Selected Documents on the Pearl Harbor Attack, December 6, 1941 – December 8, 1941 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
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 The criterion for selecting the historical content is solely based on the date range—December 6, 1941 to December 8, 1941.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]
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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.
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Official File 400: Appointments - Hawaii, 1941 - View Online
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Official File 4675: World War II - General, 1941-1942 - View Online
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President's Personal Files 200b: Public Relations, November 11, 1941 - January 6, 1942 - View Online
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President's Secretary File: Confidential File - Hawaii - View Online
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President's Secretary Files: Diplomatic Correspondence - Japan, October 1941 - December 1941 - View Online
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President's Secretary Files: Diplomatic Correspondence - Philippines - View Online
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President's Secretary Files: Departmental File - Navy, July - December 1941 - View Online (Part 1); View Online (Part 2); View Online (Part 3)
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Map Room Papers: Hawaiian Area - View Online
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Master Speech File: Remarks to Cabinet Members and Legislative Leaders, December 7, 1941 - View Online
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Master Speech File: Message to Congress, December 8, 1941 - View Online
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Francis Biddle Papers: Cabinet Meetings, 1941 - View Online
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Charles Fahy Papers: National Excelsior, 1941 - View Online
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Charles Fahy Papers: 1941 - View Online
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Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Diaries: Volume 469, December 5, 1941 - December 6, 1941 - View Online
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Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Diaries: Volume 470, December 7, 1941 - December 9, 1941 - View Online
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Eleanor Roosevelt Papers: Speech and Article File, December 1941 - January 1942 - View Online
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Eleanor Roosevelt Papers: Speech and Article File - My Day - Mimographed Copies, September 1940 - December 1942, July - December 1941 - View Online
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Frank Schuler Papers: FBI Documents re Pearl Harbor - View Online
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Frank Schuler Papers: Grew, Joseph - View Online
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Frank Schuler Papers: Japanese Spies - View Online
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John Toland Papers: Pearl Harbor Attack - View Online
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John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Chronology - View Online
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John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part One marked 'NG' (Folder 10) - View Online
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John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part One marked 'NG' (Folder 11) - View Online
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John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part One marked 'NG' (Folder 1) - View Online
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John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part Two (Folder 2) - View Online
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John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Part Two (Folder 3) - View Online
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John Toland Papers: December 7, 1941 - Niihau - View Online
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Sumner Welles Papers: Speeches and Writings - Speech Draft, December 8, 1941 - View Online
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Claude Wickard Papers: Cabinet Meetings, 1941 - 1942 - View Online
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Series 2: Photographs, December 7, 1941 - Still Photographs – Images comprising this series are selected from the FDR Library’s General Photograph Collection, folder: WWII: Hawaii: Attack on Pearl Harbor. Listed here are original captions taken from the photographs themselves, along with a Library control number. Unless copyright information is stated in the image caption, all of the photographs in this series belong in the public domain. This means that, to the best of our knowledge, the materials may be freely used by the researcher. However, for copyrighted materials, it is the researcher’s responsibility to determine the limits of Fair Use as defined by sections 107 to 118 of the copyright law and to obtain permission from the copyright holder for further use.
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Photo ID: NPx61-189 or Px61-524, December 7, 1941 - "USS Shaw - Hit by three bombs which exploded her forward magazine, the 1,500 ton destroyer Shaw lies a twisted mass of wreckage in the heavily-bombed floating drydock YFD-2. Note the bow of the Shaw lying on its side in the foreground. Part of the drydock, at right, is under water while the other side is listing heavily. Both the Shaw and the drydock are not back in use." (Official Navy Photo from OWI)
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Photo ID: Npx65-458a, December 7, 1941 - Original caption reads: "This is the wreckage-strewn Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor following one of the Japanese sneak attacks on the morning of December 7, 1941. In the background, an explosion sends a mass of flames and smoke high into the sky." Archivist note: Aside from the wrecked wing in the foreground, the nearest planes are Vought OS2U "Kingfisher" observation floatplanes that would have been launched from battleships for fleet reconnaissance. An older Curtiss SOC "Seagull" biplane observation floatplane is behind them. To the left is a Consolidated PBY "Catalina" flying boat.
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Photo ID: Px65-472 or Px66-316(10), December 7, 1941 - "Wrecked Seaplane - One of the 30 U.S. Navy planes wrecked by Japanese bombs and bullets during the air attack on Pearl Harbor. The plane was on OS2U, an Observation Scout built by Vought-Sikorsky" (Official Navy Photograph)
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Px65-762(3), December 7, 1941 - "USS Arizona, at height of fire, following Japanese aerial attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii" (Gutierrez Collection/Photo from OWI)
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Photo ID: Px66-316(3), December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor Bombing— "USS Utah—Rescue parties are working in opening in the hull of the USS Utah, a target ship, sent to the bottom of Pearl Harbor during the Japanese air attacks." (Official U.S. Navy from OWI).
