FDR’s Pearl Harbor Address
Summary
Hosted by John Meacham, this episode of It Was Said examines Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Day of Infamy” speech following the Pearl Harbor attack. It details the immediate aftermath of December 7, 1941, and the political context of American isolationism. The narrative highlights FDR’s deliberate brevity and resolve in uniting the nation for war.
Topics discussed
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The day Pearl Harbor was attacked
Episode introduction: Pearl Harbor Address
US isolationism and the rise of fascism
Churchill's pleas and American public opinion
Japanese expansion in the Pacific
Drafting the 'Date Which Will Live in Infamy' speech
FDR delivers the war declaration to Congress
Toyota and Lincoln vehicle advertisements
Aftermath and Germany declares war on the US
Credits and closing music
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