![]() Moreover, the Pearl Harbor assault had left the base’s most vital onshore facilities-oil storage depots, repair shops, shipyards, and submarine docks-intact. (Some had returned to the mainland, and others were delivering planes to troops on Midway and Wake Islands.) Aircraft carriers were, and as it happened, all of the Pacific Fleet’s carriers were away from the base on December 7. By the 1940s, battleships were no longer the most important naval vessel. Most important, 2,403 sailors, soldiers, and civilians were killed, and about 1,000 people were wounded.īut the Japanese had failed to cripple the Pacific Fleet. Dry docks and airfields were likewise destroyed. In all, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor crippled or destroyed nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes. On this day, Congress approved Roosevelt’s declaration of war. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.”Īfter the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was clear that the American people were done debating about whether or not they should go to war, they were ready and determined to. The ship exploded and sank with more than 1,000 men trapped inside.įollowing the attack, on December 8, President Roosevelt stated: “the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked.” He continued, “No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. At 8:10, a 1,800-pound bomb smashed through the deck of the battleship USS Arizona and landed in her forward ammunition magazine. Bombs and bullets rained onto the vessels moored below. On December 7, after months of planning and practice, the Japanese launched their attack.Īt about 8 a.m., Japanese planes filled the sky over Pearl Harbor. That way, the Americans would not be able to fight back as Japan’s armed forces spread across the South Pacific. The Japanese plan was simple: Destroy the Pacific Fleet. It seemed that war was all but inevitable. During months of negotiations between Tokyo and Washington, D.C., neither side would budge. Instead, the sanctions made the Japanese more determined to stand their ground. They reasoned that without access to money and goods, and especially essential supplies like oil, Japan would have to rein in its expansionism. American officials responded to this aggression with a battery of economic sanctions and trade embargoes. ![]() To this end, Japan declared war on China in 1937, resulting in the Nanking Massacre and other atrocities. The Japanese government believed that the only way to solve its economic and demographic problems was to expand into its neighbor’s territory and take over its import market. The United States was particularly unhappy with Japan’s increasingly belligerent attitude toward China. The pretentious factor here depends on whether you believe, like some people, that FDR had knowledge of the Pearl Harbor attacks and did nothing to stop it…or if you believe those people are crackpots.The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise, but Japan and the United States had been edging toward war for decades. If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10. Where you've heard itĭecember 7th is now known as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day." It also set a precedent for the second bombing of Pearl Harbor sixty years pleted by Michael Bay and Ben Affleck. On December 7th, 1941, a "date which will live in infamy," Japan dropped a bunch of bombs straight to Pearl Harbor, killing 2,280 people and, as announced by FDR the next day, prompting the United States' entry into World War II. ![]() This line was spoken on December 8th, 1941, at the beginning of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor address. Roosevelt Sad History Historical Speeches Context ![]() Patriotism Society Politics Most Popular Death Franklin D. ![]()
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