OCR Text |
Show When War Game Came to the United States States- ' - f By ELMO SCOTT scon WATSONT WATSON WATSONDT I DT IT T WASon WAS on a Sunday morn morning morning mg ing three years ago thawar thawar war came again agam to the UniteStates UmtecStates States StatesThe The story of that "day day " o ofIn of mfamy In Infamy infamy famy , . " when Japan made he hesneak heisneak sneak attack on Pearl Harboris Harbor IS too fresh in m the minds mmds of al alAmericans ] retellinghere AmerIcans to need " retelling g here But how many of usknow us usknOV u uknow s knO\V knO V know \ of those other tragIc tragi c days tragicdays tragidays when were made the thefateful thifateful th thfateful e ce fateful decisions which meantthat meant meantthat meantthat t that more American hves lives hveswere liveswere liveswere were to be sacrificed on the al- al altar altar al altar - tar of Mars7 Mars ? ' This TJus article is a page from fromthe fromthe fromthe m the past which tells how war warcame warcame waicame r came to America in other otheryears otheryears othciyears r years before 1941The 1941The 1941 1941The The first fust war which we as a na nabon oation nation bon tion waged was an Wldeclared undeclared Wldeclaredwar undeclaredwar undeclaredwar d I WldeclaredI war warei eithat ei " that is to say there was wasnever wasnever wanever ! never any formal declaration of ofwar o owar olwar f war As a matter of o1 fact fact , , we wereneven weren t teven < even a nation . , when it startedThe started startedThe startedThe The American Revolution began beganas begatas as English Enghsh Boglash a rebellion rebellion-the rebellion the - the revolt of the Eng Bog hsh lash colonies colomes in America against againsttheir againsttheir againsttheir t their mother country England . . It Itcontmued Itcontinued Hcontinued contmued continued as a rebellion and as acivil a acfvll acivil cfvll civil war - - Patriots against the theLoyalists theLoyalists theLoyalists Loyalists and the regularly consututed constituted consti consu tuted authorities authorities-for authorities for - for nearly a year before we became a nation For the theUmted theUnited theUnited Umted United States of America did not notcome nottome notcome come tome into mto existence until July 4 41776 1776 when the Declaration of Inde Inds Indepenll.ence Indsenitence Indepenitence penll.ence penllence p enitence . was adopted adoptedIn In the meantime there had been beenfighting beenghting beenfighting fighting ghting fi .and and . nd bloodshed bloodshed-at bloodshed at - - at Lexington Lexmg Leung Lexmgton Leungton ton on April 19 1775 at Concord Concordwhere Concordwhere Concordwhere where was fired the shot heard heardround heardround heardround round the world ' on the sameday same sameday sameday day at Bunker Hill HIl1 on June 17 and andat andat andat at Quebec Quebeq Quebec ; ; in December For SIX SIXyears sixyears sixyears years this undeclared wardragged war wardragged wardragged dragged on until at last the sur sir surrender sirrender surrender render of Comwallis Cornwallls Cornwallis at Yorktown on onOctober onOctober onOctober October 19 1781 meant that the independence m in mdependence independence dependence declared five years yearsearlier yearsearlier yearsearlier earlier was an accomplished accomphshed factHowever factHowever fact factHowever However this didn dldn t mean the theend theend theend end of the war which was destmed destined destmedto destinedto to last for nearly two years more It Itwasn Itwasn Itwasn wasn t until November 30 1782 that thatU thatthe thatthe U > the e preliminary prelimmary articles of peace peacebetween peacebetween peacebetween between Great Britain and the theUmted theUnited theUnited Umted United States were signed m in mParis inParis mPans Paris two more months were to toelapse toelapse toelapse elapse befor\ befor before beforarticles before \ ! articles proclaimingthe proclalm1Ogthe proclalm1Og proclaiming the cessation of hostilities