Infamy Speech Before Pearl Harbor

Introduction: December 7 1941 marked a significant date, when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the United States Naval base, Pearl Harbour. The day after the attack, on December 8 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt presented his Infamy Speech to American civilians stating that; “Yesterday, December 7th 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. I asked that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on December 7 1941”. The purpose of this report is to show that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had no prior knowledge about the surprise attack supported by historical evidence in comparison to Robert Stinnett’s thoughts, the American journalist and former sailor that knew about the Japanese planning a attack on Pearl Harbour in advance.

December 7, 1941: Attacks on Pearl Harbor: Around November 25, the US intercepted a message of an imminent attack on US soil. In addition, Japan started to move its navy towards Hawaii. Washington’s response to this was a warning to Hawaii, indicating the anticipated attack. However, on December 7, 1941, a fleet on Japanese bombers approached Pearl Harbor with the intent to bomb the navy port. US navy ships were left defenseless as the Japanese torpedoes starting to sink them. Within two hours, US lost eight battleships, two cruisers, and more than a hundred planes. About two thousand soldiers died and one thousand were injured. As a result of this attack, President Roosevelt addressed the Congress, asking for the declaration of war. On

“A date which will live in infamy” is a phrase most associated with this day. An unprovoked attack aimed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 left the nation vulnerable to various outside powers. Franklin Delano Roosevelt knew the vital importance of creating and leading a crusade, so his purpose in addressing the nation was to declare war against Japan and rally the support of the citizens of America. Until the devastating bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japan had been considered an ally. Roosevelt’s speech was about bringing justice to the nation and being honest with the people about the terrible events that had just occurred. Roosevelt, serving as the thirty-second president of the United States, was in his second term when the attack happened.

“Yesterday, December 7th, 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” (1). These are the words Franklin Delano Roosevelt chose to begin his Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan. FDR’s speech was a call to arms, and in his speech he expressed outrage towards Japan and confidence in inevitable triumph. The speech was a request to declare war against Japan and to bring the United States into World War II. FDR’s speech was successful in bringing the United States into World War II because FDR presented facts explaining why war needed to be declared and used righteous indignation

In September of 1939 began the most devastating war in history, World War II. It would have the largest death count and destroy the economies of all the nations involved in the war. At the start of the war the United States of America had declared neutrality. That was until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December 1941, that very next day Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his famous “Day of Infamy” Speech to Congress. Roosevelt’s speech sent out such a huge message to the people of the United States, it was inspirational to them and was very effective to congress, not to mention that the war played a big part in the U.S. becoming a major world power.

“December 7th, 1941 ¬¬ a date which will live in infamy” (Roosevelt 1). A day where hearts were broken, lives taken, massive destruction, and a man who reassured Americans through it all. Japanese air forces deliberately attacked the United States Territory of Hawaii (History.com Staff 1). This left Americans devastated. We lost many heroes on this day in history. After the attack, the betrayal of Japan angered many Americans, at this time America and Japan were at peace. America wanted to take action, this meant attacking Japan. Who was going to take care of the country after the events of this day? The President at the time Franklin Roosevelt, he was the man who reassured all Americans. He was not just a president, he was the United States caretaker. He not only wanted to declare war on Japan but he helped American people grieve. His love for his country was shown in this time of terror. He was not defeated by this historical event, his country was not defeated either.

"December seventh 1941- A date that will live in infamy." The bombarding of Pearl Harbor is an occasion that nobody can overlook and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt 's discourse in light of this awful assault is generally as noteworthy. The Japanese launched a surprise attack against the United States forces stationed on Midway Island on the morning of December seventh. Japanese planes were detected by radar but they were mistaken as American planes that were scheduled to arrive that morning from the mainland. The Japanese attack lasted for two hours. During these two hours almost every American ship was destroyed and countless American soldiers perished. The American people were enraged and called for war but needed congress to approve. This is where FDR’s famous Pearl Harbor address comes in.

One day after the attack on Pearl Harbor Franklin D Roosevelt addressed Congress.Three days later,Germany and Italy,Japanese’s allies, declared war on the United States.

December 7th, 1941 will forever be remembered. The day after this attack President Roosevelt gave a speech to congress (Roosevelt, 1941). December 7th is the day that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and forever changed the course of the war. While the United States had many reasons to enter the war, the attack on Pearl Harbor was what finally drew them into the war. The Japanese thought attacking Pearl Harbor would cripple the United States ability to produce ships to support allied countries, and cripple the United States military. The United States had remained neutral up until this point. This atrocious attack was what finally brought the United States into World War II.

December 7 , 1941 It was just another beautiful Sunday morning in America , some Americans woke up to praise the lord and others went out for a run and others still asleep after a long Saturday , but Americans didn’t know what was coming . On this day Japan decided to attack Pearl Harbor . Japan coming in blasting and destroying everything see while America is asleep . Japan launched roughly 200 planes on pearl harbor. The Americans didn’t expect none of this especially on a Sunday morning. The attack shocked the American public , as most of the attention was focused on Europe and Hitlers two year ,two front of conquest. The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded . Japan initial success ,it failed to deliver the knockout punch on the U.S pacific fleet that it hoped for . The day after Pearl Harbor ,December 8, president Franklin Roosevelt asked congress for a declaration of war. He quoted “no matter now long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion , the American people in their righteous might will win through

The morning of December 7th, 1941 started out just like any other day on the south side of Oahu Hawaii but at 7:55 a.m. it all changed. Japanese fighter planes made an attack on the United States Naval Base, Pearl Harbor which would lead to a bloody war between the United States and Japan. By the end of the day, with the United States now on the cusp of entering World War II, a total of 2,335 U.S. servicemen and sixty-eight civilians would lie dead.

On December 8, 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a speech to congress declaring that December 7, 1941 would be “a date which will live in infamy.” He goes on to ask congress to declare war on Japan. In his speech to congress he called Japan’s attack “deliberate deception". After the attack many

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.”- Franklin D. Roosevelt. On December 7th, 1941 Japanese forces performed an air raid on the naval base Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. One of the most devastating attacks on American soil. 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes destroyed. Dry docks and airfields were likewise destroyed. Most important, 2,403 sailors, soldiers and civilians were killed and about 1,000 people were wounded (“Pearl Harbor”). This strike shocked America and changed our mood about the war. We wanted retaliation, we wanted to hurt them back, we wanted war! After two years of standing by

The United States was close to joining the war. To remain isolated and neutral they committed to sending war supplies on loan to the Allied forces (Great Britain, France, and Russia). President Franklin Roosevelt called December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy. December 7, the "date which will live in infamy," brought the United States into World War II. Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory. On that day, more than 2,300 Americans were killed. The bomb destroyed the American battleship U.S.S. Arizona and capsized the U.S.S. Oklahoma. The attack sank a total of twelve ships and damaged nine others. One-hundred sixty aircraft were destroyed and one- hundred fifty others were damaged.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Empire bombarded the US military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in a surprise attack. This ambush reminded the U.S. that they could no longer be spectators of the war and engaged them into direct conflict during World War II. On the day after the attack, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke before a joint session of the Congress, requesting for a declaration of war against Japan. Throughout his infamous speech, he utilised diction, literary devices, and his simple organization of text to urge the Congress to formally declare war on Japan and rally the American population to support the war effort, thus establishing a sense of urgency and strengthening the nation in the face of grave danger.