Seventy years ago Japan made a pre-emptive strike on the US Pacific Fleet's Hawaii base, at Pearl Harbour early on Sunday, December 7, 1941 which changed the course of World War Two and hastened America's entry into the global conflict. We take a look back at some of the key events that took place. 

BUILD UP

The attack climaxed a decade of worsening relations between the United States and Japan.

Japan's invasion of China in 1937, its subsequent alliance with the Axis powers (Germany and Italy) in 1940, and its occupation of French Indochina in July 1941 prompted the United States to respond that same month, by freezing Japanese assets in the United States and declaring an embargo on petroleum shipments and other vital war materials to Japan.

By late 1941 the United States had severed practically all commercial and financial relations with Japan.

Japan moved forward with war plans.

THE ATTACK

The first wave arrived over Pearl Harbour at approximately 7.45 am to find seven US battleships moored along 'Battleship Row,' on the east side of Ford Island. There was then high-level bombing.

The second wave of planes further attacked some of the ships already hit, further destroying the Navy Yard.

SOME NUMBERS

Six battleships were sunk, three other battleships, three cruisers, three destroyers, and other vessels were also damaged.

More than 160 aircraft were destroyed and another 124 were damaged. US military casualties totaled more than 3,400, including more than 2,400 killed and 1,178 wounded.

The Japanese lost around 29 planes, five midget submarines, perhaps one or two fleet submarines, and fewer than 100 men.

THE AFTERMATH

The Pearl Harbour attack severely crippled US naval and air strength in the Pacific. However, the three aircraft carriers attached to the Pacific Fleet were not at Pearl Harbour at the time and thus escaped damage.

All but the Arizona and Oklahoma battleships were eventually repaired and returned to service, and the Japanese failed to destroy the important oil storage facilities on the island.

"The date which will live in infamy," as US President Franklin D. Roosevelt termed it, unified the US public and swept away any earlier support for neutrality.

On December 8, Congress declared war on Japan with only one dissenting vote.

Germany and Italy, as allies of Japan, declared war on the United States on December 11.

- Reuters