On Dec. 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese navy launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as part of a plan to pre-empt any American military response to Japan’s planned conquest of Southeast Asian territories; the raid, which claimed some 2,400 American lives, prompted the United States to declare war against Japan the next day.

Ten years ago

Federal air marshals shot and killed an airline passenger, Rigoberto Alpizar, at Miami International Airport after he claimed to have a bomb. (It turned out that Alpizar, who suffered from bipolar disorder, had no bomb.)

Five years ago

Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, died at her home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at 61 after fighting breast cancer. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange surrendered to authorities in London, where he was jailed for nine days before being freed on bail as he fought extradition to Sweden for questioning in a rape investigation.

One year ago

Six prisoners held for 12 years at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, arrived in Uruguay amid a new push by President Barack Obama to close the U.S. prison. Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Catherine, arrived in New York City on their first official visit to the U.S.

— By The Associated Press