Biden proclaims Dec. 7 "Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day" to honor American heroes

President Biden issued a presidential proclamation Thursday declaring Dec. 7 as “Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day” to commemorate the crewmen and Americans who lost their lives 82 years ago at the Hawaiian naval base.

The newly minted holiday honors those who lost their lives when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked U.S. Naval forces at Pearl Harbor at 7:55 a.m. local time.

At the time of the attack, tensions were running high with the land of the rising sun, and the Imperial Japanese government had already formed an alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

The U.S. and Japan had tried negotiating in 1941 as part of an attempt to improve relations. But when the negotiations stalled, the U.S. froze all Japanese assets in July and enacted an oil embargo, crippling the Pacific island empire since 80% of its oil came from the United States.

In anticipation of a shortage, the Japanese Empire considered seizing oil from the Dutch East Indies.

On Nov. 20, 1941, Japan offered to withdraw its forces from Indochina and not attack Southeast Asia if England, the U.S. and the Netherlands would stop defending China and lift sanctions against Tokyo.

But Japan allegiance to Nazi Germany as part of the Tripartite, it’s desire to control Southeast Asia and its refusal to leave mainland China left Washington disinterested in compromising with Tokyo.

Instead, the U.S. sent its response on Nov. 26 in a document known as the Hull Note, rejecting Tokyo’s conditions and demanding Japan evacuate China and French Indochina.

When Japanese Prime Minister Tojo Hideki read America’s terms, he told his cabinet, “this is an ultimatum.”  

Unbeknownst to Washington, the Japanese strike force that attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 set sail on Nov. 25, the day before the Hull Note was sent. The fleet could have been recalled, but considering Washington’s response, Tokyo anticipated a potential conflict with the U.S.

To prevent the U.S. from hampering its efforts from seizing oil in Dutch Indochina or any of its other operations in the Pacific, it preemptively attacked Pearl Harbor to cripple U.S. naval forces.

As part of its strategy to distract Washington, Tokyo broke off negotiations with the U.S. at 7:25 a.m. Hawaii time, 30 minutes before it launched its attack by air at 7:55 a.m.

The first attack wave of 183 planes was launched north of Oahu and the second wave involved 177 planes and dozens of additional bombers.

As a result of the attacks, 2,403 service members and 68 civilians were killed, and a total of 1,178 military civilians were injured.

In his radio address to the United States, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said December 7 “was a day that still lives in infamy.”

Finally, 82 years later, The White House has decided to officially memorialize the day.

“As we mark National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor the patriots who perished, commemorate the valor of all those who defended our Nation, and recommit ourselves to carrying forth the ensuing peace and reconciliation that brought a better future for our world,” President Biden wrote in Thursday’s proclamation.

“Today, we give thanks to the Greatest Generation, who guided our Nation through some of our darkest moments and laid the foundations of an international system that has transformed former adversaries into allies.”

Biden then wrote about his experience paying respect at the USS Arizona Memorial in 2013.

“To this day, beads of oil still rise to the surface of the water — metaphorical “Black Tears” shed for those lost in the attack,” he wrote. 

“Reading those names etched in marble was a mournful reminder of the sacrifices and the human cost of protecting our Nation and the ideals this great country represents. Our Nation remains forever indebted to all those who gave their last full measure of devotion eight decades ago. We will never forget those who perished, and we will always honor our sacred obligation to care for our service members, veterans, and their families, caregivers, and survivors.”

The new day of remembrance was designated by Congress as Public Law 103-308 and named  “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.”

Biden said Americans should take time in their day on the anniversary going forward to remember those American heroes who died in service to their country the day of the Japanese attack.

“I encourage all Americans to reflect on the courage shown by our brave warriors that day and remember their sacrifices,” he wrote. 

“I ask us all to give sincere thanks and appreciation to the survivors of that unthinkable day. I urge all Federal agencies, interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff on December 7, 2021, in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.”