December 7th, 1941

"December 7th, 1941, a date that will live in infamy. The United States of America was suddenly and brutally attacked by the Empire of Japan..." those words signaled to Americans that their time of isolationism was over, that burying their heads in the sand in regards to the war that was raging around the world would not save them.

Sixty-nine years ago today, the United States of America came under a surprise attack that would change the world, at least for Americans. Europe was embroiled in war and had been for two years. Japan had been raging across China for even longer than that. Yet Americans, at the behest of the likes of Senator Hiram Johnson, thought that they would be safe behind their borders as long as they didn't poke at anything related to foreign powers and their struggles.

Then came the Pearl Harbor attacks, a brilliant strategy carried out by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. This shocking act ended in the sinking of four battleships and sank or damaged heavily, three cruisers, three destroyers, one minelayer and 188 aircraft. Over 2,400 people died and another nearly 1,300 were injured. The United States would be aroused from its isolationist tendencies, just as Admiral Yamamoto had warned his superiors. Even by the time the message declaring war made its way to the State Department, one hour after the attack had begun, the shift was becoming palpable amongst those who already knew what was going on.

Yet December 7, 1941 was not only a day in which Pearl Harbor was attacked. To quote the speech of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on December 8, 1941 to a joint session of the Congress in which he would ask for the declaration of a state of war, “Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island. Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. 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.”

We take this day to commemorate those who died in what has now become the second most devastating surprise attack on our nation in terms of lives lost. Yet we must remember as we honor those who have fallen, many of whom had not yet risen from their beds on that Sunday morning that they were not alone in dying in a surprise attack on that day. Nor must we forget the lesson that we learned as a nation; we are stronger united than divided, and we must always remember that our freedoms are a precious thing that is not to be taken for granted.

I suppose I could end there, but I think that might be foolhardy of me. I would be remiss if I did not point out that the Japanese are now one of our most stalwart allies in the Pacific. You see my dear readers, America does not win wars by blowing you to Hell. America wins wars by exporting its culture. One Arab man being interviewed on a news channel once was complaining about that, that one could hardly walk down the street without seeing a Wal-Mart or a Mickey Mouse or something else American in nature. A former professor of mine went to Vietnam on a business trip once, and in a place where the United States withdrew from a conflict a generation ago, the young kids were all wearing the logos of American companies, and his colleague, a former Marine who had served in Vietnam, was posing with Vietnamese kids in United States Marine Corps tee shirts.

What we did with Japan was the same thing we continue to do today. We will fight the war. We may even occupy and rebuild a nation after the fact. However our true strength lies in our cultural impact; it is often said that the pen is mightier than the sword. I would contend rather, that the idea is mightier than both of them, as the sword and pen must both be willed to the forefront of a situation based on an idea that propels them forward.

(Unrelated, but anyone know how I can un-follow a blog on blogger? I'd rather not be getting updated as my ex posts things I consider personal attacks.)