At about 5:00 p.m., following meetings with his military advisers, the President calmly and decisively dictated to his secretary, Grace Tully, a request to Congress for a declaration of war. Roosevelt and his chief foreign policy aide, Harry Hopkins, were interrupted by a telephone call from Secretary of War Henry Stimson and told that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt's War Address BackgroundĮarly in the afternoon of December 7, 1941, President Franklin D. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”Ĭopyright © 2021 Legends of America.'A Date Which Will Live in Infamy' The First Typed Draft of Franklin D. With confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounding determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph – so help us God. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. 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. 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. Shaw after the attack, Dec 7, 1941.Īs Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.īut, always will our whole nation remember, the character of the onslaught against us. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area.
And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. During the intervening time, the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Yesterday, Decem– 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.
Speaker, members of the Senate, of the House of Representatives. The Day of Infamy Speech lasted a little over seven minutes and began at 12:30 pm Eastern, December 8, 1941, in front of a joint session of Congress. It was heard by the largest audience in US radio history and pulled the nation together and away from their fear and dismay only hours previous. Within an hour after his short speech, Congress declared War. This famous speech, which would signal the United States involvement in World War II, would have a long-lasting effect. Roosevelt’s “Infamy” speech to Congress on December 8, 1941, was in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii the previous day by the Empire of Japan.
Thought to be one of the most famous American political speeches of the 20th Century, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his famous Infamy Speech to Congress, one day after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.