Tuesday, December 07, 2010

December 7, 1941 A Date that Will Live in Infamy

The Minelayer Oglala capsized at her berth at the 1010 dock

It is pretty unusual for a country to remember the date of one of its worst defeats yet the United States still remembers today. On December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the country of Japan. Before this attack the United States had not declared war against Japan or the German/Italian coalition.

On December 8 the President Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered a speech declaring the United States to be at war with Japan.The United States declared war on Germany on December 11, the same day Germany declared war on the United States.

National Geographic has an excellent map that shows the timeline of the attack.
Navsource.org has pictures taken by Americans during the attack and the Japanese.
Americanrhetoric.org has the full text of the speech and the actual audio.
The Military channel has a video clip taken from a news reel. It includes a short clip of Roosevelt's speech.

After reviewing this information leave a comment on this post in the last ten minutes of class. Think about the attack. How would you react if this attack took place today (remember you are not old enough to serve in the military so enlisting isn't an option.) What would you do to help the nation cope with the tragedy?

45 comments:

Anonymous said...

If the attack on Pearl Harbor had taken place today I would have started a local fund raiser to buy food and medical supplies for wounded soldiers. I would probably be frustrated during that time because I wouldn't really be able to do anything except sit by and watch it happen.

-Colby

lilfiryone said...

I think that we as kids can actually help with like money and we could join the boot camp (not the army) and then we can like help our parents if there in the military i think that if the Japanese did bomb us what we could do is give the people who can fight like give them guns go talk to the president and see what he can do.

Anonymous said...

I think that if this happened today like we are not old enough people that have weapons can donate to the people that are old enough well we as kids cant really do nothing . by fidel

Anonymous said...

If the attack on Pearl Harbor happened to day I would try to find as much information and try to keep up to date with information on a blog, to tell everybody whats happening at Pearl Harbor.

I would feel really sad for the people down in Pearl Harbor because family's will die.

-Kyle Price

houa said...

Kids can't really do anything, but kids can do fundraising and offering money for charity

Naomi said...

I would be scare.What would I do to help the nation cops with the tragedy is to help the people if there risen money for the people.

Omar said...

If the French attacked Pearl Harbor right now, I would be shocked. Also, I would donate some money to help. Basically I can't do much since I'm still a kid but I'd do anything to help.

blanca said...

wow that was interesting i think that we could off helped like learn how to quilt or cook but am still a kid but i would help because i can do a lot of charity work 24/7 and that sad people died i would help the sick i would do anything.

Yessy said...

If the French were to attack Pearl Harbor I would be scared and shocked. But I would be welling to donate guns and blood to help the injured soldiers. But all though I'm still a kid I'm sure I will be able to find so guns some place like at my neighbors house or at police stations. Well, I hope that what i have to offer to you people is enough cause i don't have any more things to give.

Wade said...

I would probably volunteer to help the services by giving them food and clothing or something of that nature.

Unknown said...

If Pearl Harbor happened today I would try and help by doing anything I can. I would give my toys that were made out of iron to the army so they could make ships and guns and things of that matter.

Noah said...

I donr thank that I could do anythang if i could not in list in the ARMY

macy said...

I would probably pray if i couldn't do anything else. Or i would help volunteer to clean up down there.

aorta said...

If we had another horrible disaster like this one, I think I would be scared. But I would help a wounded person if I see them....

Ricky said...

I would help by giving people food and with helping them heal their wounds.

Yolanda Salas said...

After looking at the information on the blog about the Pearl Harbor attack, I learned a lot of what actually happened on the attack that I didn't know before. I wouldn't believe it if this same thing happened today. I would help in any way I can possible. Weather it is to raise money to help repair the damages caused in Pearl Harbor, or even donate clothes and any kind of food to all of the people in Pearl Harbor. I hope anything like that never happens again, but if it does, I'll put all my effort and anything I can do to help in any way I can.

Francisco said...

I think this video was cool but sad if this was to happen to me right now i would get under the table and i would be hoping that i would not die and probably start to cry:(

Cendy said...

After reviewing the post and taking a look at the speeches and videos, I have realized that the Japanese attack was very serious. If I was there while it happened I think I would panic without knowing what to do. I wouldn't know what was going on or who was causing it. I wouldn't know how I could help or how to make it stop. The first thing I would do would be gather all my family up and try to take them to a safer place where I know nothing can happen to us. My family is very important to me, them and god come before anything in my life. After the tragedy had ended I would try to help the wounded, and the needed. I would never like to go through this kind of experiences.
-Cendy

Dustin said...

If somthing like that was to happen like that then i probably would be with the fire department to help clean up th emess and also help elderly people that was hurt and not only elderly people also young children that was hurt!!!!!!!

BECAUSE I LIKE HELPING PEOPLE!!!!


Dustin Lukens

serenity said...

If the attack took place today I would probably do everything I can to help the little kids. I would try to help rebuild houses, and clean up roads.

Elio said...

If that would've happend today i would be shocked and confused. I would do anything to help cope with the nation's tragedy.

levy said...

I think what I would do is probably give them supplies and would give them all the money I could. And I would be in shock so bad I would not even know what to do. That's what I would probably do if that happened right know.

