Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941, The American naval base in Pearl harbor near Honolulu Hawaii was attacked by a hundreds of Japanese fighter planes The Japanese was able to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, with battleships, and airplanes fighters. Instantly, more than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded. More than two years into the conflict, America had finally joined World War II.