A Day Which Will Live In Infamy!

Dec. 7, 2012 - PRLog -- It may have been many years for some but the memory will never be erased from their minds when one morning on December 7th 1941 a Japanese dive bomber bearing the national red symbol of the Empire Of Japan, the Rising Sun, appeared on the wings and tail flash of its Japanese aircraft as it  was seen coming out of the clouds above the Hawaiian  island of Oahu. A swarming hive of 360 Japanese warplanes ensued, attacking with claws outstretched over the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese surprise attack struck a crucial blow against the United States Pacific fleet at anchor and brought the United States quickly and decisively into World War II.

Just weeks prior the US and Japanese were on speaking terms which soon fell into distrust and false claims resulting in diplomatic negotiation breakdown. Soon President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his advisers became increasingly aware that an imminent Japanese attack would be probable. Unfortunately no additional security or threat awareness was raised at Pearl. Sunday morning came and like any other Sunday at Pearl Harbor many sailors were enjoying some shore leave or were attending religious services.  At 7:02 a.m. in the morning, two radar operators spotted very large groups of aircraft heading inbound coming to the island from the North but were confused with a scheduled flight of B-17's expected to arrive that morning. No alarm was sounded and as a result the 360 Japanese planes descended on Pearl Harbor and its neatly aligned sleeping ships. The Japanese Empire's attack on the US naval fleet came as a complete surprise.

As a result of the attack the butcher's bill came at a steep price with 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 a small 30 planes, five midget submarines, and fewer than 100 men. The united States did experience some luck that morning amidst the devastation however. All three Pacific fleet carriers were not at Pearl during the attack having been sent out to sea for training maneuvers. The entire oil installations at Pearl were also left untouched and should they have been destroyed could have rendered the entire fleet helpless and much of Pearl destroyed beyond repair. As a result of the US carriers surviving they would later be instrumental at the Battle of Midway destroying the Japanese carriers resulting in Japan going on the defensive for the first time in the war.

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.

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