75 Years Ago Today: Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941

[Balu]

75 Years Ago Today: Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941Posted on December 7, 2016 (http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/2016/12/07/75-years-ago-today-pearl-harbor-december-7th-1941/) by billstolz (http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/author/billstolz/)
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/files/2016/12/SC-269_3-300x215.jpg (http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/files/2016/12/SC-269_3.jpg)Wreckage at the Naval Air Station (SC-269)

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. While Hawaii seemed like a world away in 1941, the Miami Valley would be greatly impacted by the events of December 7th.
Alice Griffith Carr, a Yellow Springs native, was in St. Louis, Missouri, for a speaking engagement on December 7, 1941. Her letter, dated December 8, 1941, to her cousin Nannie (Bessie Totten), describes her reaction to the news of Pearl Harbor. Alice, like Americans all around the country, spent the evening in front of the radio awaiting news updates.
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/files/2016/12/Carr-Letter-Dec-8-1941-243x300.jpg (http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/files/2016/12/Carr-Letter-Dec-8-1941.jpg)Alice to Bessie Totten, MS-135, Box 1, File 6

Alice Carr had a unique view of the world at the time. She served as a nurse with the Red Cross during World War I and had remained in Europe working as a nurse and public health administrator until the Nazis expelled all Americans from Greece in the summer of 1941. For more information on her service and career read the previous blog entry (http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/2015/03/27/alice-carr-wwi-red-cross-nurse/).
On December 8th at 12:30pm, Americans again gathered around the radio as President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress with his famous “A Date Which Will Live in Infamy” speech. By 4:00pm, President Roosevelt had signed the declaration of war and the United States was officially at war with Japan. The Miami Valley would soon hear the call to duty.
A list of World War II collections held by Special Collections & Archives can be found here (http://libraries.wright.edu/special/collectionguides/?subject_id=27&cg_search_type=subject).
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/files/2016/12/SC-269_7-300x216.jpg (http://www.libraries.wright.edu/community/outofthebox/files/2016/12/SC-269_7.jpg)U.S.S. West Virginia (SC-269)

[Balu]

http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/wuwf/files/styles/medium/public/201612/pearl_harbor.jpg <noscript> <img src="http://wuwf.org/sites/wuwf/files/styles/default/public/201612/pearl_harbor.jpg" alt=""> </noscript> (http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/wuwf/files/styles/x_large/public/201612/pearl_harbor.jpg) Credit U.S. Navy



Wednesday is the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which brought the United States into World War II, and forever changed this nation and the world.
One day earlier, December 6, 1941, was a typical Saturday for many Americans.
“Much of life in the United States was proceeding as it had been; on a normal, peaceful day you had your football games, you had people enjoying the outdoors, and planning events,” said historian Hill Goodspeed at the National Museum of Naval Aviation.
“[At] NAS Pensacola a Saturday night meant ‘Liberty Night’ for many naval aviation cadets and sailors assigned here on board the air station,” said Goodspeed. “Looking for those welcome few hours of liberty away from the demands of training.”
Americans had been following the war in Europe for the past two years, and hostilities in Asia for the past decade. Radio and newspapers were the media for the most part, and it was by radio they got the word on a place many had never heard of.
“We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important bulletin from the United Press,” the announcer intoned. “FLASH-WASHINGTON: The White House announces Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.”
By the end of the day 21 American ships were either sunk or crippled; 188 aircraft were destroyed, with more than 3,500 American casualties. Japan was now formally at war with the United States. Congress passed its declaration of war the following day, after hearing President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Day of Infamy” address.
“With confidence in our armed forces,” said FDR, “With the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God.”
But, how did a Japanese task force of six aircraft carriers and their 353 aircraft, fighters, bombers, and torpedo planes, manage to steam undetected 6,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean? One reason, says Goodspeed, was the clandestine preparations for “Operation Z.”
“They operated under a lot of strict secrecy; a lot of their training had been done in remote areas,” Goodspeed said. “Their whole transit before descending to the south to strike Pearl Harbor was in the northern Pacific, which was less well-traveled.”
The fleet also observed radio silence, and actually benefitted from rough weather that helped shield them from detection.
“The technology of the day was not as advanced as it is now, as far as radar,” said Goodspeed. “Back in those days a force could travel a great distance without being detected.”
But was the U-S government and leadership at Pearl Harbor really asleep at the wheel? Goodspeed doesn’t think so, saying the government was cognizant of war warnings that had been issued through the higher chain of command.
“Negotiations with the Japanese government were not going well,” said Goodspeed. “But the place that they were thinking [an attack] would occur was more in the Philippines or other areas in that part of the Pacific. The warnings did not specifically mention Pearl Harbor.”
Simultaneously with the raid on Pearl, Japanese forces also attacked U-S bases in Manila.
America had shed its isolationism in 1917 to enter World War I, but retreated back to itself afterward. In 1941, Pearl Harbor brought her back onto the world stage – this time for good.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

They attacked a sleeping giant and eventually they paid dearly for that mistake.
This nation easily rates in the top ten in ALL OF MANKIND'S HISTORY for having the best fighters!
World War Two proved that to be a fact IMHO...

