On Dec. 7, 1941 Imperial Japan launched a sneak attack on the United States' naval forces stationed in Hawaii. President Franklin Roosevelt, in urging the U.S. Congress to declare war, called Dec. 7 "a date which will live in infamy."
And it has. The attack on Pearl Harbor shocked Americans and prompted the country's entry into World War II. It also prompted the rounding up of Japanese-Americans and their internment in camps throughout the western United States. Pearl Harbor sparked national unity but also triggered the disturbing manifestation of anti-Japanese racism and fear in America.
Both legacies should be remembered together, especially in light of current trends in American political discourse that demonizes an entire population — this time based on religion rather than ethnicity.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.