Day of Infamy

I was almost 12 years old when I heard President Roosevelt speak the words: "December seventh is a day that will live in Infamy." When I heard those words I knew they were true because of the story that had been broadcast on the radio about the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Everyone was outraged about the duplicity of the Japanese, after all, their ambassador was in Washington to talk about peace. The day of the attack he was found burning papers in the backyard of his home. There was not a day that went by that did not have talk about how we hated the Japs and our duty to get back at them. There were guys in our neighborhood that said they were going to enlist right after the holidays, and they did. Today, the day that will live in Infamy is mostly forgotten. The hatred for the Japanese is gone. That history may not be taught in our schools in the near future. Some schools have already dropped it preferring to cover more recent events. That day radically changed many lives, not only those who went into the armed forces, but every citizen had their normal habits affected. This Country turned upside down in it's rage at the enemy. Young people today will never know the resolve the American people had to defeat our enemies. Our thoughts were to KILL the enemy. Today, if people say outright what was said in those days, they would be turned in for an anger management class. We have become a nation of very nice and forgiving people, and that is not bad. We get along pretty well with everybody, even giving our precious rights to our enemies. We have turned our backs on violence and retribution toward the enemy and now seek to understand what has made them attack us so that we may change for them. President Roosevelt was wrong , December 7 will not live in Infamy.