Unknown said...

These were good sites and yeah..................

kiley said...

I think if the attack would've taken place today that we would have had more of a defense and notice because today we are more technologically advanced and would have been more alert and aware if Japan was planning to bomb us.

Trystan said...

If I was there when the attack happened I would probably be trying to calm my family down and praying that no one in my family that was in the attack got hurt. After everyone one settled down after the attack I would help with littler kids when the adults went to help clean up the mess.

Cheyenne said...

My first reaction would be frightened...but after I thought a bit I would be wondering why Japan attacked us. To help my country i would be have to take care of the sick and injured soldiers because back then woman were not allowed to fight. I still wonder if anyone asked Japan why they attacked us....maybe the English were still mad at us and told the Japanese that we were untrustworthy....or they were framed by a country that designed and fixed their planes to look like the Japanese. What ever the truth is they ended up on America's bad side and ended up in a lot of pain... I wonder which side in this battle killed more..us in dropping the atom bomb or Japan in attacking Pearl Harbor?

Tanner said...

If the Japaneses Bombed Pearl Harbor today I think I would be worried they might try and bomb closer to the states,I would think of a way to raise money so we could find away to get over there and look for people who has survived.

Florinda said...

If we can't enlist because of our age than what are we suppose to do for our country in a time like that. Just stay at our homes and pretend the war isn't happening? Sure that's a great way to help our country.

daniel said...

This post is sad because the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor by surprise like cowards and a lot of people got injured..............

anahi said...

Well first of all i didn't like the fact that Japan threw a bomb at Hawaii. What a shame. Anyways what i would do to help the Untited states of the war they went through is fight for ourselves cause of caorse me by myself wont help on anything. Also if i were to give out a speech to the whole united states talking about the bomb i were to say that we should fight for our selves and defend others. I would also tell them to just not let the United States loose we should be brave and fight for out freedom. But my question to you is: What are we suppose to do if the bomb was cominq to us? I mean its not like we can stop it with our own hands that would be impossible. If i knew that the bomb was coming i were to live my life with my family and let everybody else know that the bomb is coming. Thats pretty much it.

Denisse said...

I would feel bad because imagine someone in your family dying and you cant do anything about it if you want to be in the army then how could we help? I would really hate it if they bombed us and Ill do whatever to help. Itll feel terrible because our town will be distroyed and our homes and there will be no other place to live at. I would be really mad but I wouldnt bomb them back because they wont have any place to live but our army had to bomb them, but they kinda diserved it.And I will do anything to get them back for what they did, and Ill ask why did they bomb us if we didnt do anything and why are we having a war between countries if we are all equal and living in the same world, and learn how to share it together!!

mckoy said...

if the attack on pearl harbor were to happen again in the U.S.What i will do is that ill go somewhere safe keep a lot of supplies with me and if i see some one that need help ill go to them and save their life. what i will do to help the nation is that i will give them supplies and see if there is anybody in need of help.

Ismael said...

The thing I would do to help the nation cope with the tragedy is ship money,food,for the people who lost their homes.

Unknown said...

I would start a fundraiser to help the people who lost their loved ones in the Pearl Harbor Attack.

Carmen said...

All these stories and videos in the blog were very interesting. What I didn't like was that if the United States had not declared war against Japan WHY did they attack..I mean the Unites States didn't have anything against them..But anyways the war passed already. What I would do to help the nation cope with the tragedy is that I will allow my house and anything in my house to help the soldiers that were in the war.I would also let them stay all they want so they could feel better before they go back home.I will also try to help with anything I can..*-*

Daisy said...

If that would of happened today i would be really sad and i would feel sorry for all the family's who lost someone in that war! I would make a church day for the people who want to pray for those people who lost there life!!!

chan said...

i would send supplies to pearl harbor like food and water and ammo

Anonymous said...

I think if it happened to day I would try to help them recover from the attack by helping fix there country, and bring some food, and some clothes. I would try to help all they people I could because they didn't get the warning until they was under attack.


Zackery

Kirsten said...

If Pearl Harbor were to happen now, I would try to raise money to pay for the war. I would also send food and other supplies to our soldiers who are fighting so hard for us. If able we should all do something for our country because we all live here and should all help out.

Courtney said...

If the Pearl Harbor Attack were to happen now, I would help raise and donate money to Pearl Harbor so that they can help all the injured people get better, and fix up the ships and buildings that were attacked. I would help in any way that I can because I know that if that had happened to me, I would want someone to help.

Anonymous said...

If the attack on Pearl Harbor was happaning right now I would send some medical supplies, food,& blanckets. Then I will try and get money and when I get $1,000 I would send it over.


-Aaron K.

Kenya said...

What I would do if war took place today I would feel so sorry for the people that died and make sure that those people would be remembered for the rest of our lives.

keith said...

i would give them food and cloths i would of also helped the people who were being shot

jasmin said...

If a war was going on today i would feel very sorry for the people that are in it i would also try to look for the families number and make them feel better.

Ryan H said...

Ryan,

If I was there I would help them by giving them some medicine, food, and I would do what ever I can to help.