Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation: Resources

Websites

World War II Database

Ever wish there was an online repository of everything you ever wanted to know about World War II? Well…there is. And it's called the World War II Database. Timelines, profiles, book lists, photos: it's all here, and it's definitely a good time.

U.S. Army Center of Military History

Want to know more about those battles and campaigns during the Pacific War? Dying to get more info on General MacArthur, Admiral Nimitz, and the rest of the gang? Better question: who doesn't? This website gives every aspect of World War II the royal treatment—and there's plenty of other really stuff on there, too.

FDR Presidential Library and Museum

Never have we ever…seen such a complete collection of everything FDR. Wanna know more about his childhood? Done. Itching to delve deeper into the New Deal? Got it covered. Thinking the name Eleanor Roosevelt rings a bell and want to know why? That's here, too. Oh, and it's also got information on the actual museum and library, which is located in FDR's hometown of Hyde Park, New York.

Movie-or-TV-Productions

Tora! Tora! Tora!

An oldie but a goodie, this 1970 classic is all about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Throw this one into the mix at your next Oscar Winners Movie Binge Party.

Bridge on the River Kwai

Japanese soldiers want their British POWs to build a bridge for them, and high jinks ensue. It's over sixty years old, but this is a great Pacific War flick, and it's got classic A-listers like Alec Guinness and William Holden in it to boot.

Pearl Harbor

Warning: it's a love story. With some war stuff going on in the background. But we'd be remiss if we didn't mention it, and we think it's worth a watch. Plus, Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, and Josh Hartnett, and what's not to love about that cast?

50 Years Later…

Tom Brokaw, George Bush, Sr., and early-'90s cinematography dominate this eight-and-a-half minute video commemorating the 50th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It's touching as all get out (POTUS Bush even sheds a couple tears), so be sure this one gets the full 8:22 of undivided attention.

Articles-and-Interviews

Straight from the Source

The Friends of the National WWII Memorial group have put together a handful of video interviews with actual WWII veterans at the actual WWII Memorial. They're pretty intense, and totally awesome. Check them all out on the group's website.

A Man on a Mission

Learn all about Mishi Sharma, a SoCal dude who is dedicating his life to interviewing as many WWII veterans as he can. It's a big undertaking, and those veterans aren't getting any younger. Check out photos and videos, and read all about why (and how) Sharma does what he does.

Remembrances and Reconciliation

Seventy-five years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met on Oahu, toured the Pearl Harbor Memorial, and made some brief comments about repentance, condolences, and how to make sure nothing like that attack happens again between these two nations.

Video

A Speech That Will Live in Infamy

Watch FDR deliver his infamous Infamy Speech in beautifully low-def black-and-white. The cinematography might not be a stunner, but the content and the emotion totally are.

He Was There, Guys

Get goosebumps as USS Arizona survivor Donald Stratton takes us through his experience on his ship during the Pearl Harbor attack.

Camden County Hearts Its Veterans

37-plus minutes of video footage of local Pacific War veterans in folding chairs and talking about their experiences on a sunny day in the park? With photos and commentary? Bring it on; we love this stuff. Nice work capturing those stories, Rutgers and Camden County.

Audio

"Remember Pearl Harbor," the 1942 chart-topping version

It's patriotic! It's rousing! It's a great way to get those troops pumped up to go to war with Japan! Don Reid and Sammy Kaye unleashed this dynamo onto the American people just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

And it Wasn't Even Halftime

How did peeps listening to the New York Giants-Brooklyn Dodgers football game on the radio learn that Pearl Harbor had been attacked? Find out by listening to this snippet of game coverage.

Setting the Scene

Descriptive commentary, a play-by-play of who's doing what, and a sense of solemnity precede this audio recording of FDR's address to Congress on December 8th, 1941.

Images

Engulfed in Flames

This picture was taken as Pearl Harbor was being bombed. We like the composition with the palm frond at the top and the calm water in the foreground, but man, does that explosion look nasty.

Bird's Eye View

Here's an aerial shot of American military planes and hangars shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack. Check out the size of those smoke billows compared to the itty bitty buildings still standing.

Atomic Weaponry Comes to Japan

Ever wondered what it looks like when an atomic bomb goes off? Peep this pic of the atomic cloud as Little Boy decimates the city of Hiroshima.

Little Boy's Aftermath

Ever wondered what it looks like after an atomic bomb goes off? Here's a hint: it looks like complete and utter destruction.

They Look Like They Mean Business

Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur stride purposely across the deck of the USS Missouri on their way to oversee the surrender of Japan. We can almost hear "Eye of the Tiger" in the background.

This Isn't Posed at All

Emperor Hirohito of Japan and U.S. General Douglas Macarthur totally ham it up in one of the most iconic photos from World War II. Japan tried to ban this picture because of how itty-bitty it made Hirohito look, but just like embarrassing Facebook pics, it never really disappeared… and ended up showing up everywhere.

That's "Nimitz" with a "Z"

Admiral Nimitz signs Japan's surrender docs while General MacArthur looks on.