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Photo ID: Px66-316(4), December 7, 1941 - "USS Oklahoma rescue crews are shown here working on the upturn hull of the 29,000-ton battleship USS Oklahoma, which capsized in Pearl Harbor after being blasted by Japanese war planes. Holes were burned throughout the hull to permit the rescue of some of the men trapped below. Note one of the Oklahoma’s launches in the foreground, the battleship, USS Maryland, is in the background." (Official U.S. Navy Photo from OWI).
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Photo ID: NPx66-316(5), December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor Bombing - "USS California - the 32,600-ton battleship, USS California is shown being towed to dry dock at Pearl Harbor T.H. This ship was raised from her shallow resting place by means of cofferdams" (Official U.S. Navy Photo from OWI)
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Photo ID: Px66-316(9), December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor Bombing - "Raider is Hit - This Japanese Bomber, a thin line of smoke trailing in its wake, was struck by anti-aircraft during the attack on Pearl Harbor. More than 100 Jap planes are estimated to have taken part in the attacks, at least 28 of which were shot down by U.S. Navy gunners." (Official U.S. Navy photo from OWI)
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Photo ID: Px66-7(28), December 7, 1941 - Wing from Japanese bomber shot down on the grounds of the Naval Hospital during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii. (Official U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px67-240, December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor attack - Dead Man
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Photo ID: NPx72-81, December 7, 1941 - USS West Virginia and USS Tennessee after attack on Pearl Harbor (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px74-20:1239, December 7, 1941 - Hanger destroyed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px74-20:1240, December 7, 1941 - Hanger and plane destroyed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px74-20:1241(1), December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor attack - Family (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px74-20:1243, circa December 7, 1941 - Plane destroyed during the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: NPx74-20:1244, December 7, 1941 - Battleship Row "as seen from one of the first Japanese torpedo planes" during the Pearl Harbor attack. (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)Battleship Row as seen from one of the first Japanese torpedo planes (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px74-20:1245, December 7, 1941 - Car driving past smoke during the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px75-22(12) or Px74-20:1247, December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor attack - Man deceased in vehicle. (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px74-20:1256, December 7, 1941 - Bomb blasted bridge and funnels of sunken ship after the attack on Pearl Harbor. (U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px74-20:1258, December 7, 1941 - Damaged plane after Pearl Harbor attack (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px74-20:1260, December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor damages on shore (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: NPx75-22(13), December 7, 1941 - "Shattered remains of a Japanese pilot whose plane was brought down during Pearl Harbor attack" (Graff Collection/U.S. Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: NPx81-50(22), December 7, 1941 - "The USS West Virginia (BB-48) after Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor" (Toland Collection/U.S. Navy Photographs)
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Photo ID: NPx81-50(29), December 7, 1941 - "USS Arizona (BB-39) burning after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor" (Toland Collection/U.S. Navy Photographs)
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Photo ID: Px81-50(30), December 7, 1941 - "USS West Virginia, USS Tennessee and USS Arizona after Pearl Harbor attack" (U.S. Navy Photographs)
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Photo ID: NPx81-50(31), December 7, 1941 - "Burning and damaged ships at Pearl Harbor" (Gutierrez Collection/U.S. Navy Photographs)
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Photo ID: Px81-50(34), December 7, 1941 - "The USS Shaw (DD-373) in floating dry dock after the Pearl Harbor attack" (Toland Collection/U.S. Navy Photographs)
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Photo ID: Px81-50(43), December 7, 1941 - "First Army photo of bombing of Hawaii. Japanese submarine beached at Bellow Field, T.H." (U.S. Air Force photo/Toland Collection)
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Photo ID: Px81-50(68), December 7, 1941 - "Small boats searching the harbor for survivors after Pearl Harbor attack" (Toland Collection/U.S. Navy Photographs
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Photo ID: Px81-50(68), December 10, 1941 - Original caption on front reads: "USS Arizona (BB39) - View from ahead looking aft, 10, Dec. 1941". Original caption on back reads: "Damages to the ships of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, after the surprise Japanese attack on 7 Dec. 1941". Archivist note: conflicting dates on the photo. (Gutierrez Collection/Official Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px81-50(204) or NPx74-20:1289, December 7, 1941 - Carrier fighter planes left one by one under "Z" flag for Pearl Harbor attack at 7:49 am Honolulu Time (Toland Collection)
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Photo ID: Px83-7(82) or NPx81-50(65), December 7, 1941 - USS Arizona (BB-39) after attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese (Gutierrez Collection)
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Photo ID: NPx83-7(81) - USS California (BB-44) after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (Gutierrez Collection/Official Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px83-7(85), December 7, 1941 - "Japanese planes in action over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The USS Narwhale (SS-167) in the foreground was not hit" (Gutierrez Collection/Official Navy Photograph)
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Photo ID: Px83-7(87), December 7, 1941 - "Burning and damaged ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii after Japanese attack. (L-R) USS California, USS Maryland, USS West Virginia, and the keel of the capsized USS Oklahoma. (Gutierrez Collection/Official Navy Photograph)
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Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Documents, December 6, 1941 - December 8, 1941],
[Series 2: Photographs, December 7, 1941],
[All]