A Date which will live in Infamy!



A few excerpts from United States President Franklin D Roosevelt's speech to the U.S. Congress on December 8th, 1941:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
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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 I interpret the will of the Congress and of the People when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
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With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our People - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I sometimes wonder if presidents since FDR have wondered what would have happened if the US had entered the war earlier. Maybe that is why some have felt a need protect US soil by preemptively waging war overseas. Just wondering.. what do you think?

4 comments:

  1. Sometimes I just want to hide my head in the sand and not think about such things.
    Life is just too precious.

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  2. A number of mainstream historians, such as John Toland, have shown that Roosevelt knew the attack was coming, and that it would galvanzie the American Will to get into the war.

    Future historians will tell us more about who knew what regarding the Twin Towers.

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  3. @photowannabe: Ditto that for me!

    @Andrew: yeah.. a new version of history is just another tell all book away :)

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  4. Its hard to believe it was 1941 - that is not that long ago. A lot has changed since then, and a lot has stayed the same (wow, what a profound statement - lol)
    Keven's birthday happens to be Pearl Harbor Day.

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