FDR to Japan: Let's Count The Ways You've Gone Done Screwed Up
- Basically, FDR says, American military losses are catastrophic. Very many—not just "many," but "very many"—Americans were killed (8). (Turns out over 2,400 Americans died.)
- Also, planes, ships, and a bunch of facilities were destroyed. Ships all the way clear up to San Francisco got torpedoed.
- In addition, the British states of Malaya (we call it Malaysia now) were attacked.
- Oh, and so was Hong Kong.
- And Guam.
- And the Philippines.
- And Wake Island.
- And Midway Island.
- And all of those, BTW, were American territories and/or besties except for Hong Kong, which was under British rule.
- Anyhoo, Roosevelt says, the "facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves:" Japan attacked a bunch of islands with no warning (17).
- Americans get that these attacks are totally not okay, and they are, FDR assures his audience, absolutely clear with what's at stake: the entire American way of life.
- Therefore, as Commander in Chief, FDR has directed the American military to do whatever is needed to defend the country against this ridiculousness.
- And no matter what, Japan can rest assured that the U.S. now sees all of its shady true colors in radiant high definition; unprovoked, undeclared acts of aggression do not go over well in the land of the free.
- And no matter how long it takes, America will smack that aggression down and claim sweet, sweet victory for its own.
- In other words, FDR says, Japan is writing checks its hindquarters can't cash. Japan may have started something, but America? America's gonna finish it.