Video: 'Pearl Harbor - 2 Hours That Changed The World ABC News' (Dec. 6, 1941 at 35:28)
(Saturday, December 6, 1941, 9:00 p.m. EST, less than 16 hours before Japan’s sneak attack on Pearl Harbor) — With negotiations at a standstill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a personal appeal to Japanese Emperor Hirohito tonight in a last attempt at preserving the peace in the Pacific.
“Only in situations of extraordinary importance to our two countries need I address to Your Majesty messages on matters of state. I feel I should now so address you because of the deep and far-reaching emergency which appears to be in formation. Developments are occurring in the Pacific area which threaten to deprive each of our Nations and all humanity of the beneficial influence of the long peace between our two countries. Those developments contain tragic possibilities,” the President wrote.
Roosevelt then turned to the situation in Indochina, which marked the beginning of the American embargo and the escalating tensions.
“During the past few weeks it has become clear to the world that Japanese military, naval, and air forces have been sent to Southern Indo-China in such large numbers as to create a reasonable doubt on the part of other Nations that this continuing concentration in Indo-China is not defensive in its character.”
The President ended his telegram with the following words: “I address myself to Your Majesty at this moment in the fervent hope that Your Majesty may, as I am doing, give thought in this definite emergency to ways of dispelling the dark clouds. I am confident that both of us, for the sake of the peoples not only of our own great countries but for the sake of humanity in neighboring territories, have a sacred duty to restore traditional amity and prevent further death and destruction in the world.”
There would be no reply. Unbeknownst to Roosevelt, his telegram is too little too late, as Admiral Yamamoto had already passed down the following order to the Kido Butai carrier fleet closing in on Hawaii: “Climb Mount Niitaka” and the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor must proceed as planned.
