December 7

Air Raid on Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory killing more than 2,300 Americans. The U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed and the U.S.S. Oklahoma capsized. The attack sank three other ships and damaged many additional vessels. More than 180 aircraft were destroyed.

A hurried dispatch from the ranking United States naval officer in Pearl Harbor, Commander in Chief Pacific, to all major navy commands and fleet units provided the first official word of the attack at the ill-prepared Pearl Harbor base. It said simply: AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NOT DRILL.


"Pearl Harbor Widows have gone into war work to carry on the fight with a personal vengeance"
Corpus Christi, Texas, Howard R. Hollem, photographer, August 1942.
FSA/OWI Color Photographs, 1938-1944


Naval Dispatch from the Commander in Chief Pacific (CINCPAC) announcing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.
Words and Deeds in American History

This dispatch is one of five thousand items in The Papers of Adm. John J. Ballentine (1896-1970). The collection was deposited in the Manuscript Division by the Naval Historical Foundation.

The following day President Franklin Roosevelt, addressing a joint session of Congress, called December 7 "a date which will live in infamy." Declaring war against Japan, Congress ushered the United States into World War II and forced a nation, already close to war, to abandon isolationism. Within days, Japan's allies, Germany and Italy, declared war on the United States, and the country began a rapid transition to a war-time economy in building up armaments in support of military campaigns in the Pacific, North Africa, and Europe.

Also on the day following Pearl Harbor Alan Lomax, head of the Library of Congress Archive of American Folk Song, sent a telegram to colleagues around the U.S. asking them to collect people's immediate reactions to the bombing. Over the next few days prominent folklorists such as John Lomax, John Henry Faulk, Charles Todd, Robert Sonkin, and Lewis Jones responded by recording "man on the street" interviews in New York, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. They interviewed salesmen, electricians, janitors, oilmen, cabdrivers, housewives, students, soldiers, physicians, and others regarding the events of December 7. Among the interviewees was a California woman then visiting her family in Dallas, Texas.


The Office of War Information capitalized on the fear and outrage associated with the bombings to encourage support of war mobilization. Created seven months after the air raid, the OWI acted as a U.S. government propaganda agency generating pictures and copy like the above photograph of Pearl Harbor widows. Concentrating on subjects like aircraft factories, training for war, women in the workforce, and the armed forces, the OWI documented and celebrated American patriotism in the military and on the homefront.



Pearl Harbor Bombed!
NBC Program Book
Annotated typescript, December 7, 1941 and Microphone, circa 1938
Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division
From American Treasures of the Library of Congress

The Memory Section of American Treasures of the Library of Congress contains this annotated script of a December 7, 1941 NBC news report on the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The script preserves the announcer's markings for emphasis. The "program analysis" index card outlines all of the network's news broadcasts of that day, including the break in regularly scheduled programming to announce the tragic news from Pearl Harbor. Other NBC documentation at the Library outlines nearly every program heard over the network during the World War II era. Recordings of more than half of these programs are held by the Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division.

• Search across the American Memory Collections on Pearl Harbor and World War II to find additional items.
• Visit The Day After the Day That Will Live in Infamy, the "man in the street" interviews conducted by U.S. folklorists during the days immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The American Folklife Center has documented the thoughts and feelings expressed by average citizens following the events of September 11, 2001: see the September 11, 2001 Project.
• The Veterans History Project collects and preserves oral histories and other documents related to America's war veterans. The collection is housed and preserved at the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress. Visit Sights and Sounds: Voices from the Veteran's History Project to experience the project's online content.
• View Women Come to the Front to learn about women journalists during the Second World War. Among these women were Therese Bonney, Toni Frissell, Marvin Breckinridge Patterson, Clare Boothe Luce, Janet Flanner, and Esther Bubley.
• Search on the keyword war in "Now What a Time": Blues, Gospel, and the Fort Valley Music Festivals, 1938-1943 to hear a variety of songs related to WWII. Hear, for example, "Roosevelt and Hitler" (also titled "Strange Things Are Happining in the Land") written and sung by Buster Ezell.
• Search the Today in History Archive on World War II, or Franklin Roosevelt to read related pages. Read, for example, about Casablanca and the Allied invasion of North Africa.

Ceremonial Opening of the Pearl Harbor Dry Dock, Hawaii Territory, August 21, 1919.
Taking the Long View, 1851-1991

I completely forgot about that. God Bless those who died on that terrible day.

Let us remember the terrible event that dragged us into WWII..... (How many of us have family or friends who happened to be in WWII, Both my gradfathers were in it, one on a minesweeper, who was going to go to Japan if the nukes didn't work... another who was A military barber who worked on the ships, and also cooked... Sadely both passed away last year....)

Nice tribute, Woody. I lost an Uncle I have never known on the Oklahoma. May he and all the other brave souls that died that day rest in peace knowing their sacrifice led to a much brighter future for all of us.




Try to remember: As I write this, there are many in lonely, far-away places taking a stand for freedom on our behalf. They won't be home for Christmas. Some won't ever come home at all. Try to remember them. :wave:

Roosevelt's speech to Congress, December 8th, 1941

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. 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.

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.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."

Very moving tributes, everyone. We are quietly forgetting this date, which truly should "live in infamy."

The "Disney Goes to War" volume of "Walt Disney Treasures" is an amazing and thought-provoking thing to view. I highly recommend it, if you are inclined to see just a little glimpse of our mindset at that time....

We take a lot for granted today. And you are right to continue to remember that sacrifices of our troops....

Paul

Thank you for the tributes. May we never forget.