LANA: PEARL HARBOR

On this day 80 years ago, Japan launched a surprise attack on America at Pearl Harbor which served as America’s entry into World War II. It was the worst naval disaster in American history, more than 2,000 United States citizens were killed and 1,000 others were injured. The USS Arizona exists now as an underwater cemetery for hundreds of crewmen who could never be recovered from the bombing. The attack was meant to distract America so that Hitler’s forces could take Russia which stood as a threat to Japan’s conquest of China. The fascist world order was simple: Germany would rule Europe while Japan ruled Asia. America strived to be uninvolved in the war up until the events at Pearl Harbor. However, God took what the enemy meant for evil and He turned it for good. Japan’s attack woke up a sleeping giant—America joined the war effort which was pivotal in ending WWII, the Nazi regime, and the evil that was occurring across the globe. President Roosevelt called Pearl Harbor “a date which will live in infamy.” We commemorated this day so that Americans might obtain a deep gratitude, sense of humbleness, and greater understanding of the sacrifices of those who served and continue to serve our country.