Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson ordered the entire United States Army to be in uniform by today. Secretary Frank Knox followed suit for the Navy. They did so after President Roosevelt had instructed the Navy and Army to expect all previously prepared orders for defense immediately.
United States naval craft are expected to operate out of Singapore as soon as possible in protecting the vital rubber and tin shipments necessary to our national defense program.
Despite these preliminary defense moves, however, it was clear that further detailed discussions would soon take place between officials of the United States, Great Britain, China, the Netherlands and Australia to devise a total scheme of limiting the activities of the Japanese Fleet.
Immediate steps will be taken also to meet the increased menace to China’s lifeline, the Burma Road. Reliable information indicates that the Japanese are preparing a large-scale assault on the road in the hope of cutting off American supplies before the Allies can transport sufficient forces into defensive positions.
Censorship was established on all messages leaving the United States by cable and radio.
In Tokyo United States Ambassador Joseph C. Grew obtained a reply to Secretary Hull’s early message, according to dispatches from the Japanese capital.
A San Francisco corner on December 8, 1941.
The attack on Pearl Harbor and Honolulu began “at dawn,” according to Stephen Early, Presidential secretary. Because of the time difference, the first news of the bombing was released in Washington at 2:22 P.M. Subsequently it was announced at the White House that another wave of bombers and dive bombers had come over Oahu Island, on which Honolulu is situated, to be met by anti-aircraft fire again.
An attack on Guam, tiny island outpost, subsequently was announced. The White House at first said that Manila also had been attacked but, after failure to reach Army and Navy commanders there, President Roosevelt expressed the “hope” that no such attack had occurred. Broadcasts from Manila bore out this hope.
HAWAII ATTACKED WITHOUT WARNING
Reports from Hawaii indicated that Honolulu had no warning of the attack. Japanese bombers, with the red circle of the Rising Sun of Japan on their wings, suddenly appeared, escorted by fighters. Flying high, they suddenly dive-bombed, attacking Pearl Harbor, the great Navy base, the Army’s Hickam Field and Ford Island. At least one torpedo plane was seen to launch a torpedo at warships in Pearl Harbor.
A report from Admiral C. C. Bloch, commander of the naval district at Hawaii, expressed the belief that “there has been heavy damage done in Hawaii and there has been heavy loss of life.”
This was subsequently confirmed by Governor Joseph B. Poindexter of Hawaii in a telephone conversation with President Roosevelt. The Governor also said that there were heavy casualties in the city of Honolulu.
Many Japanese and former Japanese who are now American citizens are in residence in Hawaii.
Saburo Jurusu, special Japanese envoy who has been conducting “peace” negotiations while Japan was preparing for this attack, and Ambassador Kichisaburo Nomura called at the State Department at 2:05 P.M. after asking for the appointment at 1 P.M. They arrived shortly before Secretary Hull had received news Japan had started a war without warning. Mrs. Roosevelt revealed in her broadcast last night that the Japanese Ambassador was with the President when word of the attacks was received.
The two envoys handed a document to Mr. Hull, who kept them waiting about fifteen minutes. Upon reading it, he turned to his visitors to exclaim that it was “crowded with infamous falsehoods and distortions.”
President Roosevelt ordered war bulletins released at the White House as rapidly as they were received. A sentence or two was added to the story of the surprise attack every few minutes for several hours.
Cabinet members arrived promptly at 8:30 last evening for their meeting in the White House Oval Room. President Roosevelt had been closeted with Harry L. Hopkins in the Oval Room since receiving the first news. He had conferred with Secretaries Stimson and Knox by telephone and also with General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff. Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, was too busy to talk to the President even by telephone.
PRESIDENT VOICED HOPE FOR PEACE
The President’s message expressed a “fervent hope for peace” and outlined the dangers of the situation.
“We have hoped that a peace of the Pacific could be consummated in such a way that the nationalities of many diverse peoples may exist side by side without fear of invasion,” the President told the Emperor.
The President, recalling that the United States had been directly responsible for bringing Japan into contact with the outside world, said that in seeking peace in the Pacific “I am certain that it will be clear to Your Majesty, as it is to me, that … both Japan and the United States should agree to eliminate any form of military threat.”
The Japanese document, despite the obviously carefully prepared attack on American bases, insisted that:
“On the other hand, the American Government, always holding fast to theories in disregard of realities and refusing to yield an inch on its impractical principles, caused undue delay in the [peace] negotiations.”
