Paul Frank

HIST 1700

Monday 7:00-9:50 Class

A Day That Will Live in Infamy

What does infamy mean? The dictionary defines is as an extremely bad

reputation, public reproach, or strong condemnation as the result of a shameful,

criminal, or outrageous act. President Franklin D. Roosevelt describes December 7,

1941 as a date which will live in infamy. On this date the United States of America

was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

Pearl Harbor was the main base for the United States Pacific Fleet. 8 Battleships

were at the base, 7 on Battleship Row, and one in dry dock. These were the primary

targets of the Japanese due to the fact that the aircraft carriers were out on maneuvers.

The Japanese use various bombers, and placed torpedoes on some planes in order to

cause much destruction. They caught the base by surprise and between the two waves

of attacks killed 2,335 military members, and 68 civilians. Along with that three

battleships were totally destroyed, the worst of which being the USS Arizona. There was

also destruction to various airfields, and facilities around the island.

When President Roosevelt wrote his speech to give to congress, he was

receiving updates from Pearl Harbor, and wanted to declare war on the Japanese. This

also meant declaring war on Germany as well as Italy because they were all allies. This

would ruin the neutrality of the United States and bring them into World War 2.

President Roosevelt had to get permission from congress to declare war, which is why

he was to the point, and strong in his speech. He talks about how it was very deliberate,
and with no warning. At the time they were even working towards maintaining peace in

the Pacific Ocean, however Japan decided that if a resolution could not be agreed upon

by November 1941 that they would go to war with the United States. They also attacked

various other places around the Pacific Ocean which Roosevelt also states in his

speech. He does not merely list them off though, he says six times with various

locations Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

In one section of his speech, President Roosevelt speaks as if congress has

already made the decision to declare war. He says 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 he says this to make up the minds of

congress into declaring war before they had officially decided. I also believe he said this

to help unite a divided America. Before they officially entered the war, America was split

on whether or not to enter the war. Many did not want to because they remembered

World War 1, and did not want to be apart of World War 2.

He calls this attack premeditated because Pearl Harbor is a long distance away

from Japan, and there was not a reason for Japan to have a military force there. The

U.S. had embargoed Japan, and Japan felt the pressure, which is why they decided to

take a premeditated military action.

Americas big businesses prospered because of the declaration of war that

Roosevelt had asked for. Before the United States officially entered the war, there was

some armaments and supplies being built for the purpose of war, which would then be

sent to the war effort through various deals such as the Lend-Lease program. However,

when the U.S. entered the war and the government offered to assume all the costs of
development and production and guaranteed a profit on the sales for the businesses

that built the armaments, corporate profits skyrocketed. In total, profits for the

corporations grew 6.4 Billion to 11 Billion dollars. These profits helped to encourage

corporations to build armaments to supply the military as well as make large profits.

Another effect of this call to war was the draft. Only one division of troops were

ready to fight when war broke out, but during the war ten million men were drafted. A

draft is not a choice to fight, but an order to serve in the military. This would not be the

last time that the United States used this method in getting troops for the war.

President Roosevelt's speech changed the entire nation in one way or another. If

he had not called for war, or if Congress had not approved the war, then the United

States would have been very different, and many lives would have been on a different

course. However, in an effort to protect the country, and avenge the deaths at Pearl

Harbor, President Roosevelt called for war.

American Civilization, A Brief history

Galvin, G. (2016, December 5). Pearl Harbor, By the Numbers. Retrieved
September 17, 2017, from https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2016-
12-05/pearl-harbor-by-the-numbers
infamy. (n.d.). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved September 17, 2017 from
Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/infamy
LoProto, M. (2017, May 27). Pearl Harbor by the Numbers. Retrieved September
17, 2017, from https://visitpearlharbor.org/pearl-harbor-numbers/
Roosevelt, F. D. (n.d.). Pearl Harbor Speech. Speech. Retrieved from
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=1082