The USS Arizona sinks during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack.
Today is the 67th anniversary of a day of tremendous significance for people in my parents’ generation — the attack on Pearl Harbor.
It was early on Sunday morning, Hawaii time, when the Japanese planes arrived in Pearl Harbor and reduced the ships there to burning wreckage.
Back on the American mainland, it was around lunchtime. I’ve heard stories of people coming home from church that day and eating their Sunday meal, then turning on the radio and hearing reports of the attack.
But the recollections I’ve heard in my life, unfortunately, came from people who were mere children themselves when the Japanese struck. And their memories were from children’s perspectives.
The day Pearl Harbor was attacked, my father was 11 years old, less than a week from his 12th birthday. My mother had turned 10 in August. Their attention spans still must have been drawn to childlike things — dolls and marbles and such.
It was the people of my grandparents’ generation who were (moderately) young adults when the Japanese launched the "date which will live in infamy," as Franklin Roosevelt famously put it.
Unfortunately, most of the people in my world who were part of my grandparents’ generation passed away when I was still a child.
So I have had to rely on what I’ve found in the writings and the records from that period.
And what I’ve always found intriguing in Roosevelt’s speech to Congress and the nation (via radio) the following day was not his talent for turning a phrase, like "a date which will live in infamy" — although he clearly had a gift in that regard.
What struck me was the way he skillfully made his case, like an attorney in a courtroom, for America's entry into a war he had made obvious steps to avoid up to that point — in deference to the isolationist mood of the country.
In fact, Roosevelt had won an unprecedented third term the year before — in large part because he could claim to have kept the country out of war.
One hour after the attack began, Roosevelt declared in his speech, Japanese officials sent a response to the Americans’ latest overture for peace. In that reply, the Japanese rejected it, claiming that "it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations," yet the Japanese response "contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack."
Roosevelt also observed that, due to the great distance between Japan and Hawaii, it was "obvious" the attack was premeditated, planned "many days or even weeks ago."
History has yielded records that prove that Roosevelt was right beyond his wildest dreams. The attack on Pearl Harbor had been considered for years.
Here's the text of his speech. Like "The Gettysburg Address," it was brief but it played a major role in American history.
"Mr. Vice President [Henry A. Wallace], Mr. Speaker [Sam Rayburn], members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: 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.
"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 [Hirohito] looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador [Kichisaburō Nomura] to the United States and his colleague [Saburō Kurusu] delivered to our Secretary of State [Cordell Hull] a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of 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. I regret to tell you that 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. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
"Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today 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.
"But always will our whole nation 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 that 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 it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
"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 unbounding 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 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Dec. 8, 1941
While it was disgraceful in the following years when America put Japanese-Americans into its own concentration camps, in 1941 Roosevelt did not make racial or religious factors part of his case. He emphasized the unprovoked nature of the attack.
It isn’t surprising that Pearl Harbor, like September 11 a few generations later, made such an impression on everyone who lived through it, young and old alike. Like the Kennedy assassination or Nixon’s resignation, it was a moment that was shared by everyone.
But it also was memorable, of course, simply because it was so unexpected.
And a glimpse at the casualty figures bears witness to its devastation:
- 5 battleships sunk,
- 2 destroyers sunk, 1 damaged
- 1 other ship sunk, 3 damaged
- 3 battleships damaged,
- 3 cruisers damaged
- 188 aircraft destroyed, 155 aircraft damaged,
- 2,345 military and 57 civilians killed,
- 1,247 military and 35 civilians wounded.
In the aftermath of last month’s terrorist attacks, I read several columns in online Indian publications that complained of an "openness to strangers" that prevailed in Mumbai before the assault. Such an openness, it was said in many columns, "invited trouble."
It is said today, as it was said in the days following September 11 in this country — and I’m sure there were those who said it after Pearl Harbor — that this is the price you pay for living in an open society.
And while there may be a movement in India to clamp down in the name of national security, I would remind the politicians in that country that the administration of good security policy requires good sense from those who make the policy.
There are valuable lessons to be learned from history.
