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i forgot to mention this in class today. On December 7 , 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Oahu Hawaii causing the United States to declare war on Japan during World War II. There are still people alive on the planet who were there that day. here is the partial text of the speech the following day from President Roosevelt to Congress. I believe the use of the word "infamy" in the speech is the only place i have seen this word used during my life. you can listen to the speech on youtube.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT'S PEARL HARBOR SPEECH (partial)
(December 8, 1941)
To the Congress of the United States:
Yesterday, Dec. 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.....
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.
Christmas of my 6th grade year, my dad surprised our family with a trip to Hawaii. My brother was stationed there in the Army. We would be going in January and staying 2 weeks! Two weeks of not having to go to school! My teacher asked me to keep a journal of my trip, and to read "I Was There at Pearl Harbor" before we went. When we landed on the island of Oahu I wanted to immediately head to Pearl Harbor to tour the Arizona Memorial. It made quite an impression on me, and I was so glad my teacher had made me read the book before we went. Every Dec. 7th since then I have thought back on that visit to Pearl Harbor. (My dad always reminded us that in 1968, round trip tickets for the four of us from Dallas/Lovefield to Hawaii cost him $1049! And that that was the biggest check he'd ever written!)
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