A day which will live in infamy

This can also be seen in another way.

By this period in WW2 the UK had no allies still in combat, it stood alone against both Japan and Germany. Actually Russia had only recently been attacked and was in full headlong retreat, and it looked very much as if Germany would knock Russia out of the war.

In this climate, we could have readily signed a treaty with Germany, Lord Halifax and a significant protion of the UK parliament was in favour of this, since no-one was exactly rushing to our aid.

When Churchill originally said ‘No surrender’, this was in the face of insurmountable odds, there was no certainty that anyone would happen along and take up the fight.

This was also the day that guarunteed freedom across the world, make no mistake.

The British bought the time.
The Russians paid for it in blood
The Americans paid for it in money.
The British were the process of the longest retreat in history, right back to the borders of India. Once they had regrouped, they followed it by the longest adavnce in history, but it would not have been possible without the bombing of Pearl Harbour.

Americans may look on this as a day of infamy, you should look upon it as the day that freedom began, a process that culminated in the fall of the Berlin wall, and its America that made it happen.

Since it is now December, 8, I can brag about my FIL; he joined the Marine Corps the day after the attack on Pear Harbor. He is 93 years old and golfs twice a week; only nine holes at a time, but what the hell—at 93, who is counting? He was gravely injured early on and was discharged with a 50% disability due to wounds in his upper legs; he doesn’t know if it was a mortar shell or a grenade that got him. According to him, both were flying fast and furious. He went on to a successful career in civilian life, fathered two lovely daughters and he is a man I respect and am proud to know.

Question for the OP – why’d you cut off the initial “Yesterday,” before “December 7th, 1941?”

You quoted “last night” and similarly dated language in the rest of the speech.

I just think the “yesterday” in the original improved the cadence.

One of my uncles on my Mothers side was a naval aviator and was shot down at Pearl Harbor. They did not learn about it for 6 months…