Imperial Japan launched a devastating Sunday morning surprise attack on the U.S. Navy and other military assets at Pearl Harbor, rousing a "sleeping giant" and thrusting an enraged America into World War II, on this day in history, Dec. 7, 1941.

"For nearly two hours, Japanese firepower rained down upon American ships and servicemen," reports the National World War II Museum. 

The savage raid by aircraft carrier-borne warplanes sunk or damaged 21 U.S. warships — including the USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma — destroyed or damaged 347 aircraft, and killed 2,403 Americans. 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, DEC. 6, 1884, WASHINGTON MONUMENT COMPLETED 39 YEARS AFTER CONSTRUCTION BEGAN

"Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan," President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced with determined indignation the following day, while asking Congress for a declaration of war. 

"No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory."

That "righteous might" of the American people manifested itself in the most remarkable military, industrial, logistical and spiritual mobilization in human history — leading to the liberation of hundreds of millions of people around the world.

The Empire of Japan, and fellow Axis Power Nazi Germany, had by the end of 1941 conquered much of Asia, Europe and North Africa — often with frightening ease. 

MEET THE AMERICAN WHO INSPIRED THE NATION IN TWO WORLD WARS: CHRISTIAN SOLDIER SGT. ALVIN YORK

The attack on Pearl Harbor was only the spearhead of a much wider and ambitious Japanese offensive across the Pacific Ocean that began on Dec. 7.

Roosevelt ticked off the devastating news in his emergency address on Dec. 8. 

"Yesterday the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong: Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island."

"Within days," the National World War II Museum notes, "the Japanese were masters of the Pacific."

MAN ATTEMPTS FREEDIVING WORLD RECORD, BECOMES LIFELESS UNDERWATER AS OTHERS RUSH TO HIS AID

Japan had already occupied much of China for several years.

German chancellor Adolf Hitler, flush with two years of his own victories, rashly declared war on the United States on Dec. 11. His declaration gave the U.S. justification to enter the European war, too. 

But both Japan and Germany appeared invincible. The United States appeared woefully ill-prepared to enter a global conflict across vast expanses of oceans. 

The future of civilization appeared hopeless. 

Yet within four years, thanks to America's "righteous might," both Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany lay in smoldering ruins, their ability to wage war destroyed, their conquered lands reclaimed and the hundreds of millions of people freed from domination. 

The United States then led the effort to rebuild both nations into major world economies with stable democratic leaderships.

The shape of the future world began to turn in the midst of the attack on Pearl Harbor. American sailors, soldiers and airmen overcame the shock of sudden attack and quickly began to fight back.

Fifteen sailors and one Marine earned the Medal of Honor for heroic actions that day alone. 

THE AMAZING STORY OF A WWII VETERAN WHO JOINED IN 1940 AT AGE 14 BECAUSE HE WAS HUNGRY

Among them were Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd, who died commanding the defense from the bridge of the USS Arizona, the first U.S. flag officer killed in any war; Captain Mervyn Bennion, who remained in command of USS West Virginia, saving the ship despite mortal wounds; and Chief Boatswain Edwin Hill, whose remarkable heroics freed the USS Nevada while under attack. 

"During the height of the strafing and bombing, Chief Boatswain Hill led his men of the line-handling details of the U.S.S. Nevada to the quays," reads his Medal of Honor citation. 

The Nevada was now able to set sail. But Hill wasn't done. 

He leaped into the water and swam back to his ship to continue the fight. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

"Later, while on the forecastle, attempting to let go the anchors, he was blown overboard and killed by the explosion of several bombs," the MOH citations notes.

The Nevada was the only battleship to set sail that morning. She went on to distinguished service in the war. 

The USS Nevada helped lead the D-Day invasion of Europe in 1944 and the final attacks on the Japanese home islands in the summer of 1945. 

The USS West Virginia also survived the Pearl Harbor attack, but at the loss of 106 sailors.

She triumphantly sailed into Tokyo Bay less than four years later, to witness the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II on Sept. 2, 1945.

Japan had hoped to stun the American people into docility on Dec. 7, 1941, as its army and navy swiftly conquered territory across Asia and the Pacific Ocean. 

