A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”: FDR Asks for a

[peterd]

A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”: FDR Asks for a Declaration of War

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, stunned virtually everyone in the United States military. Japan’s carrier-launched bombers found Pearl Harbor totally unprepared. President Franklin Roosevelt quickly addressed Congress to ask for a declaration of war as illustrated in this audio excerpt. Although he never mentioned Europe or the fact that Germany had by then declared war on the United States, the Pearl Harbor attack allowed him to begin the larger intervention in the European war he had long wanted.

historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5166/

[tankcommander]

At 7:55 A.M. December 7th 1941, the Second World War began for the United States. The first bomb dropped by the Japanese hit the ground just off Battleship Row, exploding and throwing clods of dirt high in the air but causing no damage. Comdr. Logan Ramsey saw the plane drop the bomb and idly thought to himself "stupid pilot, not securing his bomb correctly." But when the plane banked he immediately recognized the "meatball" on the Japanese plane's wing and rushed to the nearby radio room. At 7:58, one of the most famous signals in American history went out in plain English, "AIR RAID, PEARL HARBOR, THIS IS NO DRILL! " In Washington Secretary of The Navy Frank Knox had just returned to his office when the message was delivered to him. He read it and blurted out, "My God, this can't be true, this must mean the Philippines." Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Harold Stark replied, "No, sir; this is Pearl."

When the "Day of Infamy" was over 2,402 Americans were dead, including 1,177 on the Battleship U.S.S. Arizona, that exploded when a bomb penetrated her decks, and detonated the gunpowder in her forward magazine.

Today oil still seeps from the Arizona. Legend says that the ship is still bleeding, and that the oil will stop when the last Pearl Harbor survivor dies.

[Sailor]

"Today oil still seeps from the Arizona. Legend says that the ship is still bleeding, and that the oil will stop when the last Pearl Harbor survivor dies."

She may continue to weep for her dead long after the last survivor passes, she and every other major warship at Pearl had topped off their fuel tanks and magazines after exercises earlier that week, a practice still followed by the entire Navy today so the fleet can be ready to go on a moment's notice.