Pearl Harbor Timeline The Pearl Harbor Timeline covers major events in the attack on Pearl Harbor. For a more detailed look, read the articles in full below, or search for Pearl Harbor Timeline in this archive.
1893 February A revolution unseats Queen Liliuokalani and installs a new interim government. The provisional government asks for US protection. Read Article Hawaii Captured The Decatur Daily Republican, February 10, 1893 1898 July The Senate passes legislation allowing the annexation of Hawaii by the United States. Read Article Hawaii Annexed The Lima News, July 7, 1898 1908 The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard officially opens. Read Article (pictured on right) In Pearl Harbor With Our Fleet The Washington Post, August 16, 1908 1919 The Pearl Harbor dry-dock is dedicated, completing 10 years of work, costing upwards of $5 million. Read Article Uncle Sam Has Large Dry Dock In Pearl Harbor The Newark Advocate, September 16, 1919 1925 The Japanese government announces the program for the development of new naval vessels to replace their obsolete capital ships. Read Article Japanese Navy Has Building Programme The Gleaner, November 28, 1925 1934 Two Japanese destroyers capsize during ocean storms, prompting the Japanese government to redesign of their naval vessels. Read Article Japan Orders Change Made In Sea Warcraft The Lima News, July 16, 1934 1937 July China appeals to the United States, Great Britain and 12 other nations for aid in checking Japanese aggression. Read Article China Asks Nations to Aid in Blocking Japanese Ambitions The Winnipeg Free Press, July 17, 1937 December Japanese planes destroy the US gunboat Panay and two Standard Oil ships on the Yangtze River. Read Article (pictured on right) U.S. Gunboat Sunk By Japs The Ironwood Daily Globe, December 13, 1937 1939 General Nobuyuki Abe is appointed premier by Emperor Hirohito. General Abe installs his cabinet an hour later, including Vice Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto as commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Read Article General Abe Is Installed As Japan's Premier The Fresno Bee, August 30, 1939 1940 February The US Naval Fleet makes Pearl Harbor its permanent home. The move includes the repositioning of seven cruisers, 17 destroyers and the aircraft carrier Enterprise, as well as the addition of 200 airplanes to the base's defenses. Read Article Hawaii Center Of U.S. Defense The Port Arthur News, February 2, 1940 1941 January 6 President Roosevelt declares the U.S. the "arsenal of democracy" and pledges "ever-increasing" aid for democracies battling the Axis powers. Read Article U.S. Acts to Keep Roosevelt's Pledge to Help Democracies The Daily Courier, January 7, 1941 March 12 Congress passes the Lend-Lease Act, allowing the United States to provide materials to the Allied forces already engaged in World War II. Read Article Britain Hails U.S. Passage Of Lease Bill The Nevada State Journal, March 13, 1941 June 17 President Roosevelt orders all German consulates shut down. Germany issues an immediate protest to the action. Read Article U.S. Orders German Consulates Closed The Indiana Gazette, June 18, 1941 July 28 The United States places an oil embargo on Japan and begins to freeze Japanese assets in the US. Read Article U.S. Oil Sales In Japan Stopped The Syracuse Herald, July 29, 1941 November 7 Congress repeals specific sections of the neutrality act allowing the arming of US cargo ships transporting materials to warring nations. Read Article Neutrality Act Changes Urgent The Galveston Daily News, November 8, 1941 December 7 The Japanese Navy launches a surprise attack on the US fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor. The attack, lasting two hours and 20 minutes, kills 2,400 American sailors, sinks 18 ships and damages or destroys more than 300 aircraft. Read Article (pictured on right) Japs Attack U.S. Islands The Coshocton Tribune, December 7, 1941 December 8 President Roosevelt addresses a joint session of Congress, declaring December 7, "a date which will live in infamy" and requests that Congress declare war on Japan. Read Article (pictured on right) War Declared By U.S. Against Japanese; Briatin Joins War The Dunkirk Evening Observer, December 8, 1941 December 11 Germany and Italy declare war on the United States. Read Article (pictured on right) Germany and Italy Declare War On United States The Mexia Daily Herald, December 12, 1941 1942 April 18 Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle leads a raid on Tokyo. Read Article (pictured on right) Tokyo Bombing Prelude To Offensive The Galveston Daily News, April 19, 1942 1944 June 6 British, Canadian and American forces storm the beaches at Normandy, France, beginning the invasion of Europe. Read Article (pictured on right) Invasion of Europe Starts The Independent Record, June 6, 1944 1945 May 7 Germany declares its unconditional surrender, bringing an end to the war in Europe. Read Article Germany Surrenders Unconditionally The Capital, May 7, 1945 August 6 The United States drops the atomic bomb nicknamed "Little Boy" on the city of Hiroshima, killing an estimated 200,000 people. Read Article (pictured on right) Atomic Bomb Stuns Japanese The Lima News, August 7, 1945 August 9 The atomic bomb "Fat Man" is dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing an estimated 114,000 people. Read Article (pictured on right) Atomic Bomb Hits Nagasaki The Lima News, August 9, 1945 August 15 Japan signs a declaration of unconditional surrender aboard the USS Missouri, bringing an end to World War II. Read Article (pictured on right) PEACE! The Port Arthur News, August 15, 1945 1962 May 30 A memorial to the sailors killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor is dedicated on Memorial Day. Read Article A Free Nation Gradually Pays Tribute To Memory... The Gettysburg Times, May 30, 1962		Newspaper Articles (click to view readable full images) The Washington Post August 16, 1908 The Ironwood Daily Globe December 13, 1937 The Coshocton Tribune December 7, 1941 The Dunkirk Evening Observer December 8, 1941 The Mexia Daily Herald December 12, 1941 The Galveston Daily News April 19, 1942 The Independent Record June 6, 1944 The Lima News August 7, 1945 The Lima News August 9, 1945 The Port Arthur News August 15, 1945