between betweenthe betweenthe betweenthe the two nations nahons were signed on Janu January Januty ary s ty 20 1783 and It wasn t until eptember 3 1783 that the definitive definitivetreaty deflnitivtreaty definitivetreaty treaty of peace was signed in m PansThus Paris ParisThus ParisThus Thus this undeclared war had hadlasted hadlasted halasted ( lasted tor for eight years four month months months'I monthsand ; 'I I 'Iand ' and fifteen days making makmg it the longest long longest longest est in m our JustoryDuring history Justory historyDuring historyDuring During the next 20 years we were wereinvolved wereinvolved wereinvolved involved In ll lltwo : two more 'undeclared undeclared 'undeclaredwars 'undeclaredwars ' ' "undeclaredwars undeclaredwars " wars botir botH " of which brought fight fightmg fighting fightug mg ug r and bloodshed The first was wasWith waswith waswith With our former ally France and andwas andwas ancwas was the result of the humiliation and andInsults andinsults andinsults Insults which our envoys in to Paris Parishad Parishad Pan'had Panhad . ' had suffered at the hands of the theDirectory theDirectory theDirectory Directory and the attempt attemp of Talley Talleyrand Talleycant Talleyrand rand cant to blackmail us into mto bUYIDg buying bUYIDgFrance buyingFrance buyingFrance France s friendship Although there therewas therewas was no formal declaration of war warPres warPres warPres Pres John Adams ordered com corn commerce cornmerce cornmerce merce with France stopped hi In 1798 1798and 1798and 1791and and our treaties with her abrogatedThen abrogatedThen abrogated Then our infant mfant navy put to sea to toprey toprey ( prey upon French shipping shlppmg and for forI forthe forthe to ; the next 18 months there was Yoas can con canslderable considerable I siderable slderable naval warfare market marked markedby markedby by the victories of the frigate Con Can Canstel1atlOn Constellatson stellation stel1atlOn stellatson over French men of 01 war warWhen warWhen When Napoleon Bonaparte came to topower topower ti power he immediately took steps stepsto stepsto step ; to stop the conflict contllct and in Septem September September ber 1800 a convention was signed signedm signedin signe < in m Paris which Wh1Cb ended this warMeanwhile warMeanwhile war warMeanwhile shippmghke Meanwhile American shipping shippmg shippinglike ; like hke that of other nations had been beensuffermg beensuffering suffering suffermg from the raids of the Barbary Barbary Bar bary pirates in m the Mediterraneal Mediterranean Mediterraneanand and despite tribute paid to the thebey thebey thi bey of o1 Algiers the pasha of Tripoli Tripoliand Tripoliand Tripoland . and the bey of Tunis American ves yes vessels yessels vessels ; sels were being bemg seized and Amencan Amerl Ameni Amerlcan Amenican can seamen held prisoners until untilransomed untilransomed unfaransomed ransomed When Thomas Jefferso Jefferson Jeffersonbecame Jeffersonbecame ; became president in m 1801 he resolvcito resolved resolvedto to put an end to this early-da early da early-day day earlydayracket earlydayracket - - ; racket racketThe The first two naval expeditionagainst expeditions expeditionsagainst expeditionsagainst against the pirates failed but in m 1803 1803when 1803when 180when when Commodore Edward Preble Preblesailed Prcblsailed Preblesailed sailed against agamst the corsairs it was wasdifferert a adlfferert adiflerert dlfferert diflerert story His exped tIon tIonagamst tionagainst tioagainst agamst against Tanglers Tangiers the daring darIDg attack attackof attackof attac of Lieut Lleut Stephen Decatur on Tripoli Tripolithe Tripolithe Tnpo li the next year and the combined combmed na naval n naval : val and military mlhtary expedition - - the thelatter thelatter e latter led by Gen William Wilham Eaton- Eaton Eatonwhich Eatonwhich Eaton- Eaton Eatonwhich - - which captured Derna in m 1805 broke brokethe brokethe : the power of the Barbary states statesand