President Obama has proclaimed today to be National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and has urged everyone to fly the American flag at half-staff in honor of those who died. Governor Chafee has ordered that all public buildings in Rhode Island display both the U.S. and Rhode Island flags at half-staff.
The attacks forced the United States to finally enter World War Two which had been raging in Europe since 1939 and in Asia since arguable the early 1930's.