One of the first volumes in a new series designed to provide authoritative, useful resources on American history, "Defining Moments: The Attack on Pearl Harbor" provides readers with a detailed overview of the events of December 7, 1941. On that pivotal day, the Japanese navy launched a surprise attack on the Pearl Harbor military base, prompting the United States to declare war on Japan and effectively enter World War II. Here Laurie Collier Hillstrom explores the strike, the events that led up to it, and its consequences up to the present day. Hillstrom's extensive research is presented in three distinct sections: narrative overview; biographies, which include background on principal figures from both the Japanese and American sides; and primary sources. Additionally, the volume includes a glossary of important people, places, and terms, as well as a chronology of events, a subject index, and an annotated list of sources for further study.