The day: calm and sunny. The people: going about their daily routines.
The event: a pivotal moment in America’s history.
The event: a pivotal moment in America’s history.
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There was no warning…
What
happened at 7:55 AM on December 7, 1941 pierced the calmness, deafening the
scene with what can only be described as dastardly. Can you imagine the sound of alarms ripping
through the air so earsplitting no earplug ever invented could dull the noise? What
about the inability to dodge exploding bombs and incessant gunfire as fragments
and bullets riveted anything, everything in sight? Can you see yourself heeding
the call to abandon ship only to find you are clinging to a life preserver in
the midst of burning oil with the last sounds you hear being your own screams
as your eyes literally disintegrate in their sockets?
Remembering Pearl Harbor |
It was premeditated. There was no warning…
Imagine a
scene of people running, screaming, turning this way, turning that way totally
confused, completely panic stricken for no visible clue led the way of which
way to turn for there was no way, no apparent way to escape the terror. Buildings
offered no hope of safety for the walls were rapidly crumbling burying beneath
their weight men, women, even children. For some, what began as a leisurely
Sunday morning drive ended...just like that, their life ENDED! Without regard toward any living thing –
plant, animal, human – life was consumed in an instance within flames of pure
hell.
Do you get the picture? There was no
warning…
The Japanese
shocked the world with the unthinkable leaving behind close to 2,400 Americans
dead with another 1,100+ wounded. Recorded story after story fills page after
page of book after book in an effort to preserve the memory of the lives lost,
sacrificed at Pearl Harbor. A pivotal moment in America’s history led not to
annihilation but to an awakening…the undaunted strength of America. Audio playbacks capture the sounds, video and
film reproduce the sights but only those who survived can recall the smells. Those
who survived will never forget the sights, the sounds, or the smells of the
horror inflicted at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Yet, it
wasn’t the end as the Japanese had planned but the beginning of retaliation.
The day after the attack, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his famous Infamy Speech to a Joint Session of Congress, calling for a formal declaration of war on the Empire of Japan.
Awakening the Sleeping
Giant: WWII
In hopes of crippling the United States Pacific Fleet, the Combined Japanese Fleet received orders to attack Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and surrounding military targets. We never saw it coming nor did they in America’s retaliation.
The element of surprise
Was the enemy’s plan
While watches were changing
Destiny played its hand
Was the enemy’s plan
While watches were changing
Destiny played its hand
How could this be possible?
We were center stage
Our ships were mighty forceful
Our men—strong and brave
We were center stage
Our ships were mighty forceful
Our men—strong and brave
But there was no
warning…
An infamous airborne assault
Secretly designed to destroy on sight
Left a peaceful but great, nation
Awakened amid a horrible plight
Secretly designed to destroy on sight
Left a peaceful but great, nation
Awakened amid a horrible plight
Ships sank in their moorings
Capsized or were beached
Hundreds helped to save lives
Thousands were never reached
Capsized or were beached
Hundreds helped to save lives
Thousands were never reached
But there was no
warning…
—Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 1941
Incredibly four years later
A decision was made
Retaliation was certain
Time to lift our façade
A decision was made
Retaliation was certain
Time to lift our façade
We called for surrender
Hoping peace could be made
Threat of destruction
Was the first hand played
Hoping peace could be made
Threat of destruction
Was the first hand played
Ignoring the ultimatum
Commanded air raid
Two acute nuclear bombings
Lifted our façade
Commanded air raid
Two acute nuclear bombings
Lifted our façade
We gave no warning…
—Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, 1945
Hundreds of thousands succumbed
Leaving a country in pain
Six days after the bombing
Surrender finally came
Leaving a country in pain
Six days after the bombing
Surrender finally came
If they had only heeded earlier forewarning…
“Fear all we have done
is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
—Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (1884–1943)
—Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (1884–1943)
Excepted from Awakenings from Then ’til Now ( http://goo.gl/Xtj1c) by Sharla Lee Shults. Sharla’s passion for writing is poetry: Historical and inspirational. Become acquainted with her writing by visiting http://sharlashults.com/ where links are accessible to her books and blogs. Sharla previously shared A Woodsy Morning at The Write Room: http://www.thewriteroomblog.com/?p=1060 Embrace the Past... |
Empower the Present to Enrich the Future...
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