Historical film footage from December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. This footage and commentary were part of a May 13, 1963 newsreel produced by Universal. Pearl Harbor was the featured topic in the final newsreel segment called "Yesterday's Big Story."
[Introductory music] December 7th, 1941, a day of infamy. Even as Japanese diplomats were conferring with Secretary of State Hull on peace measures, Nipponese planes were swooping down on Pearl Harbor. This pictorial record includes both US films and pictures made by the enemy as they drop their load of death on the naval base, on Wheeler Field, on civilian homes and schools. A hundred Japanese planes and a number of midget submarines took part in the attack. In an hour and five minutes, the battleship "Arizona" was completely destroyed and four others severely damaged. Three other battleships and three cruisers suffered lesser damage. Nearly two hundred planes were destroyed. In that Sunday morning inferno, the Pacific Fleet appeared to be completely immobilized by the sneak attack. Nearly three thousand casualties added to the catastrophe [sound of bombs exploding]. Within hours, the United States declared war.
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