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The surprise military strike by Japan on the U.S. Pacific Fleet took place early in the morning, with the first wave of aircraft attacking just before 8 a.m. local time. The assault lasted under two hours and resulted in significant damage to the U.S. fleet and over 2,400 American deaths. This attack led to the United States formally entering World War II the following day on December 8, 1941.
