“A day which will live in infamy.” Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 “A day which will live in infamy.”

The Emerging Japanese Empire 1853 Japan ends isolation from the rest of the world 1854: President Fillmore sent Commodore Perry to negotiate free trade with Japan and they accept. Japan industrializes and becomes ambitious, competing with Russia for Chinese land 1904, Japanese troops attack Russian forces in Manchuria, starting the Russo-Japanese War. Early 1900’s, Japan industrializes even further, invades Manchuria again in 1931 By 1941, Japanese Empire will expand to include Korea, Manchuria, and French Indochina

On the brink… As war raged in Europe, Japan continues to expand. July, 1941, Japan invades and occupies French Indochina President Roosevelt immediately froze all Japanese assets in the United States, and ended all trade between the countries. Japanese Peace mission visits the U.S. demanding the U.S. begin to sell gasoline to Japan again. By this time, the Americans had broken Japanese codes, and knew a strike was planned, but not where.

“A date which will live in infamy” The core of the American Pacific fleet was located in Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i. Just before 8:00 a.m. the Japanese attacked, destroying 20 American warships and 200 American aircraft.

USS Nevada One of the only ships to mobilize during the attack was the USS Nevada It was bombed while attempting to leave the harbor to engage enemy aircraft. When initially bombed, the captain realized the ship would not make it out. The Captain ran the ship aground at this point in order to prevent from blocking the only exit out of Pearl Harbor.

USS Arizona Once considered the backbone of the Pacific fleet 1,103 Sailors were entombed within this ship after it sank

War!!! President Roosevelt asks Congress to approve a declaration of war on Japan.