I WAS BORN 13 YEARS AFTER THAT SNEAK ATTACK AND IT STILL MAKES ME LOOK AT THE JAPS WITH CERTAIN RESERVATIONS.
I simply do not trust them....--TYR

[Elessar]

This attack prompted my Dad to enlist in the Navy prior to even graduating high school.
He did graduate in June of 42 and was off to basic the next day.

Two of my uncles (Mom's side) also volunteered..one Navy. the other Merchant Marine.

[Balu]

They attacked a sleeping giant and eventually they paid dearly for that mistake.
This nation easily rates in the top ten in ALL OF MANKIND'S HISTORY for having the best fighters!
World War Two proved that to be a fact IMHO...

I WAS BORN 13 YEARS AFTER THAT SNEAK ATTACK AND IT STILL MAKES ME LOOK AT THE JAPS WITH CERTAIN RESERVATIONS.
I simply do not trust them....--TYR
So, you can understand why till the mid of 70s I could hardly hear German. My family as well as the millions of other families suffered of that war. I am a bit older than you are and I remember a lot of crippled young men without legs and hands in my childhood, in time when all the impressions are so bright and embossed.

[Gunny]

So, you can understand why till the mid of 70s I could hardly hear German. My family as well as the millions of other families suffered of that war. I am a bit older than you are and I remember a lot of crippled young men without legs and hands in my childhood, in time when all the impressions are so bright and embossed.

I get it. However, Lenin and Stalin killed more Russians than Hitler did. Think about it.

[Black Diamond]

I get it. However, Lenin and Stalin killed more Russians than Hitler did. Think about it.
adolf was stopped. From what I read, the Jews were just the beginning. The plan was to kill all the poles and all the Russians (probably via slave labor/starvation). He wanted to kill 150 million people just in the east.... But he lost.

Having said that, the glorification of Lenin and Stalin makes no sense to me.. Especially Stalin. both murdering bastard tyrants.

[Elessar]

adolf was stopped. From what I read, the Jews were just the beginning. The plan was to kill all the poles and all the Russians (probably via slave labor/starvation). He wanted to kill 150 million people just in the east.... But he lost.

Having said that, the glorification of Lenin and Stalin makes no sense to me.. Especially Stalin. both murdering bastard tyrants.

All the above is true.

The biggest reason the German Army was initially successful heading East was that Stalin had removed 8 of his
top 11 field commanders; thus the leadership and organization was in disarray. Plus Hitler was so stupid that
he didn't even factor in the brutal Russian Winter.

[KarlMarx]

All the above is true.

The biggest reason the German Army was initially successful heading East was that Stalin had removed 8 of his
top 11 field commanders; thus the leadership and organization was in disarray. Plus Hitler was so stupid that
he didn't even factor in the brutal Russian Winter.

Approximately 1 out of every 2 casualties of World War II (or the Great Patriotic War, as it is known in Russia) were suffered by the Soviets (roughly 29 million people)

By the time we entered World War II, Hitler had already overrun all of Europe and had invaded the USSR almost to the borders of Moscow.


My theory is that, had we not gotten involved in World War II, Stalin would have taken all of Europe and perhaps Japan, too.

[Elessar]

Approximately 1 out of every 2 casualties of World War II (or the Great Patriotic War, as it is known in Russia) were suffered by the Soviets (roughly 29 million people)

By the time we entered World War II, Hitler had already overrun all of Europe and had invaded the USSR almost to the borders of Moscow.


My theory is that, had we not gotten involved in World War II, Stalin would have taken all of Europe and perhaps Japan, too.

That could very well be true, upon speculation.

Stalin was cold-hearted even to his own people. Of course his focus was on western Europe, tearing down the
Nazi war machine brutally. Then in the waning months in the Pacific, he decided to intervene.

World conquest, at least of Europe and Asia was his focus.

[gabosaurus]

So, you can understand why till the mid of 70s I could hardly hear German. My family as well as the millions of other families suffered of that war. I am a bit older than you are and I remember a lot of crippled young men without legs and hands in my childhood, in time when all the impressions are so bright and embossed.

I hear you. My mom is exceeding friendly to everyone she meets. Except Russians. My aunt, who still lives in Germany, is even worse.
Old enmities never die

[Balu]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuuthpJmAig&list=PLfLzvgzsb9TifHZ7atjvqaLinfp1lfs3R

[sundaydriver]

This attack prompted my Dad to enlist in the Navy prior to even graduating high school.
He did graduate in June of 42 and was off to basic the next day.

Two of my uncles (Mom's side) also volunteered..one Navy. the other Merchant Marine.

Dad's 1942 HS class was graduated in early April that year instead of June so the boys could go straight to the military. My next door neighbor quit school and went into the Navy, then finished HS after the war.

[Trigg]

My grandfather was one of those who landed on Normandy beach, he never really talked about it other than to say that his height 6'4" probably saved his life. So many men drowned just trying to make it to the beach.

We took my 18 year old to Washington this last April and standing at the WW11 memorial for the first time really affected me. God bless those brave men who fought in that terrible war.

[Elessar]

My grandfather was one of those who landed on Normandy beach, he never really talked about it other than to say that his height 6'4" probably saved his life. So many men drowned just trying to make it to the beach.

We took my 18 year old to Washington this last April and standing at the WW11 memorial for the first time really affected me. God bless those brave men who fought in that terrible war.

Amen, Dear Lady!:salute: