>>11924700

December 09, 1941

FDR delivers his first wartime ‘fireside chat,’

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/09/this-day-in-politics-december-9-1045968

With the United States now at war with Japan, on this day in 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt warned Americans — in his 19th “fireside chat” as president and his first one in wartime — to brace for a long conflict. World War II would prove to be the second deadliest in U.S. history. It would last three years and eight months until Japan surrendered on Aug. 14, 1945.

Speaking two days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the president prepared the nation for the conflict ahead. He urged Americans to steel themselves for casualties and setbacks and prepare to make the necessary sacrifices. While emphasizing that Nazi Germany and Italy also remained grave threats to the United States, FDR stopped short of calling for a declaration of war. (Two days later, Germany took away the option by taking the initiative.)

With tens of millions of anxious people listening by their radios, FDR began his 3,000-word address from the White House to his “fellow Americans” by observing that “the sudden criminal attacks perpetrated by the Japanese in the Pacific provide the climax of a decade of international immorality.

“Powerful and resourceful gangsters,” the president added, “have banded together to make war upon the whole human race. Their challenge has now been flung at the United States of America. The Japanese have treacherously violated the longstanding peace between us. Many American soldiers and sailors have been killed by enemy action. American ships have been sunk; American airplanes have been destroyed.

“The Congress and the people of the United States have accepted that challenge. Together with other free peoples, we are now fighting to maintain our right to live among our world neighbors in freedom, in common decency, without fear of assault.

“I can say with utmost confidence,” the president subsequently asserted, “that no Americans today or a thousand years hence, need feel anything but pride in our patience and in our efforts through all the years toward achieving a peace in the Pacific which would be fair and honorable to every nation, large or small. And no honest person, today or a thousand years hence, will be able to suppress a sense of indignation and horror at the treachery committed by the military dictators of Japan, under the very shadow of the flag of peace borne by their special envoys in our midst.”

FDR concluded: “So we are going to win the war and we are going to win the peace that follows.

“And in the difficult hours of this day — through dark days that may be yet to come — we will know that the vast majority of the members of the human race are on our side. Many of them are fighting with us. All of them are praying for us. But, in representing our cause, we represent theirs as well — our hope and their hope for liberty under God.”

SOURCE: National Archives

>>11924787

December 11, 1941: A Date Which Should Live in Infamy

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2014/12/11/december_11_1941_a_date_which_should_live_in_infamy_124917.html

Even with the dastardly attack on Pearl Harbor four days earlier, America had still not formally entered World War II as of the morning December 11, 1941.

In the intervening time, the country’s military and civilian population had gone to battle stations, even before President Roosevelt had asked Congress for a formal declaration of war after the Empire of Japan had attacked U.S. military installations at Oahu, Wake Island, Guam and Midway along with British military outposts at Hong Kong and Singapore.

Hours after the attack at Pearl Harbor and despite plenty of warning, the Philippines, under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, were also attacked and dozens of American planes were destroyed on the ground.

After the formality of voting unanimously in the Senate (with only Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin voting no in the House), Congress approved FDR’s declaration of war the afternoon of December 8. But it was only a declaration of war against Japan – and not against her Tripartite Pact allies, Germany and Italy.

From the afternoon of December 7until the morning of December 11, no prominent U.S. politician, no widely read newspaper columnist, no administration official, no major business leader called for declaring war on Germany and Italy. Roosevelt was aware of this, as well: In the papers of Secretary of War Henry Stimson was discovered a draft of Roosevelt’s avowal before Congress, but with a pencil line drawn through the names of Germany and Italy.

Clearly, FDR’s war counsel had discussed on the evening of December 7 declaring war on all three Axis countries and being done with it. The United States certainly had justification to declare war on Germany as Adolf Hitler had issued a personal order to German U-boats to shoot on sight any American ship on the North Atlantic, military or civilian, the same barbaric tactic that had pushed Woodrow Wilson into war.

Hitler hated the United States he often ranted about supposed Jewish control of the country and was particularly obsessed with Roosevelt, whom he crudely slandered in public and private. The Fuhrer sometimes called FDR “Frau Roosevelt,” and made fun of his confinement to a wheelchair. On December 8, however, FDR had only asked for a declaration of war against Japan.

The Anti-Comintern Pact (and, later, the Tripartite Pact) were mutual defense treaties between the three Axis powers. But by 1941 no one expected Hitler to feel bound by a piece of paper. Just ask Neville Chamberlain or Josef Stalin. Hitler had broken agreements with both men, invading Poland and thus pulling Britain into the war, and invading the Soviet Union. (Speaking of papers, on December 9, German diplomats at their Washington, D.C., embassy were observed burning documents. Within a short time, they would be transferred to a remote resort south of Washington, where they had nothing to do but get drunk all day. The Japanese envoys were already deep into their own stash of hooch.)

In response, FDR sent a message to Capitol Hill, asking for a declaration of war against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. This time it was approved unanimously, as Rep. Rankin abstained. The congressional galleries were only half-filled. The drama of just four days earlier was, by and large, gone, replaced by a resolute government, military and citizenry.

Nonetheless, it was the events of December 11, 1941, that plunged America into the inferno of a fully involved world war, one it had vowed to stay out of, changing the future of the country and the world. The United States would never again be an isolationist nation.

>>11924815

December 12, 1941

https://philippinediaryproject.com/1941/12/12/december-12-1941/

Japanese landings in Legaspi and Davao reported. Ft. Wint and Olongapo also bombed. I am saddened when my boss and idol Maj. Andrada USNA ’30 turned over his OSP command on orders of Gen. MacArthur two days ago to his ExO Captain Enrique L. Jurado USNA ’34. I thought Andrada’s relief is unfortunate. He placed the Q-Boats on war footing last Nov. 27 on his initiative. His new assignment is as Ft. Wint Comdr.

The Q-Boat Squadron is assigned to patrol inside Manila Bay waters while PT RON 3, the China Sea Approaches to Corregidor and assist the Harbor Defense Command of Gen. Moore. The approaches to Manila Bay west of Corregidor are mined. A narrow channel serves as entrance and exit to Manila Bay an one of the PT jobs is to guide those vessels not familiar with that channel.

During the Japanese landings in Northern Luzon, Capt. Colin Kelly of the FEAF is credited with bombing and sinking an enemy battleship. He was killed after his plane was shot down. Pres. Roosevelt promised that Capt. Kelly’s one year old son will be eligible to enter West Point when he comes of age, his Dad’s alma mater.