Date Which Will Live In Infamy. World War II — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. World War II Timeline. Pearl Harbor Timeline. Pearl Harbor — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. The Japanese plan was simple: Destroy the Pacific Fleet.
That way, the Americans would not be able to fight back as Japan’s armed forces spread across the South Pacific. On December 7, after months of planning and practice, the Japanese launched their attack. At about 8 a.m., Japanese planes filled the sky over Pearl Harbor. The Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941. Related Resources: The road to war between Japan and the United States began in the 1930s when differences over China drove the two nations apart.
In 1931 Japan conquered Manchuria, which until then had been part of China.