PEARL HARBOR
CHAPTER 12 - WAR!
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Winston Churchill had hoped the United States would join the war. His embattled country, constantly bombed by Nazi Germany, needed help. In one of his famous speeches ("This Was Their Finest Hour"), Churchill expressed concern about the world’s ability to withstand Adolf Hitler: If we can stand up to him [Hitler] all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age... On December 8, FDR addressed America. Churchill, of course, already knew the United States would now join the war. In his most-quoted speech, containing a significant but little-known change, President Roosevelt said: 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 word that made his speech famous - "infamy" - was not the President’s original choice. Follow the link to see his first draft. His initial words were: Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in world history... Undoubtedly recognizing the speech (this link is the audio version) as the most important he would ever make, FDR substituted a memorable phrase for an ordinary one. And as the war dragged on people supported him and the war effort. This war was different. The United States had been attacked. Throughout her history, America’s people always band together against outside threats. Yamamoto was right when he said: But he was wrong when he and other military leaders assured the Japanese people their home islands were safe from attack.  GO TO STORY INDEX |