"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." -President Franklin D. Roosevelt
In the attack on Pearl Harbor, 2402 Americans were killed and 1282 were wounded. All eight U.S. Navy battleships were damaged, eight other warships were damaged or sunk, and 188 aircraft on the ground were destroyed. The day after the bombing, President Roosevelt addressed the Congress (full text). On December 8, the U.S. declared war upon Japan. |
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Battles at Bataan, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Luzon, and Okinawa were particularly bloody and resulted in 185,000 American casualties. The Japanese fought to the death because of their pride and their love for their emperor. A very effective American naval blockade and extensive air bombing campaign over Japanese cities eventually weakened Japan.
Truman issued the Potsdam Declaration (full text) on July 26, 1945, demanding the unconditional surrender of Japan. If Japan refused, Japan would face “prompt and utter destruction.”
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