Hello, and thank you for listening to The History of World War II podcast.

Episode 249, Japan enters the war.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was over.

Most Japanese officers, as word spread, hailed the courageous victory and the blow dealt

to their enemy's pride.

Others were more contemplative, as in, yes, a successful strike.

But what now?

And as we have seen, the two Japanese representatives in Washington, Kurosu and Nemura, relate with

their delivery of the vaguely worded declaration of war by almost two and a half hours.

So when all was said and done, Japan had begun a war.

It had not officially declared.

Be that as it may, it was time for Tokyo to make its declaration.

Navy Minister Shigei Taoro Shimada went over the results of the surprise attack with

a cabinet just before sunrise in Tokyo.

Most attending were pleased, but also had to be asking themselves, what now?

Still a declaration of war was written up and sent to the emperor via the privy seal

Koichi Kido, who were Hito's most intimate advisor.

As Kido entered the palace, the Japanese broadcasting corporation was about to make its own announcement.

The message began, we now present you, urgent news.

The Army and Navy divisions of Imperial headquarters jointly announced at 6 o'clock this morning

December 8th that Imperial Army and Navy forces have begun hostilities against the Americans

and British forces in the Pacific, at dawn today.

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