December 7, 1941
On that fateful Sunday, millions of Americans, taking a well-deserved respite after a week of hard work, sat relaxing and listening to their radios. However, their tranquility was suddenly dashed into despair, just as their nation was suddenly accelerated into war, when it was announced that Japan had succeeded in a devastating attack upon Pearl Harbor, Oahu in the Hawaii Islands.
Prelude to War
For the people of the United States World War II seemed to arrive on their doorstep at about 7:51 a.m. on December 7, 1941. But this war had already been steadily tramping closer and closer to them. War was coming nearer long before that December day that Fuchida, soaring over tropical Pacific waters, gave his squadron of "level-altitude" Japanese Kate torpedo-bombers the attack order. It crept even closer to America when Fuchida's radioman sent out the "famous" 'Tora, Tora, Tora' signal, the Japanese word for tiger" and caught the U.S. Pacific Fleet by surprise as it slumbered in its warm Sunday paradise.
Not All the World Slumbered
But, prior to December 7, not all of the world, or all of the United States had been sleeping. In November of 1936, Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany and Italy, which concerned the "expansion of heavy industry." This was done with a view to enabling Japan to "wage total war" for some three years longer with China.
Bombing Pearl Harbor: A Day of Infamy continues with Japan Favors War with America: U. S. Implements Trade Embargo Against Japan.
Recommended Reading:
Before the Bay of Pigs: Beware of Castro and Khrushchev.
The Bay of Pigs: United States Prepares For a Takeover.
