Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands are now a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the United States Pacific Fleet. The U.S. government first obtained exclusive use of the inlet and the right to maintain a repair and coaling station for ships here in 1887. The surprise attack on the harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy on December 7, 1941, led the United States to declare war on the Empire of Japan, marking the United States' entry into World War II.
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Some of the key events about Pearl Harbor

  • 1887
    The United States was granted exclusive rights to Pearl Harbor for a naval base
  • 1908
    The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was established
  • 1933
    The first permanent submarine base in the Pacific was established at Pearl Harbor
  • 1941
    The Pacific Fleet headquarters was transferred from San Diego to Pearl Harbor
  • 1941
    A surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service devastated the United States naval base
  • 1941
    Over 2,400 Americans were killed and 1,100 were wounded in the attack
  • 1941
    Eighteen ships were sunk or run aground, including five battleships
  • 1941
    188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed during the assault
  • 1941
    The USS Arizona was sunk with 1,177 officers and crewmen losing their lives
  • 1941
    The attack led to the United States' formal entry into World War II the following day
  • 1941
    The oil leaking from the sunken USS Arizona became known as the "tears of the Arizona"
  • 1941
    The attack resulted in significant damage to U.S. military capabilities in the Pacific
  • 1941
    The event shattered the illusion of American invulnerability and isolationism
  • 1941
    The attack was later judged to be a war crime during the Tokyo Trials
  • 1962
    The USS Arizona Memorial was dedicated, honoring those who lost their lives in the 1941 attack
  • 1978
    Pearl Harbor was designated as a National Historic Landmark
  • 1989
    The USS Missouri, on which the Japanese surrender was signed, was moved to Pearl Harbor
  • 1999
    The USS Missouri was opened as a museum ship at Pearl Harbor
  • 2010
    The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center was opened, enhancing the educational experience for visitors
  • 2016
    The 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack was commemorated with international peace and reconciliation ceremonies

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.

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