The Day Of Infamy Book Summary

Most Americans remember one of the most known date of December 7, 1941 and the event that occurred on that day. Day of Infamy is a book written by Walter Lord, the book reconstructs that day from both sides and different perspectives of the aerial attack of Pearl Harbor. Lord, with many help of witnesses including generals, admirals, and families and men enlisted help piece together this story to be able and share with the world.
Lords’ purpose in writing this book is to be able and show the different accounts of the persons that day that lived the event and their side of the story. The book starts with the Japanese side of the story and the anticipating weeks leading up to the attack. Lord does not show the good and evil of earthier side but just perspectives of both ends and the way each thought of the event. In the beginning of the book it goes by how life is on the base and how the people living their go day by day with their activities. Therefore, leading to the actually day of the attack and explaining it by the time as things are happening.
The evidence used in this book is very accountable and reliable by the author using personal stories and experiences and himself going and visiting the Hawaiian bases attacked and pored over the maps. With thousand pages of

testimony and a book put together a wealth of information that never before been revealed.
In the book it has quotes mentioned from the people in the base not realizing what was going on and still after the bombing was occurring they still thought was just practice.

For example, chapter VII’s title: “I didn't even know They were sore at us!”. This illustrates how the community had no clue they were being attacked or the reason for it. As the ships were sinking and being hit by torpedoes and midgets were showing up the time kept increasing. At that time the thoughts and feelings of each man during each second leading up to the bombing and deaths of many soldiers. It shows just how unprepared they can be, and just how untrained they are at putting clues together as the attack is

happening.
However, the men and community were able to adjust to the situation and do what was possible as it was happening. Both of the sides refusing to let anything break their pride and sense of nationalism. Many of them not being at the ships would do everything to help out the community and their family members. In chapter VII, “I Can’t Keep Throwing Things at Them”, shows how the men on the ships were using everything possible to fight back and protect their land and ships. The book is a great way to understand
This book overall was really well written and developed well. Lord wrote this book for someone that would want to know more about the event and could re-create that day as it happened, and with many perspectives of the people present that day. This would be a great recommended book to read to know in depth of that day and just anyone who would want to know of the event and what and how it happened.