FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘A date which will live in infamy’

Rescuing survivors near the USS West Virginia after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941.

Editor's note: The following is an article that ran on Dec. 8, 1941, in the Appeal-Democrat that details what happened after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. In remembrance of this day in history, the Appeal is presenting the article as it was written in full.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (AP) – Congress voted a formal declaration of war against Japan today after President Roosevelt requested immediate action as an answer to Japan's unprovoked and dastardly "attack" on Hawaii.

A united congress acted swiftly after the president had revealed that American forces lost two warships and 3,000 dead and wounded in the surprise dawn attack yesterday.

The senate vote of 82 to 0 and the house vote of 388 to 1 told their own story of unity in the face of common danger. The speed with which the two chambers granted President Roosevelt's request for a declaration was unprecedented.

Miss Jeannette Rankin (R-Mont.) who voted against a declaration of war with Germany in 1917, was the lone member casting a negative vote. Rep. Harold Knutson (R-Minn.) who also voted against the 1917 declaration, voted for war against Japan.

As congress was acting, Japan claimed she had won naval supremacy over the United States in the Pacific. The Japanese claimed in reports broadcast by the official radio in Tokyo that they had destroyed four American battleships and one aircraft carrier and had damaged four other battleships and six cruisers.

A DNB news dispatch for Tokyo said a United States transport had been sunk with the loss of 350 men near Manila.

Solons remember 3,000 killed and wounded

In his epochal message to congress President Roosevelt made no mention of Italy and Germany as he asked for war against Japan.

The officially announced loss of two warships and 3,000 men dead and wounded in Japan's raid on Hawaii was fresh in the minds of the legislators.

The senate and house had assembled together to hear President Roosevelt ask the declaration. They cheered him enthusiastically and then pushed the resolution through with not a moment's waste of time.

Both branches had just cheered to the echo of President Roosevelt's appeal for the declaration.

"I ask," the chief executive told a joint session "that the congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday December 7th, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire."

The president said that yesterday was "a date which will live in infamy."

Senate and house act immediately

Within 20 minutes after he finished the senate had acted.

The momentous doings at the capitol followed a White House announcement that Japan's sudden attack on Hawaii yesterday had cost the United States two warships and 3,000 dead and wounded.

There was no demonstration following the senate vote. The members turned to routine matters.

"In this shocking hour words will not express our feelings nor our righteous indignation," said Rep. Luther Johnson (D.-Texas).

He called the Japanese attacks "dastardly treachery characteristic of the totalitarian outlaws who talke peace when they have already drawn the dagger to strike."

Rep. Katharine Byron (D.-Md.) said she was "willing to give her sons" and she was "100 percent for going into this thing and beating the Japanese."

In the hour Rep. Martin of Massachusetts, Republican leader, won thunderous applause as he pledged "unqualified support" to the president and expressed the hope that not one vote would be cast against the resolution.

"There can be no peace," Martin shouted, "until the enemy is made to pay in a full way for his dastardly deed. Let us show the world we are a united nation."

Tokyo's claim was sweeping. An aircraft carrier sent to the bottom by a submarine off Honolulu, two American battleships sunk, four others damaged and four heavy cruisers damaged in the unprovoked Sunday morning bombing attack that exploded war throughout the Pacfici. The announcement said no Japanese losses had occurred.

Official sources here ignored the Japanese claims in silence, but the communique issued by the naval section of the Japanese imperial headquarters was the grimmest sort of news to a city that was at peace only yesterday.

The nation had been bracing itself for bad tidings. It was known the Navy had taken some hard blows, and the White House warned last night that the fleet's losses undoubtedly would prove heavy. The Tokyo claims heightened the grimness.

No one seemed to question that, after hearing the president's special message, congress would reply to the Japanese aggression with a declaration of war to match the belated Tokyo declaration which was made hours after the first bombs had rained down and the first dead had fallen in Hawaii.

Nation looks to president

But more than ever, congress and the nation it represented looked to Mr. Roosevelt, as commander in chief of the forces that had been attacked, for a comprehensive account of what had happened in the Pacific, what the American losses had been and what counter operations had been launched.

Because an earlier Japanese communique had been very restrained in its claims for the first day of Japanese activities, hopes here grew the audacious offensive had failed in its No. 1 objective – the knockout of the Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii.

Such conclusions were revised in view of the great Tokyo claims, which included destruction of 100 or 110 American planes in air combats over the Philippines.

However, the general inclination was to wait patiently for Mr. Roosevelt to speak.

U.S. gives strong aid

Due notice was taken of the fact that Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and the Netherland East Indies had jumped into the new conflict at once. In the western hemisphere, pan-American solidarity was manifesting itself as half a dozen nations scrambled to range themselves on the side of the U.S.A.

Whatever the detailed official reports might disclose later, the feeling here could be summed up plainly: "We didn't want a fight, but they certainly asked for it."

There was a noticeable absence of any war hysteria as the hour for the special session approached.

Editor's note: The following is an article that ran on Dec. 8, 1941, in the Appeal-Democrat …

Cloudy skies. High 83F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.

Updated: June 10, 2023 @ 6:20 am

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