The first week of December 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbour attack that was carried out by the Imperial Japanese Navy on the United States naval base in Hawaii on 7 December 1941, killing more than 2000 people and wounding several more.
The naval base was attacked by 353 Imperial Japanese fighter planes, bombers, and torpedo planes that damaged all eight US Navy battleships. The attack also sank three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. Japan claimed it carried out the attack to keep the United States Pacific Fleet from interfering with the kingdom's attempts to throw out the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United States from Southeast Asia.
The attack is of historical significance not only for the political reasons or the amount of damage it brought but for being the event which prompted US to enter World War II. On 8 December, the United States declared war on Japan which was mainly supported by Germany and Italy.
IBtimes Singapore brings to you 15 rare images from the historic attack: