"A Date Which Will Live In Infamy"

"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..."

On December 8, 1941 at 12:30 pm, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed Congress about the attack on Pearl Harbor the day before. His speech is now simply known as the "Infamy Speech", which so fittingly comes from the first line in which President Roosevelt says, "December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy", outlined the events of the attack and asked Congress to declare war on the Empire of Japan. Within an hour of the speech, Congress declared war on the Japan and officially ended the United States' isolationism and brought us into World War II.

The attack on the US Naval forces at Pearl Harbor is one of those moments that forever changed the course of history not only for the United States and Japan but for the world as well. We can only imagine how WWII may have ended if the United States did not enter the war when it did. Just as in WWI. The US is responsible for putting an end to Japan's aggression in the Far East and is largely responsible for breathing a new hope into the soldiers fighing Hitler and Stalin in Europe.

With the events of Pearl Harbor still fresh in their minds, American citizens began to recognize that they could no longer take a stance of isolationism and watch as Hitler destroyed Europe and the Japanese take over the Far East. Our country came together as a whole. Men and women a like took to the factories and started turing out tanks, planes and military ammunition necessary for war. More young men enlisted in the army, navy, air force and the marines and understood that it was their time to fight for their country, our freedom and the freedom of people in Europe. It was a moment that changed America forever and we can never forget the 2,400 service men that were lost, 1100 of them who are forever entombed in the UUS Arizona, on that fateful December day.



USS West Virginia





A destroyed B-17 Flying Fortress at Hickam Field







USS Arizona which was sunk by 4 torpedoes and still lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor



USS Arizona Memorial. It's the final resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors of the USS Arizona who were killed during the attack. It was dedicated to the sailors in 1962 and on May 5, 1989 the remains of the USS Arizona were declared a National Historic Landmark

You can see where the remains of the USS Arizona lie under neath the memorial. Over 1 million people visit the memorial annually. 

Yes I know I am a little late (2 days) with this post but I have been very busy. Hope you enjoyed your little history lesson for the day :)

xoxo Katelynn