December 7th 1941

[.455_Hunter]

Comprehensive US history is taught a couple of times in K-12. Most students may get their first exposure to WWII in 8th grade, but the primary "in-depth" study occurs during the junior year in HS, where entire build-up, conflict, and aftermath is covered. For many people, this is their last substantive study of general history, particularly if they do not go to college, or study a technical field in college.

[SouthPaw]

their first exposure to WWII in 8th grade, but the primary "in-depth" study occurs during the junior year in HS, where entire build-up, conflict, and aftermath is covered.

Accurate for me. Senior year was all dedicated to .gov.

[Ronin13]

Just thought it was important to get a jump on it, most will not remember this date as the time when a real war was declared, and Americans lost their lives due to an unprovoked, surprise attack.

Not to nitpick, as I'm sure you didn't mean it this way, but by "real war" I hope you aren't trying to insinuate that the war declared after 9/11/01 wasn't a "real" war, even though Americans lost their lives due to an unprovoked, surprise attack.

I learned about Pearl Harbor in History class throughout school. Even in my American History class my senior year of HS, the teacher had us listen to the entirety of FDR's speech and discuss the significance.

[milwaukeeshaker]

I meant this is not a congressionally declared war, so in that sense not a real declared war, just another in the line of police actions. I'm sure it's real to those that fought and are fighting it.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I meant this is not a congressionally declared war, so in that sense not a real declared war, just another in the line of police actions. I'm sure it's real to those that fought and are fighting it.

Incorrect again. Both houses of Congress issued a joint declaration of war on terrorism on 14 September 2001.

A joint resolution to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States . Whereas, on September 11, 2001, acts of treacherous violence were committed against the United States and its citizens; and

Whereas, such acts render it both necessary and appropriate that the United States exercise it rights to self-defense and to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad, and

Whereas, in light of the threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by these grave acts of violence, and

Whereas, such acts continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,

Whereas, the President has authority under the Constitution to take action to deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States.

Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This joint resolution may be cited as the ``Authorization for Use of Military Force''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

(a) That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.

(b) WAR POWERS RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS.--

(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION.--Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution.

(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS.--Nothing in this resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution.

You can certainly argue that the joint resolution was hasty or ill-conceived or poorly worded but it existed and was overwhelmingly approved.

[Ronin13]

Incorrect again. Both houses of Congress issued a joint declaration of war on terrorism on 14 September 2001.




You can certainly argue that the joint resolution was hasty or ill-conceived or poorly worded but it existed and was overwhelmingly approved.

I was just about to point this out. If Congress didn't have a hand in OIF, why did Gen Powell go before them with evidence?

[spqrzilla]

I think that the start of the Pacific War is indeed poorly taught in our K-12 history classes. The OP is an example. The attack on Pearl Harbor was not "unprovoked". Indeed, the United States had been intervening in Japan's war of aggression against China for some time. We had sent some arms and technical advice to the Nationalist government of China and as early as April of 1941 FDR had approved the creation of the American Volunteer Group ("Flying Tigers") to fly American supplied P40 Warhawks against the Japanese - although the AVG did not go into combat until after December 7th.

The United States had for years applied various kinds of economic sanctions against Japan in retaliation for its invasion of China. It was largely these sanctions, and the US refusal to drop them that caused Japan to decide to go to war against the the various Allies of the US. Japan planned invasions of the Dutch East Indies (Dutch held what is today Indonesia ) to secure a source of petroleum as well as seizing British held possessions to secure supply lines. While I think that the US measures against Japan were appropriate at the very least given the Japanese war of aggression against China, to call the attack "unprovoked" is false.