UNITED STATES DECLARES WAR ON JAPAN
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to a joint session of Congress and asked for approval of a war declaration on the Empire of Japan*.
FDR spoke at 12:30 p.m., just short of 24 hours after Japanese naval and air forces attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack resulted in more than 2,000 American deaths and destruction of U.S. ships and military facilities in Honolulu.
The President said...
"No matter how long it will take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people...will win through to absolute victory."
*The war declaration passed the Senate 82-0, & the House 388-1. President Roosevelt signed the declaration at 4:10 p.m.
