December 7th 1941:

The Japanese today launched a devastating attack against the Navy at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.  First reports indicate that many battleships have been sunk and that lives of American servicemen have been lost.

President Roosevelt was told of the attack shortly before a scheduled meeting with representatives of Indian tribes.  Roosevelt opened the meeting by thanking the assembled tribal leaders, calling them “the original Americans whose land was cruelly taken from them by invading Europeans.”‘

“I would like to just take this moment to thank all the leaders of Indian nations that are assembled here today.  You have lead difficult lives.  Your land was taken from you.  Today many of you are marginalized.  Let me say that as long as I am President of the United States, Indians will have a friend in me.  I too know what it is to be ignored and marginalized.  Imagine for a moment living in Teddy Roosevelt’s shadow.”

President Roosevelt then addressed the incident at Pearl Harbor.

“As some of you know doubt have heard there has been a disturbance at our Naval facility in Pearl Harbor Hawaii.  It appears, and I want to stress that these are just preliminary reports, that airplanes belonging to Japan have dropped bombs on the base.  Whether it was an accident we do not know as of yet.”

FDR continued, warming to his subject.

“Until all the facts are in I want to ask Americans not to rush to  judgment.  We do not know what the motives of the Japanese Government were.  And frankly I find it hard to believe that a peoples of color, a peoples of peace like the Japanese would resort to such a violent act.  There must be extenuating circumstances that we as of now are unaware of.  I have ordered my Secretary of State Cordell Hull to fly to Japan and open a dialogue with Emperor Hirohito.”

President Roosevelt talked about the history between the two nations.

“It must be remembered that Japan has legitimate grievances against the West.  Too often in the past the United States has acted arrogantly towards that nation.  We have restricted their immigration to this country.  We have, in a shameful moment of diplomacy, limited the number and size of their battleships.  It is time for this country to do better.”

He also reminded Americans of the many contributions the Japanese have made.

“The Declaration of Independence was written by a Japanese man.  The 13th amendment to our Constitution was passed by a largely Japanese Congress.  The first man to fly solo across the Atlantic was of Japanese descent.”

FDR closed his press conference by asking all Americans to reach out to their Japanese neighbors.   He also announced that December 8th will be a national day of prayer and forgiveness.

“My only hope, as a citizen of the World, is that we can understand each other better.”

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