statesand state stateand ; s and resulted in treaties which guar guaranteed guaranteed gua ; anteed the future safety of Amer Ameri Ameni American Amenican can shipping in m the Mediterranean MediterraneanThe l The remainder of Jefferson s ad ai administration , ministration mimstratIon was peaceful but by the thetime thetime ' time James Madison entered the theWhite theWhite White House the second war with withEngland withEngland ) ; England was brewing For the first firsttime time in m our history there was a to tomal for formal formal r mal declaration of war-on war on war - on June 18 1 181 1812 % For the first time too our 01 ir shores were Invaded by a hostile hostileforce hostilfforce hostileforce force and on August 24 1814 1814Americans 1814Americans 1814Americans Americans suffered the humiliatioiof humiliationof humiliation of seeing seeJng the capital of their nation nationin nationin natioiIn in the hands of the enemy and the thehome thehome thihome home of their president m in flames iames flamesDespite iamesDespite flamesDespite ! Despite this disaster which came cameas cameas camias as the climax chmax of other defeats on onlandoffset onlandoffset 01land land-offset land offset - offset however by many ibrilliant a abrilliant abrilliant brilliant victory at sea - Americ America Americacontmued Americacontinued ; continued contmued the struggle which whJch ended endedon endedon endeion on December 24 of that year wherthe when whenthe whenthe the treaty of peace was signed in inGhent inGhent liGhent Ghent Belgium by representative representatives representativesof ; of the two belligerents This waihad war warhad warhad had lasted two years six month months monthsand monthsand ; and ' ) six IX daysThe days daysThe daysThe The next war with a foreign foreJgn powelwas power powerwas was even shorter than the War of o : 1812 When the United Umted States an annlxed anngxed annexed nlxed ngxed ! Texas In 1845 Mexico from fromwhom ( ( fromwhom tronwhom whom Texas had won her Independ Independence independence Independence ence nine nme years earlier earher ) regarded regardedthIS regardedthis regardeithis thIS as a hostile act There was a aseries aseries ; series of incidents mCldents down dowp down on th thRio the theRIO theRio < Rio Grande and Pres James K a r 4 4r 4w 4M 4APRIL ' f ? - r M w APKIL APRIL 2 1917 - Pres Woodrow WoodrowWdson WoodrowWilson WoodrovWilson Wdson Wilson reads his war message to tocongress tocongress ticongress ticongressPolk congress congressPolk Polk asked congress for a dec declarahon declaration larahon laration of war It came on May , 13 1846 and 10 days later MexIco MexIcodeclared Mexicodeclared Mexndeclared declared war on the United Umted StateHostilities States StatesHostIhtles StatesHostilities ! HostIhtles Hostilities began soon afterwards afterwardsour afterwardour ; our armies under General Taylor Taylorand Taylorand Tayliand and General Scott invaded Mexnand MexIco MexIcoand Mexicoand and within wlthm a little more than a year yearSeptember yearSeptember ye ; ( September 14 1847) 1847 ) they had cap captuped captu cai i tu tired tuped ' ed the Mexican capital The war warended warended ended with the signing of a treaty of ofpeace ofpeace < peace on February 2 1648 148 1848 ! - one oneyear oneyear year eight months and twenty days daysafter daysafter after it began beganThe beganThe The next war in which we en engaged engaged ei [ gaged was another undeclared undeclaredwar undeclaredwar war tor for like hlte its predecessor If Ifwas ifwas [ was a rebellion rebel1lOn and a civil war warJust warJust Just when the tbe War Between the theStates theStates States began is a matter of definl defini definltlon definition tion tlon tionThe tlonThe The usual view is that it was wasApril wasApril April 12 1861 when Confederate bat batteries batteries teries in Charleston S C firep fired fired on onFort onFort Fort Sumter and the Union troops troopsm troopsin ] in m that fortification fired back