Looking Back: The Attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941

(Editor’s Note: In observance of the 80th anniversary, which was December 7, of Pearl Harbor, we take a look back at the historical event as reported in the Ville Platte Gazette.)
President Roosevelt brought The Japanese situation to showdown. What the president demanded would be Japan course in Indo-China,
The Japs seemed in no hurry to reply, but the situation had at last come to a concrete questions and answers.
Both sides committed; somebody has to do the backing down. Few thought the U.S. would pull Munich.
President Roosevelt had pointedly demanded of Japan what she meant by having so many troops situated in French Indo-China, Here, so most observers thought, the Jap knees began to wobble and the sons of Nippon began giving diplomatic ground.
Special Envoy Kurusu hosted to Secretary of State Cordell Hull, asteed that Jap-American peace talks be continued . This was interpreted as “giving ground,” a sure sign that Japan was bluffing. President Roosevelt, evidently sensing that all was not any too well in the pacific, sent a special personal message direct it to the Japanese Emperor.
While the contents of the message were not divulged, it was believed they were of vast import. The Jap emperor, considered of divine ancestry by his subjects, ordinarily remains a lot from matters of government.
Unimpressed by Japan’s explanation of troop movements in the far east, official Washington was on alert for “overt acts” in the far east.
With coming of the dawn, unbelievable things began to happen, A great force of Jap bombers struck the hug U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, in the Hawaiian Islands casualties were great, estimated at 3,000 about half dead.
Several hits were scored on U.S. ships, two or three ships were reported sunk; lesser craft were thought damaged. Many U.S. planes were destroyed on the ground.
This Japanese attack came without warning, as treacherous a blow as was ever dealt one nation by another. As the bombs were raining down, Kurnsu ambled to The State Department with his country’s declaration of war on the United States.
The Japs started to attack the Philippine Islands, at the U.S. bases on Guam, Midway Islands, and elsewhere om the east.
An assault was thrown at Siam; The British fortress at Siga pore was attacked. All of these came without warning. Japs submarines sank two U.S. transports between the main land and the Hawaiian Island.
Great Britain declared war on Japan. So did Columbia and Costa Rica, indicating that the U.S. would get the active backing of most South American nations.
Mexico was understood to be planning to declare on Japan.
President Roosevelt told the nation, in his first war time address to the people, that they could expect a long war. He predicted a U.S. victory, and said this country would also win peace.
Japan scored a distinct naval success over two of Britain’s mightiest ships. Jap bombers, it was announced by the English, sank the 3,000-ton Prince Wales and the 32,000 battle cruiser Repulse off Malaya.
Japan losses, if any, were not revealed by either Tokyo or Britain. Both of the ships went down in attacks lasting about two and a half hours.