Pearl Harbor and Japanese Invasion Coin & Currency Collection

Attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, remains a pivotal event in American history. Japanese forces launched a surprise aerial invasion on the U.S. Naval base in Hawaii, resulting in 2,403 American deaths and catapulting the United States into World War II.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s declaration of December 7 as “a date which will live in infamy” became an iconic phrase in American memory. The attack has since been the subject of numerous books, films, and memorials, with the USS Arizona Memorial drawing over 1.8 million visitors annually.

The memory of Pearl Harbor continues to shape American foreign policy and military preparedness. As eyewitnesses become fewer, there is an increased emphasis on preserving their stories and educating future generations about this significant moment in history.