Hello and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast episode 479

America's and tournament camps. The surprise attack against the naval vessels

at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941

shocked the U.S. out of its internal struggle of what course to take as touching the

war and forced the people of the nation to ask themselves, what kind of country

do they want to be?

And as most things with humans, the answer was complicated, nuanced, and at times at odds with itself.

With the loss of almost 2,400 military personnel, six damaged battleships,

with two destroyed, America's leaders follow the tone, set by President Roosevelt's

day of infamy speech and declared war on Japan the next day.

But from here, it gets complicated and fear-driven, and few humans are at their best when

dominated by their emotions.

First, putting aside the sadness of loss of life and loss of military equipment, there was the

remaining shock of the Japanese, now the enemy, getting such a large fleet out this far and in secret?

And how were there hundreds of planes able to approach Fort Island on a post?

While those questions were being pursued, the at the time logical next thought was, if they can hit

Pearl, they can hit the American West Coast. Indeed, it would be militarily prudent to do so.

And in that frame of mine the Americans at all levels

reacted. For example the Pearl Harbor attack to go that smoothly and to be that

successful there had to be inside help, i.e. people already

on the island feeding information to the enemy, which was true enough.

And if they were going to attack the US mainland and why

...