Explanation:

  World War II, or the Second World War, was truly a global war, or a war that affected the whole world. Most of the powerful countries in the world were involved in the war in one of two alliances (or groups of countries that work together during a war): the Allies and the Axis. The Allies included the United States, the United Kingdom, the USSR (which would later become Russia and other countries), France, and Poland. The Axis included Germany, Italy, and Japan.

  Membership or participation in each of the alliances was fluid, meaning that it changed over time as some countries became part of the Allies and the Axis and other countries left them. The United States was a late entrant to the war, meaning that the U.S. was not one of the first countries in World War II, but began fighting later. Most of the people in the United States wanted the country to follow isolationism, or a type of government that does not get involved in foreign affairs, or things that are happening in other countries. However, on December 7, 1941, Americans changed their mind, or changed what they thought about isolationism.

  The United States had a naval base, or a place where the country’s military ships are kept, in a place called Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked (or fought against) Pearl Harbor. The Japanese bombed (or dropped weapons that explode) on Pearl Harbor, destroying many U.S. ships and planes and killing almost 2,400 Americans.

  The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor as a preventative measure, or something that might keep something else from happening. Although the United States wasn’t fighting in the war yet, the Japanese knew that the United States might become involved. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor to try to make it impossible for the United States to enter the war. In fact, however, when they bombed Pearl Harbor, it was the final push, or the last thing that needed to happen, for the United States to decide to enter the war.

 

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