What was Hawaii’s political status when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941?

Hawaii was a U.S. territory when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941.

The Territory of Hawaii was established in 1900 after the United States annexed the Hawaiian Islands in 1898. It was governed under a territorial system rather than having the full constitutional status of a state. Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959, nearly 18 years after the attack.

The territorial government had a governor appointed by the president of the United States. Military authority was separate: the Hawaiian Department handled Army defenses, while the Pacific Fleet operated from Pearl Harbor under Navy command.

A common historical error is to describe Hawaii as a state during the attack. It was not yet a state, although it was firmly under U.S. sovereignty and had American military installations central to Pacific strategy.