President orders mobilization. United States declares war on Japan. Potomac River Naval Command with headquarters at Washington, D. C., and Severn River Naval Command with headquarters at Annapolis, Md., are established. Japanese aircraft in widely scattered operations bomb Guam, Wake, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippine Islands. Extensive damage is inflicted on United States Army aircraft at Clark Field, Luzon, P. I. Japanese forces land on Batan Island, north of Luzon, P. I., and on east coast of Malay Peninsula.
Japan interns United States Marines and nationals at Shanghai and Tientsin, China.
Japanese occupy Bangkok, Thailand. Japanese land on Tarawa and Makin, Gilbert Islands. China declares war on Japan, Germany, and Italy. Cavite Navy Yard, P. I., is heavily damaged by enemy air attack. Guam surrenders to Japanese landing force.