December 6, 2013 (Friday)
Tomorrow, December 7, is the 72nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the entrance of the United States into World War 2.
What was happening on December 6? For some time, Japan had been showing signs of aggressive activity, including increased militarization, and alignment with Germany and Italy, both of which had already made moves toward world domination. Through diplomacy, the United States and Japan had been in contact as fears of a conflict were growing.
Evidently, on December 6, the United States was totally unaware of Japan’s plan to destroy the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The fact is, however, that the armada that was to deliver death and destruction to the military base had set sail from Japan on December 1. While diplomats exchanged their polite messages, the ships carrying the bombers were plowing through the waters of the Pacific.
Hindsight is perfect sight. It is clear today that we should have been better prepared for the possibility of a military attack on American installations in the Pacific. The fact is the attack caught us unaware of any plans for such. The result was death and destruction that launched America’s entry into a World War.
A recurrent theme in science fiction literature is knowledge of the future. The plots vary somewhat, but the fascination with knowing what’s going to happen tomorrow is always a part of the stories. The beautiful, clear skies revealing the sunrise in Hawaii on December 7, 1941 hid from view the awful carnage about to take place.
Knowing the future is indeed science fiction. The Book of James in the Bible warns us, “Look here, you people who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to such and such a town, stay there a year, and open up a profitable business.’ How do you know what is going to happen tomorrow? For the length of your lives is as uncertain as the morning fog–now you see it; soon it is gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we shall live and do this or that.'” (James 4:13-15 TLB).
USS Arizona Memorial Pearl Harbor Honolulu, Hawaii