DECEMBER 8, 1941
HULL DENOUNCES TOKYO ‘INFAMY’
Brands Japan ‘Fraudulent’ in Preparing Attack While Carrying On Parleys
By BERTRAM D. HULEN
Special to The New York Times.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7—Japan was accused by Secretary of State Cordell Hull today of making a “treacherous and utterly unprovoked attack” upon the United States and of having been “infamously false and fraudulent” by preparing for the attack while conducting diplomatic negotiations with the professed desire of maintaining peace.
But even before he knew of that attack, Mr. Hull had vehemently brought the diplomatic negotiations to a virtual end with an outburst against Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura, the Japanese Ambassador, and Saburo Kurusu, special envoy, because of the insulting character of the reply they delivered to his document of Nov. 26 setting forth the basic principles of the United States.
This proposed a multilateral non-aggression pact in the Pacific, taking in all the interested powers in that area except France.
REJECTION BY JAPANESE
The Japanese reply was a flat rejection in stiff language and a termination of the negotiations. Japan charged that the United States was “conspiring” with Great Britain in the Far East, was trying to detach Japan from the Axis, and was ignoring Japan’s position.
The American position, it charged, was utopian and not in accordance with realities. All the good it could see in Mr. Hull’s proposals had to do with possible relaxation by the United States of some economic pressure.
The document revealed definitely that the Japanese Premier had sought to meet President Roosevelt last August for a conference, but that this was refused until an agreement had been reached. It also said that Mr. Roosevelt had offered to act as “introducer” of peace between Japan and China.
Secretary Hull considered the reply so filled with false statements and distortions that in an outburst that recalled the vigor of speech of his youth in Tennessee, he declared to Admiral Nomura “with the greatest indignation,” as the State Department’s announcement described it:
Secretary of State Cordell Hull in 1941.
“I must say that in all my conversations with you [the Japanese Ambassador] during the last nine months I have never uttered one word of untruth. This is borne out absolutely by the record. In all my fifty years of public service I have never seen a document that was more crowded with infamous falsehoods and distortions on a scale so huge that I never imagined until today that any government on this planet was capable of uttering them.”
UNAWARE OF ATTACK
When this meeting took place at 2:20 P.M. word was being received at the White House of the attack on Hawaii. Mr. Hull was unaware of it, and apparently so were the Japanese envoys. Several hours later, Mr. H
ull issued his general statement of condemnation of Japan.
“Japan has made a treacherous and utterly unprovoked attack upon the United States,” Secretary Hull said.
“At the very moment when representatives of the Japanese Government were discussing with representatives of this government, at the request of the former, principles and courses of peace, the armed forces of Japan were preparing and assembling at various strategic points to launch new attacks and new aggressions upon nations and peoples with which Japan was professedly at peace, including the United States.
“This government has stood for all the principles that underlie fair dealing, peace, law and order, and justice between nations and has steadfastly striven to promote and maintain that state of relationship between itself and all other nations.
“It is now apparent to the whole world that Japan in its recent professions of a desire for peace has been infamously false and fraudulent.”
Mr. Hull’s conference with the Japanese envoys lasted ten minutes.
When they emerged they were glum and downcast.
DECEMBER 8, 1941
NEGROES PLEDGE LOYALTY
Leader Wires Roosevelt 12,000,000 Are Ready to Serve
Special to The New York Times.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7—Assurances of the loyalty and support of the Negroes of the United States in the hostilities with Japan were sent to President Roosevelt tonight in a telegram by Edgar G. Brown, director of the National Negro Council and president of the United Government Employes. His telegram said:
“Twelve million American Negro citizens renewed today their pledge of 100 per cent loyalty to their country and our Commander-in-Chief against Japan and all other invaders. Negro youth awaits your call for an unrestricted and full opportunity to serve their country at this critical hour in all capacities of the Army and Navy, the Marines, the Coast Guard and the Air Corps and national defense.”
DECEMBER 8, 1941
NETHERLANDS JOIN IN WAR ON JAPAN
Exiled Government in London and Indies’ Governor General Issue Declarations
LONDON, Dec. 8 (AP)—The Netherland Government in exile considers itself in a state of war with Japan, said an authorized statement issued early today.
The statement said:
“In view of Japan’s aggression against two powers with whom the Netherlands maintain particularly close relations, aggression directly threatening vital Netherlands interests, the Government of the Kingdom considers a state of war exists between the Netherlands and the Japanese Empire.”
It was learned that instructions to this effect have been sent to the Governor-General of the Netherlands Indies and the Governors of two Western Hemisphere possessions, Surinam and Curacao.
