Remembering that day of Japanese infamy and treachery

Today, we should remember how treacherous the Japanese were. Seventy-six years ago, on December 8, 1941, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered the famous infamy speech, opening with words of anger and outrage: “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” The treachery of the Japanese was such that the attack was launched early dawn at the same time the Japanese ambassador to the US was conveying messages of peace and diplomacy to the US State Secretary. In one hour, the US Congress declared war against Japan and marked the US entry into World War II.

The attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 Americans (some of whom were of Filipino blood and descent), and wounded 1,178. The mortality included 2,008 sailors dead and 710 wounded, 218 soldiers killed, 34 wounded, 109 Marines killed, 69 wounded, 68 civilian workers killed (a good number were Filipinos), 35 wounded, including a close relative of mine. Casualties included 18 US ships sunk, including five battleships, 188 US aircraft were destroyed and 159 were badly damaged. The results of that attack were massive, but the greatest damage was on the morale of the American people. And the purpose of it all was to prevent the US Pacific Fleet from engaging the Japanese in their strategy for subjugating the whole Asia Pacific.

The first attack wave comprised of 183 Japanese bombers carrying thousands of kilograms of bombs and torpedoes. The second wave comprised of 51 dive bombers, and the third wave was executed by 43 Mitsubishi zero fighter planes for strafing and air control. In a matter of minutes the warship Arizona was hit and sunk, causing the death of 1,177 sailors who were still sleeping. Battleship Oklahoma was hit by torpedoes killing 429. West Virginia was sunk with 106, California was hit by torpedoes causing 100 deaths. Nevada was hit with 60 dead. The battleships Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Maryland were also hit with a combined count of 20 deaths. Even the training ship Utah was hit with 64 dead. Japan paid dearly for their treachery when Hiroshima and Nagasaki was pulverized by atomic bombs later in history.

Filipinos, including our national leaders today, should never forget that treachery. It was an attack against the US but it was also an assault against us, because we were under the Commonwealth and we, too were attacked. Our economy was shattered, our land devastated, our women ravished, even children killed with bayonets by the merciless Kempeitai. The Japanese were heartless. My father, not even 20, was a guerilla fighter, wounded and scarred. He is now 92 and still awaiting justice and parity promised by presidents Roosevelt and Truman to the Filipino warriors under the US flag. Hundreds of thousands were slaughtered by the Japanese. The comfort women were dishonored and still ignored today. Japan has a lot to answer for. All their aid is pittance compared to the tremendous damage they inflicted on us.