Welcome to the American Story. We are grateful to all of you for tuning in each

week and sharing these stories with family, friends, and neighbors, and we're

grateful for your generous support.

Thanks to you at year's end, we will have 129 evergreen episodes,

a collection of stories about the things that make America the country we know and love.

We will release our final episode on America, the country we know, and love.

We will release our final episode on December 28.

I hope each story contains some beautiful truth about our country that is worth hearing again

and again. This is Chris Flannery with the Clermont Institute.

I call this one

Pearl Harbor and the Art of Politics

December 7th, 2021 is the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that brought America into World War II.

It is one of many days in the World War II.

It is one of many days in the American year that inspire reflection on the most violent and

determinative human event.

War. And the art of war that aims to control and direct that most uncontrollable

human undertaking. It has always been the case and will always be the case that some nations will choose to make war for what they think is their advantage

On December 1st 1941 Emperor Hirohito met with Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and his Cabinet.

Tojo argued that Japan's aims could not be achieved peacefully, and the Cabinet voted unanimously for war.

So at 7.55 a.m. Hawaiian local time on December 7th, Japanese dive bombers began their attack on the Japanese dive bombers began their attack on the U.S. Pacific fleet

anchored at Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii.

Simultaneously, Japan attacked Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the U.S.

...