This Day in History

Aug 6, 1945:

American bomber drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima

BUT this is where it all begun. . .

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

How could this be possible?

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

Ships sank in their moorings

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 facade

We called for surrender

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

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

If they had only heeded our warning…

“Fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant

and fill him with a terrible resolve.”

—Japanese Admiral Isoroku