Franklin D. Roosevelt: “Pearl Harbor” Speech

President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his “Pearl Harbor” Speech to both houses of Congress on December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese air force had attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. In the speech, Roosevelt set out the case for entering World War II. By this time, World War II was well under way, but the United States was only indirectly involved. The attack devastated the U.S. Pacific Fleet in less than two hours. More than 2,500 Americans died, five battleships were sunk, three destroyers were wrecked, and several other ships would have to be put out of commission; of the eight battleships in the harbor, not one was deemed seaworthy after the attack. Only three of the Pacific Fleet's aircraft carriers—those not stationed at Pearl Harbor—escaped the onslaught.

In his “Pearl Harbor” Speech, Roosevelt pointed out that the United States had been at peace with Japan and had been consulting with that nation about ways to maintain peace in the Pacific. He conceded that diplomatic negotiation had seemed to reach a stalemate, with the Japanese expressing no confidence in continuing the dialogue. And he noted that Japan had nevertheless given no sign of intent to attack the United States.

In asking for a declaration of war, Roosevelt maintained that the United States had no choice but to respond with military force to an unprovoked and planned attack. A further reason to respond as such was that the nation had been the victim of deception, since the Japanese had signaled that they were seeking diplomatic solutions. Roosevelt also noted that the Japanese had attacked several other sites in Asia and were intent on permanently injuring U.S. property and interests in the Pacific. Therefore, the only just response, in his opinion, was a call for “absolute victory” and for Congress to declare that a state of war existed between the United States and Japan.