War has been apart of history since the beginning of our time. America won its independence from Great Britain to become a free nation. America has been participants in many foreign wars to help defend against who we thought were the enemy. Two such wars struck American soil and struck the American people. Both of these attacks were soon followed with a speech by the President reassuring his people that we were taking action to be victorious against the perpetrators. The "call to war", as it is known, is the first official prelude to war.
Pearl Harbor was attacked December 7, 1941 by the Japanese Empire. It was a surprise attack that shocked Americans into disbelief and sadness. Parts of the world were already involved in World War II, but America wanted to stay neutral and out of the war. President Franklin Roosevelt, the following night, spoke to the American people. Right off the bat he stated, "Yesterday, December 7, 1941-a date which will live in infamy"(Roosevelt 449). From this line the American people realized that we as a nation would not take this standing down and in fact that we were heading for war. On Tuesday September 11, 2001, New York City and Washington D.C. were attacked by terrorists from an unknown organization. Once again the surprise attacks shocked Americans into disbelief and sadness. At this time the world was in a relative state of peace. The untested President George W. Bush made his speech to the American people that same night. In President Bush's speech he mentions, "None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world." Remembering this day also and defending our freedom through war.
In the Pearl Harbor Speech, President Roosevelt gives examples of why we mustn't ponder the situation at had for very long. He says:
Yesterday, the Japanese government alsolaunched an attack against Malaya.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
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