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“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.” President Roosevelt’s words will never be forgotten. This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of that day. The Japanese launched a total of 353 aircraft in the attack that started at 7:53A.M, and by 9:55A.M.it was over. Behind they left chaos, 2,403 dead, 188 destroyed battleships, and a crippled U.S. Pacific Fleet. The debate over whether the United States should be in the war was over. Churchill wrote, “To have the United States at our side was to me the greatest joy. Now at this very moment I knew the United States was in the war, up to the neck and in to the death….” How did this attack happen without any warning? Was there warning and was it ignored? Could such a disaster have been prevented? I knew very little about the attack on Pearl Harbor. I saw previews for the new movie, Pearl Harbor, and we were studying World War II in world history, so I wanted to know more. I wondered why it was such a total surprise. Why didn’t we see it coming? If it hadn’t happened when, if ever, would the United States have entered the war? What would have happened to the world if we hadn’t joined forces? I started with the Internet.
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