Selected Documents on the Pearl Harbor Attack, December 6, 1941 – December 8, 1941 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

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Collection Overview

Title: Selected Documents on the Pearl Harbor Attack, December 6, 1941 – December 8, 1941

Primary Creator: Archivists of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum

Extent: 0.5 Cubic Feet

Arrangement: Series I is arranged alphabetically after the president’s papers and Series II is arranged numerically.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This artificial collection is composed of photocopies of original documents identified from the holdings of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library pertaining to Pearl Harbor, specifically the events of three days: December 6, 7, and 8, 1941. The items are a collection of documents gathered from other collections found at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library. The criterion for selecting the historical content is solely based on the date range—December 6, 1941 to December 8, 1941. Selected materials include: documents, diaries, telegrams, letters, memoranda, and photographs.

Library staff has endeavored to make this research collection as comprehensive as possible; this collection does not represent the entirety of materials in the Roosevelt Library documenting the events of Pearl Harbor. There is a vast amount of documents relating to the lead up to Pearl Harbor attack itself, and the aftermath. To simplify matters only the immediate before and after dates are available within this collection. The Pearl Harbor Guide is available for researchers seeking additional information, including documents related to: Indo-China, Japanese-U.S. Relations, Magic, and WWII.

The Pearl Harbor artificial collection includes: President’s Official File (OF), President’s Personal File (PPF), President’s Secretary File (PSF), Master Speech File (MSF), Map Room Papers, Francis Biddle Papers, Charles Fahy Papers, William Hasset Papers, Henry Morgenthau Jr. Diaries, Frank A. Schuler Papers, John Toland Papers, and Claude Wickard Papers.

Administrative Information

Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Use Restrictions: Copyright Notice: The writings of Franklin D. Roosevelt within this collection are in the public domain. The official writings of United States government officials within this collection are in the public domain. The writings of Eleanor Roosevelt within this collection are subject to Mrs. Roosevelt's literary estate. All other materials are subject to the United States Copyright law, 17 U.S.C. 101, et seq.

Related Materials: Please refer to A Guide to Pearl Harbor Resources in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library for further Pearl Harbor inquiries.

Other Note: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library is the first presidential library and the only presidential library used by a sitting president. The library houses documents, objects, and photographs pertaining and relating to President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). FDR was in office during the events of Pearl Harbor and the library houses materials about the attack.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Documents, December 6, 1941 - December 8, 1941],
[Series 2: Photographs, December 7, 1941],
[All]

Series 1: Documents, December 6, 1941 - December 8, 1941

The items selected for this series remain within December 6, 1941-December 8, 1941, date range. The items reflect the Pearl Harbor attack or events relevant to that incident. The contents found under the container list portion are arranged by: collection title; and folder title.

Official File 400: Appointments - Hawaii, 1941: View Online
Official File 4675: World War II - General, 1941-1942: View Online
President's Personal Files 200b: Public Relations, November 11, 1941 - January 6, 1942: View Online
President's Secretary File: Confidential File - Hawaii: View Online
President's Secretary Files: Diplomatic Correspondence - Japan, October 1941 - December 1941: View Online
President's Secretary Files: Diplomatic Correspondence - Philippines: View Online
President's Secretary Files: Departmental File - Navy, July - December 1941: View Online (Part 1); View Online (Part 2); View Online (Part 3)
Map Room Papers: Hawaiian Area: View Online
Master Speech File: Remarks to Cabinet Members and Legislative Leaders, December 7, 1941: View Online
Master Speech File: Message to Congress, December 8, 1941: View Online
Francis Biddle Papers: Cabinet Meetings, 1941: View Online
Charles Fahy Papers: National Excelsior, 1941: View Online
Charles Fahy Papers: 1941: View Online
Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Diaries: Volume 469, December 5, 1941 - December 6, 1941: View Online
Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Diaries: Volume 470, December 7, 1941 - December 9, 1941: View Online
Eleanor Roosevelt Papers: Speech and Article File, December 1941 - January 1942: View Online
Eleanor Roosevelt Papers: Speech and Article File - My Day - Mimographed Copies, September 1940 - December 1942, July - December 1941: View Online
Frank Schuler Papers: FBI Documents re Pearl Harbor: View Online
Frank Schuler Papers: Grew, Joseph: View Online
Frank Schuler Papers: Japanese Spies: View Online
John Toland Papers: Pearl Harbor Attack: View Online
John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Chronology: View Online
John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part One marked 'NG' (Folder 10): View Online
John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part One marked 'NG' (Folder 11): View Online
John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part One marked 'NG' (Folder 1): View Online
John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part Two (Folder 2): View Online
John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part Two (Folder 3): View Online
John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Niihau: View Online
Sumner Welles Papers: Speeches and Writings - Speech Draft, December 8, 1941: View Online
Claude Wickard Papers: Cabinet Meetings, 1941 - 1942: View Online

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Documents, December 6, 1941 - December 8, 1941],
[Series 2: Photographs, December 7, 1941],
[All]