It happened on a Sunday morning, 7:55am local time. 360 Japanese warplanes made a ferocious, surprise, assault on the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Radio operators had noticed a large group of aircraft heading towards Pearl Harbor at 7:02 but this didn't raise suspicion because a fleet of the US's B-17 planes was expected. President Roosevelt was well aware that a Japanese attack was probable, but, even so, military personnel had been given leave to attend church services.

2,400 dead, 1,200 wounded. 5 (of 8) battleships, 200 planes, 3 destroyers and 7 other ships sunk.

The next day American declared war on Japan.