DECEMBER 9, 1941
UNITY IN CONGRESS
Only One Negative Vote as President Calls to War And Victory
ROUNDS OF CHEERS
By FRANK L. KLUCKHOHN
Special to The New York Times.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8—The United States today formally declared war on Japan. Congress, with only one dissenting vote, approved the resolution in the record time of 33 minutes after President Roosevelt denounced Japanese aggression in ringing tones. He personally delivered his message to a joint session of the Senate and House. At 4:10 P.M. he affixed his signature to the resolution.
There was no debate like that between April 2, 1917, when President Wilson requested war against Germany, and April 6, when a declaration of war was approved by Congress.
President Roosevelt spoke only 6 minutes and 30 seconds today compared with Woodrow Wilson’s 29 minutes and 34 seconds.
The vote today against Japan was 82 to 0 in the Senate and 388 to 1 in the House. The lone vote against the resolution in the House was that of Miss Jeanette Rankin, Republican, of Montana. Her “no” was greeted with boos and hisses. In 1917 she voted against the resolution for war against Germany.
The President did not mention either Germany or Italy in his request. Early this evening a statement was issued at the White House, however, accusing Germany of doing everything possible to push Japan into the war. The objective, the official statement proclaimed, was to cut off American lend-lease aid to Germany’s European enemies, and a pledge was made that this aid would continue “100 per cent.”
A SUDDEN AND DELIBERATE ATTACK
President Roosevelt’s brief and decisive words were addressed to the assembled representatives of the basic organizations of American democracy—the Senate, the House, the Cabinet and the Supreme Court.
“America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan,” he said. “We will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God.”
Thunderous cheers greeted the Chief Executive and Commander in Chief throughout the address. This was particularly pronounced when he declared that Americans “will remember the character of the onslaught against us,” a day, he remarked, which will live in infamy.
“This form of treachery shall never endanger us again,” he declared amid cheers. “The American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.”
Then, to the accompaniment of a great roar of cheering, he asked for war against Japan.
The President officially informed Congress that in the dastardly attack by Japan, delivered while the Imperial Japanese Government was expressing hope for continued peace, “very many American lives have been lost” and American ships reportedly have been “torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.”
Mentioning one by one in staccato phrases the Japanese attacks on the Philippines, American Midway, Wake and Guam Islands, British Hong Kong and Malaya, he bluntly informed the people by radio and their representatives directly:
“Hostilities exist. There is no blinking the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. 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.”
President Roosevelt delivers his ‘Date which will live in infamy’ address on December 8, 1941.
VICTORY MAY TAKE TIME, HE WARNS
It may take a long time, Mr. Roosevelt warned, “to overcome this premeditated invasion,” but of the unbounding determination of the American people and confidence in our armed forces neither he nor they had any doubt. Then he said:
“I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”
It was to a solemn Congress and to grim galleries that the President mentioned the casualties in Hawaii—officially estimated at 1,500 dead and 1,500 wounded.
Before him, on his left was the Supreme Court, its members clad in black robes. On the right in the front row sat the Cabinet, with Secretary Hull in the ranking position on the aisle. Behind the Cabinet were the Senators and then the members of the House.
Mr. Roosevelt spoke concisely, clearly and to the point to an already convinced audience already stirred to belligerency by the wantonness of the Japanese attack.
Extraordinary precautions were taken by the Secret Service to guard the President during his short trip over the indirect mile and a quarter route from the Executive Mansion to the Capitol and back to the White House.
Crowds, solemn but determined, greeted the Chief Executive with cheers from the time he was driven out of the East Gate of the White House until he reached the rear entrance of the House after passing through crowded Capitol Plaza. The same crowds stood silently by as he returned.
JOINT SESSION IS ENDED
The two houses split up immediately after the address and passed the war resolution separately without debate, the time consumed being accountable to having the resolution officially introduced and in the physical problem involved.
Stephen T. Early, Presidential secretary, said that nothing official had been received by this government toni
ght on European reports that Germany and Italy were contemplating declaration of war against the United States. Germany, however, was widely expected to carry out its treaty commitments arranged by Hitler with Japan and to declare war on the United States with her Italian satellite following suit.
Since the Constitution provides that Congress alone can declare war, there was some doubt here as to whether the United States was officially at war with Japan from the time the House adopted the war resolution at 1:10 P.M., ten minutes after the Senate, or from the time the President signed the resolution at 4:10 P.M. Most attorneys consulted inclined to the belief the latter time marked the historic step.
DECEMBER 9, 1941
The President’s Message
Following is the text of President Roosevelt’s war message to Congress, as recorded by The New York Times from a broadcast:
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:
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.
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.
The New York Times Book of World War II, 1939-1945 Page 60