A Date Which Will Live in Infamy
"Instantly on the news from Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt ordered the Army and Navy: "Fight Back!" The U.S., after 22 years and 25 days of peace, was at war." Thus TIME reported on the events that followed the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor.
He spoke to Congress the next day. Before that night fell, war on Japan had been officially declared.