A Day that will live in infamy.
At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, a
Japanese dive bomber bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan
on its wings appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. A
swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes followed, descending on the U.S. naval
base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. The surprise attack struck
a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew the United
States irrevocably into World War II.
With diplomatic negotiations with Japan breaking down, President
Franklin D. Roosevelt and his advisers knew that an imminent Japanese
attack was probable, but nothing had been done to increase security at
the important naval base at Pearl Harbor. It was Sunday morning, and
many military personnel had been given passes to attend religious
services off base. At 7:02 a.m., two radio operators spotted large
groups of aircraft in flight toward the island from the north, but,
with a flight of B-17s expected from the United States at the time,
they were told to sound no alarm. Thus, the Japanese air assault came
as a devastating surprise to the naval base.
Much of the Pacific fleet was rendered useless: Five of eight
battleships, three destroyers, and seven other ships were sunk or
severely damaged, and more than 200 aircraft were destroyed. A total of
2,400 Americans were killed and 1,200 were wounded, many while
valiantly attempting to repulse the attack. Japan's losses were some 30
planes, five midget submarines, and fewer than 100 men. Fortunately for
the United States, all three Pacific fleet carriers were out at sea on
training maneuvers. These giant aircraft carriers would have their
revenge against Japan six months later at the Battle of Midway,
reversing the tide against the previously invincible Japanese navy in a
spectacular victory.
The day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, President Roosevelt
appeared before a joint session of Congress and declared, "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." After a brief and forceful speech, he
asked Congress to approve a resolution recognizing the state of war
between the United States and Japan. The Senate voted for war against
Japan by 82 to 0, and the House of Representatives approved the
resolution by a vote of 388 to 1. The sole dissenter was Representative
Jeannette Rankin of Montana, a devout pacifist who had also cast a
dissenting vote against the U.S. entrance into World War I. Three days
later, Germany and Italy declared war against the United States, and
the U.S. government responded in kind.
The American contribution to the successful Allied war effort
spanned four long years and cost more than 400,000 American lives.
Learn more about World War II with battle maps, videos, speeches, a D-Day timeline and more.
http://www.history.com/minisites/worldwartwo/