jmr40 Post #3 "My father was a high school senior on this day in 1941. When he heard the news he knew where he was headed after graduation."
The Japanese war party headed by Tojo believed that a stunning blow like the Raid on Pearl Harbor would have America on its knees suing for peace on Japanese terms.
"Remember Pearl Harbor" became a rallying cry with the same effect as "Remember the Alamo", "Remember Fort Sumter", "Remember the Maine", and "Remember the Lusitania".
Japanese Admiral Yamamoto in early 1942 after leading what turned out to be remembered as the Pearl Harbor Sneak Attack wrote a friend: "A military man can scarcely pride himself on having 'smitten a sleeping enemy'; it is more a matter of shame, simply, for the one smitten. I would rather you made your appraisal after seeing what the enemy does, since it is certain that, angered and outraged, he will soon launch a determined counterattack."
My dad served in the 6th Inf Div in the Pacific, Battle of Lone Tree Hill in New Guinea, Landing at Lingayen Gulf and Luzon Campaign in the Philipines. In the 1950s me and brother Jeff dragged out of him the stories behind his Bronze Star and Purple Heart. In private talks he respected the Japanese soldier but hated the war leaders. During the fifties and later he was part of the Military Order of the Cooties dedicated to visting and entertaining veterans in VA hospitals.
To make it gun related: he carried a BAR and according to the telegram Granma received over his Bronze Star he used it to great effect. He would use an M1 Garand if a BAR was not available, but had no use for the 1928A1 Thompson, M1 Carbine, or .45 Colt 1911A1. He did use grenades for fishing and shot wild boar with his BAR and traded the meat to natives of New Guinea for intelligence about the Japanese.
ADDED: Years ago I found a family photo of Dad, home on leave, in uniform, on the family farm, with the same Brown family farm .22 rifle I believe he used to teach me shooting when I was six. Marlin bolt action tube magazine. I think my cousins have that rifle now. I would always seek it out when we visited my uncle.