Events That Changed the Course of History: The Story of the Attack on Pearl Harbor 75 Years Later

It's been 75 years, and yet December 7, 1941 is still a date that will go down in the memories of Americans as one of the most devastating parts of World War II. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise strike against the United States by the Japanese. This event would lead the United States to declare war on Japan, Germany and Italy, joining World War II two years after it began. Follow the path that led to this attack, in which more than 2,400 American soldiers and sailors died and another 1,000 were wounded.

After decades of tension between the two countries, Japan decided to destroy the Pacific Fleet. The damage done to the naval base and those who had been stationed there was horrific, with four battleships being sunk with men on board. However, as devastating as the attack was, the fleet was not completely destroyed, and the strike only served to awaken a sleeping giant, as Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto put it. This attack led to the immediate engagement of U.S. forces in World War II, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and America's transition from an isolationist policy to one of global involvement.

Take a closer look at this terrible day in history and the impact it would have on America, Japan, Germany and the outcome of World War II.

Kimberly Sarmiento is a writer, researcher, and educator who developed and delivered undergraduate courses such as American Federal Government and Political Parties and Interest Groups at Cameron University.

Ms. Sarmiento is a graduate from the University of Florida with a Masters in Political Science and a Bachelors in Journalism. Over the course of her career, she has written for three regional newspapers, authored two books and several blogs on career management, and worked on customized development of marketing material that ranges from Web content to resumes.

Recently, Ms. Sarmiento has been engaged on a volunteer basis to provide advice to teens on how they can translate high school experience into résumé content for the job market or for college admissions. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and going to theme parks with her children.