On December 7, 1941 — while much of Europe was already embroiled in war — the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Navy’s base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt received word of the attack as he finished lunch that Sunday, and had planned to spend part of the afternoon with his stamp album. (An avid philatelist, FDR’s stamp collection was once valued at auction to be worth a respectable $80,000.)
Within hours of the attack, however, Roosevelt had begun making plans to respond to the tragedy and to call for a declaration of war — against both Japan and Nazi Germany. A speech that significant would normally have been drafted over a period of 3-10 days, but once the preparations began, FDR had already announced that he planned to speak to Congress the following day.
Since two of the president’s usual speechwriters — Samuel I. Rosenman and Robert Sherwood — were unavailable, Roosevelt wrote most of his December 8th speech alone. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles submitted a slightly longer speech that touched on events leading up to the December 7th attack, but Roosevelt threw it out and kept his own words.
Biographer Nathan Miller described the scene as Roosevelt dictated the speech — now one of the most famous speeches in American history — to his secretary, Grace Tully.
“He inhaled deeply on his cigarette, blew out the smoke, and began dictating in the same calm tone he used to deal with his mail,” Miller wrote. “He enunciated the words incisively and slowly, carefully specifying each punctuation mark and new paragraph. Running little more than five hundred words, the message was dictated without hesitation or second thoughts.”
Roosevelt did make a few edits after dictating his first draft — including one change that would go down in history. The iconic first line, calling December 7th “a date which will live in infamy,” originally read as follows: “Yesterday, December seventh, 1941, a date which will live in world history, the United States was simultaneously and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
FDR stood before the House of Representatives at 12:30 p.m. the next day — approximately 24 hours after he had learned of the attack — and delivered his message.
WATCH:
Roosevelt’s speech began with his response to the attack:
Mr. Vice President, and Mr. Speaker, and Members of the Senate and House of Representatives:
YESTERDAY, December 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.
The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
What followed was a pivot from his assessment of the attack to a request for Congress to move forward with an official declaration of war.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong: Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation.
As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
But always will our whole Nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces with the unbounding determination of our people we will gain the inevitable triumph so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.
Congress obliged, passing an official declaration of war against Japan — S.J. Resolution 116 — that very day. The measure passed in the Senate, 82-0, and in the House, 388-1. Three days later, allied with Japan, Nazi Germany also declared war on the United States. Congress responded with S.J. Resolution 119 just hours later on December 11th. That vote passed the Senate, 88-0, and in the House, 393-0.