The major global event known for the phrase "A date which will live in infamy" is the attack on Pearl Harbor, which occurred on December 7, 1941. This surprise military strike by the Japanese Imperial Navy against the U.S. naval base in Hawaii resulted in significant loss of life and damage to the Pacific Fleet. President Franklin D. Roosevelt used this phrase in his speech to Congress the following day, declaring war on Japan and marking the U.S. entry into World War II. The attack fundamentally changed the course of the war and American foreign policy, leading to an increased commitment to fighting against the Axis powers.