Lessons of Dec. 7, 1941, are of value in today’s troubled world
Published 9:25 am Wednesday, December 7, 2016
It was 75 years ago today at 7:48 a.m. in the morning local time, when the Japanese launched a devastating attack against U.S. warships and military personnel at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
Much like Sept. 11, 2001, is for the current generation, Dec. 7, 1941, is the day of horror for what author and television newsman Tom Brokaw aptly termed “The Greatest Generation.”
Although many in that generation have now passed on, December 7 remains a day that cannot be forgotten.
On that day a total of 2,345 Americans died at Pearl Harbor and another 1,250 were injured in the surprise attack by the Japanese. Much of the Pacific Fleet was captured and nearly all of the U.S. airpower in the region was destroyed.
The Navy and Marine Corps lost 2,117 (2,008 for the Navy, 109 for the Marines) and recorded 779 wounded, while the Army lost 228 and registered 113 wounded.
The attack devastated the U.S. fleet, sinking or severely damaging 18 ships, as well as destroying 161 American planes and seriously damaging 102 more.
Although Japan and the U.S. had been at serious political odds for several years, the attack came as a stomach punch to the country.
Before the attack, most Americans wanted no part of war with Japan.
Yet, on Dec. 8, 1941 — the day after the attack — President Franklin D. Roosevelt wasted no time asking Congress for and receiving a declaration of war against Japan after delivering one of his most memorable speeches that included the oft-repeated words, “a date which will live in infamy.”
Three days after that, Germany and Italy formally declared war on the U.S., all of which signaled this nation’s entry into World War II.
Up until that point, the United States had largely stayed out of all conflicts, even as Adolf Hitler and his Third Reich had stormed across Europe with only minimal resistance and then had launched relentless air attacks on Great Britain and had invaded Russia with ground troops.
But the Pearl Harbor attack made it clear that the United States had no choice but to be a full participant in World War II. What’s more, the attack also drove home the point that America would have to enter with a full-fledged and united commitment greater than anything it had ever before shown.
It did so.
For most of the populace, the men went to war and the women went to work producing the equipment and armaments needed for a successful campaign.
It was that unified spirit that led to victory over Japan and Germany.
The number of survivors continues to dwindle. Last year, those who lived through the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor numbered between 2,000 and 2,500 nationwide. But time continues to take its toll.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day isn’t just for those who can recall the attack that drove the United States into World War II. It is a day we all can use, hopefully, to reflect not only on the attack that marked a generation but also on America’s ability to set aside any great fear and mount a response. In 1941, that response helped save the world.
It was a generation of Americans that did not cower, though they were undoubtedly afraid. They did not become paralyzed by debate and politics, though it is certain they didn’t know what to do. They didn’t protest in the streets or burn the American flag. And they did not wait, with many arriving at recruiting offices the very next day to enlist to fight and serve their country whether it be at home or on foreign land.
The prospect of attack by terrorists, domestic or otherwise, is intensely frightening. While our military response is measured, we all must rise to the occasion — with the strength to set aside fear, the courage to act and the determination to follow through.
That’s what a previous generation did following the attack on Pearl Harbor; their actions blunting the terror of their time and guaranteeing freedom for generations to come.
Hopefully, we have the courage to follow the example they provided.