At Atany Atany any rate it was this act which whichprompted whichprompted ( prompted President Lincoln Lmcoln three threedays thr < thrli threedays days later to call tor for volunteers to tosuppress tosuppress suppress the insurrection msurrectlOn and andwhich andwhich ar which resulted in m four years of the thehardest thehardest tl hardest and bloodiest fighting fightmg the theworld theworld [ thattime world had ever known up to th that thattime ; time Just as this war had no offi officlal oil ? cial clal beginning begmnlng so it had no offi ofli officlal oflichat cial clal chat ending endmg But the surrender of ) ofLee Lee on April 9 1865 sounded the thedeath thedeath death knell of o1 the Confederacy and andorgamzed andorganized organized orgamzed resistance by the men m in I gray ended From rrom mom Sumter to Appa Appamattox Appamattox mattox it was tour four years - mlDus minus minusthree mlDusthree three daysShortest daysShortest days Shortest of all our wars with a aforeIgn foreign DaysWar power was the 100 Days Da ; War with Spam Spain in m 1898 It had its f s } l.v lv . . . 6 6Bluest , ! Bluest . p r ? vwa vwaTHE f , , ' ' THE BATTLE OF LLXINGTON APRIL 19 1775 1775After After an engraving by two Continental miiitlamen who were In the battle I origin in American sympathy for forthe forthe foithe , the Cuban patriots patnots who for several severalyears severalyears severalyears years had been trying trymg to throw off offSpanish o oSpanish oflSpanish S Spanish rule but it is doubtful doubtfulthere If it Ifthere ilthere there would have been a war hadlit ha haI hait had d lit I | it not been for the event which toot took tookplace tookplace k ' place in m H Havana vana Harbor on Febru FebruII Februi Februany February i ary any 15 1898 That event was the ex exploslon explosion explosion II IIary ploslon plosion and sinking smkIDg of o1 the U S SMaine S SI SMaine I Maine The excitement over thiS thiSI thiSresulted the thei thiresulted s ! I i resulted in diplomatic dJplomatIc relations relallons be between between 1 1tween tween Spam Spain and the United Umted State States Statesbeing Statebeing s ; being broken on April 21 and the tin thedeclaratIon tindeclaration thideclaration e declaratIon of a blockade of Cuba Cubathe Cubthe Cub a ; the next day Her national honor honorthus honorthus honorthus thus assailed Spam Spain declared warApril war on onApril 01April April 24 and our declaration fol folJawed to tollowed ] Jawed lowed the next dayThe dayThe day dayThe The overwhelming overwheilpmg overwhehl ing victories won wonby wo woby woiby n by our navy-at navy at navy - - at Manila and at San Santlagoand Santiagoand Santiago tlago-and tlago and tiago-and tiago - - and by our army-m army m army-in in army - in the tin tinland th thland e < ' land fighting fightmg in Cuba-soon Cuba soon Cuba - soon demon demonstrated demonstrated I strated what the inevitable mevltable out- out outi outcome outcome outcome - i come of 01 the war would be So on onI onAugust 0 0August 01August n I ' August 12 a peace protocol was wasigned wa s : signed and hostilities . ceased c.eased atte afte after afterI ; r I 100 days of o1 fighting fightmg The war how however however however ever did not end officially untIl unti untIlDecember untiDecember untiDecember 1 December 10 when whe'1 whe1 ' the peace treaty treatywas treat y ; : was signed in m ParisAlthough Pans Paris PansAlthough ! Although the period of actual com corn combat cornbat cornbat bat by our fighting fightmg men was rela relatlvely relatively relalively tlvely tively short ( one year and 15 days daysWorld ) World War I was our second longest long longest lon lonest g est war with a foreign power Here HereIs Her Heris Heriis e Is the sequence of e\ e et eents \ \ ents to validate va1idat validatethat va1idatthat validatithat e that statement statementOn statementOn statementOn On February 1 1917 Germany Germanybegan German y ; : began unrestricted submarine submarme war warfare |