Dick Higgins, one of the last survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, has died

Pearl Harbor

Before 1941, the United States was not directly involved in World War II, but supported Britain in the war against Nazi Germany. In addition, the Americans put pressure on Japan to counter the country's aggressive expansion campaign in Asia. The United States, among other things, dried up oil exports to Japan.

On December 7, 1941, Japan carried out a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, a military port on the Hawaiian island of Honolulu, with 353 aircraft. 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 wounded. The Japanese managed to disable or damage 19 ships. The American aircraft carriers were actually the prize, but they were not in port at the time and were unharmed.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor remains one of the deadliest attacks on American soil. It was also a decisive event for the future course of World War II. The attack prompted the Americans to declare war on Japan. A few days later, Germany, as an ally of Japan, sent a formal declaration of war to the United States.