Pearl Harbour

On December 7, 1941 the United States was surprised by an attack by the Empire of Japan's Carrier Striking Task Force. The attack was on the United States Pacific Fleet and their other armed forces that were stationed at Pearl Harbour in Oahu, Hawaii. This attack pushed the U.S. to declare war, entering the second world war the next day. They began the War in the Pacific.
The attack on Pearl Harbour left 2403 casualties and 1178 wounded. 3 destroyers, one mine layer, 5 battle ships and 188 air crafts were sunk or damaged in the attack. This is compared to Japan's 64 dead, one captured, 29 aircraft and 5 midget submarines lost.

It is believed the attack was to protect Japan's move into Singapore and the East Indies in attempt to secure her access to oil by keeping the U.S. Pacific Fleet from intervening.

After the attack it was rumoured that the Japanese cut arrows in the cane fields directing their pilots to the harbour. This idea was quickly put aside when the U.S. pilots said anyone who could find Oahu would have little difficulty finding the largest harbor in the Central Pacific.

I think the attack on Pearl Harbour was a bit idiotic. From what I know, the Japanese had no real reason and the attack just added another country to the war. It made the war bigger and no one wants anymore than what already's happening. If the Japanese would have left the States alone there's the big possiblity that the atomic bomb would have never been created and the destruction that came along with it may have been avoided but we'll never really know.