JAPAN DECLARES WAR ON U.S., SCORE HITS IN HAWAII & MANILA
Honolulu, Hawaii (JFK+50) On December 8, 1941, Saint Croix Avis* reports "Japan declared war on the U.S. yesterday at 7:30 a.m. when scores of her planes bombed Manila and Pearl Harbor, the U.S. naval and military base."
The newspaper states that "direct hits were scored and some damage and casualties were reported" and added that the sudden attack on Pearl Harbor "did not take the military by surprise" but "came as a bombshell to the public."
On the 82nd anniversary of the attack, here are the up to date facts on the results of the attack on Pearl Harbor...
20 U.S. naval vessels, including 8 battleships, were damaged or destroyed. 300 U.S. aircraft were also damaged or destroyed. 2400 American lives, both civilian & military, were lost and 1000 people were wounded.
The attack resulted in the United States entering World War II, joining the Allied nations against the Axis powers including Japan & Germany.
*St. Croix Avis began publication in St. Croix, Virgin Islands in 1844. It was published largely in Danish until the U.S. purchased the VIs from Denmark in 1917.
JFK+50 NOTE
It would come as a surprise to most people today that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor "did not take the (U.S.) military by surprise." The newspaper does not give a source for that information.
The consensus today, as stated by www.history.com/, is that "the attack...was a surprise" although "the U.S. and Japan had been edging toward war for decades."
SOURCES
"Japanese Attack U.S.," St. Croix Avis, Virgin Islands, December 8, 1941, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
"Pearl Harbor," History.com, October 29, 2009/December 6, 2022, www.history.com/
"Pearl Harbor Attack, December 7, 1941," The National World War II Museum, New Orleans, www.nationalww2museum.org/
