Congress Declares War on Japan: One Vote Against
Congress voted to declare war on Japan with only one dissenting voice, Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana, who had also voted against entering World War I. Roosevelt signed the declaration within the hour, officially committing the United States to the Pacific War. Germany and Italy declared war on America three days later, transforming a Pacific conflict into a global one.
December 8, 1941
85 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on December 8
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