The correct statement regarding how the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, changed the course of World War II is:
It caused the United States to formally declare war on Japan, which led to Germany and Italy declaring war on the U.S., pulling America into the global conflict.
This event marked a significant turning point in the war, as it transformed the United States from a position of neutrality to active involvement in both the Pacific and European theaters, fundamentally altering the dynamics of World War II. The attack galvanized American public opinion in favor of entering the war and united the country against the Axis powers.