(Reprinted from last year’s commemoration.)
“December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy.” (Listen to the recording here.)
That’s how FDR reacted to the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, which claimed over 3,500 casualties: 2,335 servicemen killed, 68 civilians killed, and 1,178 wounded, half the Pacific Fleet, and 188 fighter planes on the ground. (Back then, as in my childhood during the War in Vietnam, we didn’t use the euphemism “injured,” as if someone had gotten hurt in an accident.)
Prior to 911, Pearl Harbor was the deadliest attack on American soil. Just because it’s now number two, is no reason to forget it. Indeed, there are very good reasons to never forget it: 1. The carnage itself bears remembering—those were American boys lost while serving their country, our country; 2. The fact that Pearl was a huge military base, yet was totally unprepared for the attack; and 3. The way America fought back.
Although at the time, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was by far the most leftwing president we had ever had, you will not find him shying away from giving offense to the enemy, or permitting enemy fronts to dictate war, propaganda, or domestic social policy, as both George W. Bush and the John Doe calling himself “Barack Obama” have done. We did not permit our enemies to immigrate into the United States, and give them legal privileges we do not even give our own patriotic citizens. We did not have a President who has openly expressed his loyalty to the enemy. Indeed, we called our enemies, “the Japs” and “the Gerries,” and ridiculed them relentlessly, the way one does when one is serious about winning, and interned thousands of their co-ethnics who were on American soil.
America cannot prosecute a war multiculturally and win, because the whole point of multiculturalism, as devised by racial socialists, is to make America unable to defend herself against enemies foreign and domestic, and thereby destroy her.
And so we have spectacles such as Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, who is more worried about the feelings of Moslem terrorists than about protecting his own men, and thus not only tolerating, but retaining and promoting, and thus encouraging murderous terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan.
Unlike the Japs on December 7, 1941, Hasan gave abundant warning of what he was about. But the Army variously ignored and censored the truth, and 14 people, including one unborn child died, so as not to offend Hasan’s delicate, Moslem terrorist sensibilities.
And still, the Army and Marine Corps prostrate themselves before our enemies. Army Colonel Scot Mackenzie censors the truth, when he writes that the Afghans have a "God-willing mentality." Colonel, you know damned well, that that’s an “Allah-willing” mentality.
But according to Time’s Mark Thompson, U.S. Marine Corps Captain Jason Moore goes Colonel Mackenzie one better: He apologizes for our protecting our own men.
Joint U.S.-Afghan operations are plagued by mistrust, with the living quarters of allied and Afghan troops separated by walls, razor wire, guarded gates and machine-gun nests. “Currently, coalition forces eat, sleep and play in separate spaces from the people they are trying to train,” U.S. Marine Captain Jason Moore noted in a report earlier this year for the Corps’ Command and Staff College at Quantico, Va. In part, that’s because Taliban sympathizers in the Afghan military have shot and killed U.S. troops. “Intentional or not, it conveys a sense of distrust, hostility and disrespect to their hosts.”
They’re trying to kill us, but God—or is that “Allah”—forbid, we should offend their delicate, Moslem terrorist sensibilities.
And please remind me why we’re heading towards a tab of $1 trillion in Afghanistan alone, defending people who are literally shooting us in the back. If this country weren’t led by traitors, we would have long ago drummed Gen. Casey—who owes his present job to that great embracer of Islam, George W. Bush—out of the Army, and Capt. Moore out of the Marine Corps. Instead, Casey is on his way to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Moore is on his way to being a general officer, because disloyalty to America is the surest way up the military career ladder, these days.
One more thing—when reading the passages,
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….
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger,
Keep in mind that a “premeditated invasion” has been undertaken against America in the present day, and that “There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.”
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:
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.
The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
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.
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.
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. 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.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. 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.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense, that always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against 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.
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.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.
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.
Franklin D. Roosevelt - December 8, 1941
(My thanks to the good folks at The History Place for publishing FDR’s speech online. A tip ‘o the hat, as well, to Diana West.)
In our new culture Pearl Harbor Day is being replaced by a new great event: the death of John Lennon.
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