JAKARTA - After the United States (US) fleet at Pearl Harbor fell apart, today, December 8, 79 years ago or in 1941, US President Franklin Roosevelt declared war against Japan. Guided by his son James, who is a Marine captain, the president walked to the House at noon to ask for a declaration of war and speak to the entire US people over the radio.
“Yesterday, December 7, 1941, the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the Imperial Japanese navy and air force. "No matter how long it takes us to overcome this planned invasion, the American people with great power will win until they reach absolute victory," said Roosevelt quoted by History.
Roosevelt ended his speech with a vow, "So, help us, God," he said to thunderous applause. Within an hour, Roosevelt pocketed a congressional agreement to start a war, with only one vote of disapproval. The person who disagreed was Jeannette Rankin, a congressman who also rejected the declaration of war on Germany during World War I.
Roosevelt signed the declaration at 4:10 p.m., wearing a black mark on his arm as a symbol of mourning for those who died at Pearl Harbor. Three days later, Japan's allies, Germany and Italy, declared war on the US.
Civil defense groups were then mobilized. In New York, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia ordered the arrest of a Japanese national, who was transported to Ellis Island and held indefinitely.
Meanwhile in California, reports of spying by Japanese-Americans were pouring out. It even made Japanese Americans pay for ad slots in newspapers to declare their loyalty to the United States.
Pearl Harbor RaidPearl Harbor is a US naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. Japan's plan at that time was simple: destroying the Pacific Fleet. That way, the US will not be able to fight back when Japanese armed forces spread throughout the South Pacific. After months of planning and training, the Japanese launched their offensive.
Just before 8 o'clock that morning, hundreds of Japanese warplanes disembarked at the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 US naval ships, including eight warships and more than 300 aircraft. More than 2,400 Americans were killed in the attacks, including civilians, and another 1,000 were injured.
No one believed that Japan would start a war by invading the distant Hawaiian islands. Moreover, American intelligence officials believed that any Japanese attack would take place on one of the relatively closest European colonies in the South Pacific such as the Dutch East Indies, Singapore or Indochina.
Because US military leaders did not expect such an imminent attack, the naval facilities at Pearl Harbor were relatively undefended. Most of the Pacific Fleet is stationed around Ford Island in port. Therefore, Pearl Harbor became an easy target for Japan.
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