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The Importance of December 1941

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    Author Craig Shirley on his new book, “December 1941”, and its importance in U.S. history.

  • Duration 9:01
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On all morning.

Craig surely even you know a big -- -- dog Doug Doug Brinkley.

Anyway -- surely has written December 19 importer -- order Rwanda is the change America and save the world.

Published by Thomas Nelson please walk in the program gradually to mark mr.

-- Good morning thank you mr.

Imus Mario.

Good I'm great how real I'm -- so December -- -- Wallace start their clever way you do this.

By breaking that down them discussing the events of each day of December why was first of all although then.

The fact that -- -- tacked on December 7.

Why was in -- months such a significant month.

It is probably.

The bright line between the America of the past in the America of the future.

America from the time of George Washington -- farewell address he admonished us against entangling alliances.

With the European powers we've been pretty much an isolationist country and even after.

At the end of the World War I left a very bitter taste in the mouth to the American people and there was a saying going on this country that was.

All we Gallo's death and debt and Georgian colan.

And so Americans did not want to get involved in any more entangling alliances.

In Europe and -- warning that thinking about the Pacific.

December 7 changes everything we go from countries pretty much of the past.

To a country in the future would become permanently internationalist.

We rebuild -- Europe under the Marshall plan we -- build Japan under Douglas MacArthur.

We engage in -- anti -- foreign policy and project American power.

All things to unthinkable.

In the years before World War II.

So on but a lot of discussion over the years obviously.

All.

Historian so on and others.

About what to -- Roosevelt new robots.

-- -- -- -- -- Right.

I dog it's far down -- -- could on this.

And I came to the conclusion and we actually we thought -- my son was my principal researcher on the book.

And we found in the FDR file is a memo that have been given to him on December 4 by the office of naval intelligence.

26 pages on Japanese espionage and and intelligence gathering in the United States and the wide territory.

And on page two of this memo.

When and it is very explicitly said that in the that the Japanese were gathering as much in information on American military capabilities as possible.

In in anticipation of possible open conflict and that's a direct -- With the United States either in the West Coast or the Panama Canal or the -- territory.

Now let me just say is is that in FDR's defense is that like George Bush before September 11.

There were some -- -- -- the puzzle they were scattered widely around the government.

But even if he took all those piece of the puzzle put them together is still didn't add up to not enough knowledge to say.

Yes we know the Japanese are gonna attack us on December 7 1941 and by the way.

-- call then intact just Panama Pearl Harbor on December 7 they also -- midway Guam wake island Singapore.

Hong Kong and the Philippines -- that was a massive strike against the British American forces in the central western Pacific.

The talk -- crunch -- reserve board has just been published December -- in 4130.

Thirty -- -- a change of our consider world but it discussed this particular aspect.

Although the story where people -- -- said Doug Brinkley.

Yes and well I've discovered you don't to a duck.

I am not discuss this memo with him.

But I have with.

Briefly with other historians and then they find -- interest and I don't think.

It's it's that it it it raises the bar just a tiny bit more but it doesn't mean it adds up that that he or anybody and the other thing too is -- -- that.

Is that -- I came to the conclusion that -- are was.

A very good man and I think quite frankly only he could have let American allies.

In World War II.

There was a historian in the -- in the 1840s by the name of Thomas Carlyle who postulate -- the great man theory of history.

And that.

That then control their own destinies and not the other way around and I think that only George Washington could lead the revolution.

Presided over the continental congress and created and on the first president only Abraham Lincoln -- let us since the civil war.

Only FDR could have led allies against the evil of the axis powers in world war -- and only Ronald Reagan could lead America in the defeat of Soviet communism.

All they story -- in December aside from.

December 7 two or three -- would be the most significant that are as the next most significant.

The December 11.

Because that's the debt well that's the day that Germany and Italy declare war the United States.

And this also is evidence more evidence against the conspiracy this because.

The conspiracy to say what -- DRO secretly let us be attacked.

Because you want to get us into the World War II.

But there was no coupling between the attack on Pearl Harbor on the seventh.

Our declaration of war against Japan on -- and then Germany and Italy declaring war on us in the eleventh there was no drive in this country no call no uprising after the seven cent.

Let's go get the Japanese and the Germans and the Italians and as a matter fact.

In researching.

The papers of Henry Stimson who was FDR's secretary of war.

We found the draft of a declaration from the evening of December 7 against Japan Italy and Germany.

But of course it was Johnston as we -- know -- you are only ask for declaration of war against against Japan on December 8.

So that but that did the December 11 puts us into a complete world war and so now we are committed.

Not only to the Pacific but -- and the European war and as matter of fact.

Devoted more resources to the European war in the months after -- December reported one that we did.

To the Pacific war what did you learn and and during his sportage and now.

A lot at front I guess I -- out -- thing you'll learn.

Is how well they the American people gave up freedom for security.

Is that there -- there was the ACLU was.

-- nodding and it existed as an organization but.

For instance.

After the war powers act congress passes a bill that empowers the president -- bureau's censorship.

And a former Associated Press executive is put in charge of it.

And under the this bureau of such -- -- they have control over all commercial radio stations in America.

They have control over all mail going in and outs outside the United States and the -- censorship says to all commercial radio.

Is that you'll not broadcast anything detrimental to the war effort -- not broadcast any information that is helpful the generate -- -- -- and by the way.

You cannot use the war for commercial -- you can't say and the war brought to you by Campbell Soup.

You so that and and they had the right to go in and shut down any radio station America they deemed was detrimental to the war effort.

I'll talk a growth on cards earlier -- all from December 90 reporter Juan Puerto one does it change America saved the world.

Fascinating account of each and every day of December -- front of your page is about and that's compelling just starting -- -- All I ask you this one needed you -- you've done a book now bought them or Gingrich citizen -- I'm I'm in the -- well it's it's in the developments -- does -- start well it started out as a a book about his early political career because.

From 732.

-- 94 culminated with the a Republican candidate you'll congress where Robert to loans -- you -- those sort of no not yet anyway -- and I don't right now.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Efficacy and subject to it's it's also works of note -- -- yesterday people weren't born them.

How they -- about December.

7 1941.

And and even though they weren't born -- -- people still have a they have a visceral feeling about what happened so.

As I'm sure -- about to -- above nine elevenths.

Forever yes absolutely -- there is this signal.

Dates in our lifetime November -- second 1963.

-- December July 4 1776 that will never be lost on the American consciousness artists -- mountains up to seven day almost done.

Yes exactly my current thank you very much thank you Merry Christmas thank -- -- Christmas afternoon here of Craig -- December 19 importer one.

Amazon or to buy bonds and only -- combined.

Arnold -- bookstore shall open if aren't about hair probably e-book you.

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