“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”: FDR Asks for a Declaration of War

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, stunned virtually everyone in the United States military. Japan’s carrier-launched bombers found Pearl Harbor totally unprepared. President Franklin Roosevelt quickly addressed Congress to ask for a declaration of war as illustrated in this audio excerpt.

Although he never mentioned Europe or the fact that Germany had not yet declared war on the United States, the Pearl Harbor attack allowed him to begin the larger intervention in the European war he had long wanted.

Let’s stop in the middle of another hectic day and remember how we became the greatest nation in the world and wed ourselves to living up to those sacrifices to ensure the greatest nation in the world. 

U.S. Household Net Worth

U.S. household net worth is surging and becoming palpable. The $96.9 trillion dollars has positive implications and helps a self-fulfilling virtuous cycle.

The markets are all in the green with the Nasdaq leading the way again, up 0.6%, while the Dow and S&P500 are both up 0.4%.  Small caps are back in vogue with the Russell 2000 up 0.9%.  Advancers outpaced decliners 1742/1090 on the NYSE and 1799/932 on the Nasdaq.  Industrials, Materials and Technology are strong while Consumer Staples, Healthcare, Telecom Services and Utilities lag.