A Day of Infamy

A Day of World History Infamy: FDR’s Pearl Harbor Address

The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, shocked the nation and led to a declaration of war by the United States against Japan the following day. In asking for this declaration, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a monumental address to Congress and the American people. He knew that this speech would be one of the most important in American history. It is widely known as the “Day of Infamy” speech and is replayed numerous times every year on the anniversary of the attack. However, the word “infamy” was not in the original draft of Roosevelt’s speech. He inserted it in place of the words “world history.” The change in tone that resulted has helped this speech remain one of the most famous in American history.

This speech was made by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to a Joint Session of Congress at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, December 8, 1941, in Washington, D.C. The sound recording was made available by the National Archives of the United States. Nicknamed the “Day of Infamy Speech,” it is one of the most famous political speeches of the 20th century.

Introduction

On the afternoon of December 7, 1941, a meeting between President Roosevelt and his chief adviser, Harry Hopkins, was interrupted by a telephone call from Secretary of War Henry Stimson. Stimson told Roosevelt and Hopkins that the Empire of Japan had attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii.

Roosevelt immediately met with members of his cabinet and close advisers. Secretary of State Cordell Hull encouraged the president to make a speech outlining the aggressive nature of Imperial Japan and the deteriorating state of U.S.-Japanese diplomatic relations. Influenced by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s insistence on placing individual conflicts in a larger historical context, Hull urged Roosevelt to cite threats to world freedoms made by Japan.

Roosevelt weighed Hull’s advice, but decided against it. Instead, at about 5 p.m., Roosevelt dictated a short (about 10-minute), emotional appeal to the people of the United States, as well as Congress. (His secretary, Grace Tully, typed the draft.) He did not have a speechwriter; Roosevelt had composed the entire speech in his head within hours of Stimson telling him the news about Pearl Harbor.

Before delivering the speech to a Joint Session of Congress, Roosevelt revised the draft—mostly updating military information and editing for clarity, tone, and content.

FDR’s Address to Congress Agenda

• Introduction: Announcer introduces President Roosevelt, who is met with great applause (start-1:45 min.)
• Date Which Will Live in Infamy: Roosevelt addresses the Pearl Harbor attack (1:45-4:40 min.)
• Additional Attacks: Roosevelt details Japan’s “surprise offensive” throughout the Pacific (4:40-5:30 min.)
• Appeal to the public: Roosevelt speaks for the American people, who he says will “win through to absolute victory” (5:30-8:30 min.)
• Appeal to Congress: Roosevelt asks Congress to declare war (8:30-9:25 min.)
• National Anthem: band plays “The Star-Spangled Banner” (9:25-11:04 min.)