Based on the real Admiral Yamamoto. Sō Yamamura portrays his strategic role in planning the attack and his known reluctance about a prolonged war with the U.S., reflecting historical understanding.

Based on the real Admiral Nagumo, accurately depicted leading the carrier strike force.

Based on the real Commander Fuchida, accurately shown leading the air attack and sending the famous "Tora! Tora! Tora!" signal indicating surprise was achieved.

Based on the real Commander Genda, accurately depicted as one of the primary architects of the attack plan under Yamamoto. Genda served as a technical advisor for the film.

Based on the real Admiral Kimmel. Martin Balsam portrays him as the commander in Pearl Harbor caught by surprise, reflecting the historical situation and subsequent controversy/scapegoating.

Based on the real General Short. Jason Robards portrays him as the Army commander responsible for Hawaii's defense, focusing anti-sabotage measures over invasion threat, reflecting historical errors.

Accurately depicts the internal debates, meticulous planning (led by Yamamoto, Genda), training, and secrecy involved in preparing the surprise attack.

Accurately portrays the breakdown of diplomatic talks in Washington D.C. in the months and days leading up to the attack, including the roles of Hull, Nomura, and Kurusu.

Accurately shows the US success in breaking Japanese diplomatic codes (MAGIC) but highlights the failure to correctly interpret or act decisively upon the intelligence gathered.

A central theme accurately depicted: communication delays, inter-service rivalry, misinterpretation of warnings, and underestimation of Japanese capabilities contributed significantly to the US unpreparedness.

Accurately shows the crucial delay in decoding and delivering Japan's final message (breaking off negotiations) to US officials until after the attack had already begun.

Accurately depicts the destroyer USS Ward detecting and sinking a Japanese midget submarine trying to enter Pearl Harbor just hours before the main air attack.

Accurately portrays the new US Army radar station detecting the Japanese planes but the warning being dismissed by an inexperienced officer as likely B-17s arriving from the mainland.

Accurately depicts the US commanders in Hawaii focusing defensive measures against sabotage (e.g., bunching planes together), underestimating the possibility of a large-scale air attack.

The film meticulously recreates the two waves of the Japanese air attack, showing the types of planes, specific targets (Battleship Row, airfields), and the sequence of events with notable accuracy.

Accurately portrays the devastating losses inflicted, including the sinking/damage of major battleships (like the USS Arizona) and the destruction of numerous aircraft on the ground.

Accurately shows that only a few US fighter pilots (like Welch and Taylor, though not explicitly named in the film) managed to get airborne and engage the attackers amidst the chaos.

The famous line attributed to Yamamoto ("I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant...") is likely apocryphal, probably invented for this film, though it reflects his known private concerns.

Accurately depicts Commander Fuchida sending the code signal "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!) signifying that complete surprise had been achieved in the attack.

The specific scene of a damaged Japanese plane deliberately crashing into a hangar is a composite/dramatization of several actual crashes that occurred during the attack, though not necessarily intentional kamikaze acts.

Meticulously recreated the layout and appearance of the base, including Battleship Row, Ford Island, and surrounding airfields, using detailed models, sets, and filming near Pearl Harbor where possible.

Accurately portrays the settings for diplomatic negotiations (State Department) and military/intelligence offices relevant to the events leading up to the attack.

Used US Navy carriers (like USS Yorktown) modified to resemble Japanese carriers (like Akagi) for launch sequences, providing a high degree of visual accuracy for the time.

Utilized numerous real and modified aircraft (e.g., T-6 Texans converted to look like Zeros, Vals, Kates; real P-40s and B-17s) to accurately represent the planes involved on both sides.

Costumes accurately reflect the service uniforms, flight gear, and insignia for both American and Japanese military personnel in 1941.

Captures the sense of routine and relative unpreparedness at the naval base and airfields on the morning of Sunday, December 7th, highlighting the element of surprise.

Employed large-scale practical special effects (for its time) to realistically depict the explosions, sinking ships, and destruction during the attack sequence, winning an Oscar for Visual Effects.

Combined filming at actual Pearl Harbor locations with detailed sets and miniatures (like a full-scale replica section of the battleship Nagato) to achieve a high level of visual authenticity.