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Front Handouts - World War II
Handout #1
Where were you
on December 7, 1941?
Some events are so important in our lives that we
remember every detail. Sometimes these events are personal such as
weddings, births, graduations, or family celebrations. Sometimes these
events are national such as the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Of all the events of World War II, the attack on
Pearl Harbor seems to stand out for most Americans. There were other very
important events during the war -- D-Day, the death of President
Roosevelt, victory in Europe, and the atom bomb, to name a few. But the
one event that Americans seem to recall in detail is Pearl Harbor.
What Happened?
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the naval
and army installations at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Hawaii was not yet a
state of the United States. At that time, Hawaii was a territory of the
United States and a base for the American Pacific Fleet. The Japanese
destroyed or disabled most of the United States fleet. Fortunately the
aircraft carriers were at sea during the attack and escaped destruction.
Thousands of American lives were lost as the ships exploded.
On December 8, President Roosevelt asked Congress to
declare war on the Japanese. His address was broadcast around the nation
(by radio.)
TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
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 the 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 warmed 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.
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What were Americans doing
on Sunday, December 7, 1941
In general, America was beginning to recover from the depths of the
Depression. For many, the approaching Christmas season promised to be more
cheerful than it had for some time.
Two Personal Accounts:
Carolyn Gregory Perkins was
14 years old in 1941. She lived in the central Kansas town of Osborne. The
family had moved from their family farm outside of town when her father
was forced to sell it because of the Depression. Carolyn was a freshman in
high school. The strongest memory she has about what she heard was the
surprise and shock expressed by the adults. The next day the entire school
was called to an assembly in the auditorium of the high school. On the
stage was a radio and the students listened as President Roosevelt asked
Congress for a declaration of war against the Japanese. "I knew
things were serious because my parents were so worried, but the whole
thing became real for me when my brother was sent overseas."
(Carolyn Gregory Perkins, Interview by Margaret Brooks, October 16, 1991)
Barbara Campbell Magerl was
9 years old in December 1941. She lived in Kansas City and her father
worked on the railroad. One of Barbara's most vivid memories is the
newsboys calling "EXTRA!" when a special edition of the
newspaper came out to report the attack. "That was exciting because
it was just like in the movies." The next two days were exciting and
frightening as her brother in the navy and her brother-in-law in the
national guard, both home on holiday, were called immediately back to
duty. (Barbara Cambell Margerl, Interview by Margaret Brooks, October 22,
1991)
Information from Through My Eyes, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, Co-Sponsored by the National Archives-Central Plains Region
and the Johnson County Museum System, reprinted by permission.
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