December 8, 1941 was a solemn day. The day after Japan dropped the bomb on
Pearl Harbor, the people of the United States mourned. If ever there was a time
when Americans wanted to enter World War II, it was then. The United Sates had
been deceived by the Empire of Japan, with whom they thought they were at peace.
Franklin Roosevelt’s speech to Congress, asking for permission to declare war on
Japan, shows the resentment and despair of the American people.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, many Americans felt a lot of resentment
against Japan, and the Japanese. Much of this resentment arose because Japan
gave the United States a false hope of peace between the two countries. Also,
from the evidence, it appeared that the attack was premeditated. Because of the
distance between Japan and Hawaii, it was found that the attack had been planned
days, possibly weeks beforehand (Roosevelt, 170).
During the time before the attack, the Japanese had deceived the United
States into believing they were at peace with one another. Because of the
bombing by Japan, the American people were mourning the loss of their soldiers’
lives. They also were angry with the destruction of the naval and military
forces, along with the attacks on Hong Kong, Guam, the Philippine Islands, Wake
Island, and Midway Island all within hours of each other.
The American people, along with the government, wanted nothing more than to
destroy Japan, and win the war. In the Monica Sone document, I belief that the
frustrations that the Americans were feeling are expressed in their entirety.
The American people were so angry with the Japanese people, and so afraid that
the Japanese would attack again, that the Americans basically rejected anyone
that looked Japanese.
