The Japanese attack the United States Navy ships anchored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack wa the most succussful surprise attack in the history of air warfare. The Japanese attack came from six aircraft carriers. Two waves were launced. The first wave consisted of 183 planes and the second ahd 167 planes. All eight of the battleships in the harbor were put out of commission with four sunk and four damaged. The Japanese also wiped out the US ground base planes. The US carriers were not in the harbor and thus escaped the attack.