The attack on Pearl Harbor instead forged the resolve of American people and proved the greatest miscalculation in military history.

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock will defeat Republican challenger Herschel Walker in Georgia's high stakes Senate runoff election, The Associated Press projects.

While the Senate majority has already been decided, Warnock's victory in the last ballot box showdown of the 2022 midterm elections gives the Democrats a 51-49 margin in the chamber and a bit of breathing room in their razor-thin control of the Senate.

For a second straight cycle, the final electoral fight took place in the crucial southeastern battleground state of Georgia.

Two years ago, the Democrats' sweep of the twin Georgia Senate runoffs gave them the majority. This time around, Warnock's victory gives his party something it hasn't had the past two years — control of committees, which gives Democrats the ability advance legislation and nominations more easily to the Senate floor.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ELECTION RESULTS FROM FOX NEWS

Former President Barack Obama, headlining a large rally for Warnock late last week, asked "what's the difference between 50 and 51?" 

"The answer is a lot," Obama highlighted as he answered his own question. "Let me break it down for you. An extra senator gives Democrats more breathing room on important bills. It prevents one person from holding out everything."

And Walker, in a Fox News interview over the weekend, emphasized that "by putting me in the Senate, all the committees would be even."

HIGH STAKES IN WALKER-WARNOCK GEORGIA SENATE RUNOFF SHOWDOWN

In a fundraising email to supporters, the former college and professional football star spotlighted that "the outcome of the Senate runoff in Georgia will — just like last election cycle — have critical national implications."

Two years ago, Warnock, the minister at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached, and now-Sen. Jon Ossoff swept Georgia’s twin Senate runoff elections, handing the Senate majority to the Democrats.

This year’s runoff was necessitated after Warnock led Walker by roughly 37,000 votes out of nearly 4 million cast in November’s general election. However, since neither candidate topped 50% of the vote required by Georgia law to secure victory, the race headed to a runoff.

Nearly two million Georgians cast ballots in early voting that concluded Friday, according to state officials. Democrats aggressively pushed for their supporters to get to the polls to give Warnock a head start ahead of Election Day. Democrats pointed to early voting data that indicated high turnout in blue counties and congressional districts. 

Walker and Republicans relied more on heavy Election Day turnout on Tuesday.

BIDEN AND TRUMP HELP WARNOCK, WALKER, BY STAYING OUT OF GEORGIA

Warnock, a ferocious fundraiser, dramatically out raised Walker in the runoff campaign. And the senator and allied Democratic groups out spent Walker and aligned GOP groups by a roughly two-to-one margin to run ads during the month-long runoff showdown.

Walker — a former college football legend who won a Heisman trophy and steered the University of Georgia to a national championship four decades ago — launched his Senate campaign in the summer of last year, after months of encouragement to run by former President Donald Trump, his longtime friend.

Thanks to his legendary status and immense and favorable name recognition in the Peach State, Walker instantly became the overwhelming front-runner for the GOP Senate nomination and basically ignored a field of lesser-known primary rivals as he easily captured the GOP nomination in May. 

However, Walker quickly came under fire as the general election got underway.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, OPINION, ON THE GEORGIA SENATE RUNOFF

Walker was heavily criticized both on the campaign trail and in ads over what Democrats call his numerous "bizarre or false statements," and also took fire over numerous reports that he overinflated the success of his businesses and academic record. 

Even before he faced bombshell allegations in September and October that he had persuaded and paid for past girlfriends to have abortions — which Walker, who is a vocal opponent of legalized abortion, repeatedly denied — the candidate was forced to play defense regarding a number of other personal controversies, from the accusations of past abuse and threats against his first wife to acknowledging children he fathered out of wedlock whom he had not previously publicly mentioned, despite having criticized absent fathers for decades.

Democrats once dominated elections in Georgia, but the Peach State was reliably red the past two decades, until President Biden narrowly captured the state in the 2020 election, followed by Ossoff and Warnock's razor-thin victories two months later in the Senate runoffs.

However, Republicans swept this year's statewide elections in Georgia, led by GOP Gov. Brian Kemp's comfortable victory over Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams in a rematch of their 2018 showdown.