Following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, everyday Americans were devastated and shocked by the news. Many joined the military, volunteered for war efforts, or supported the war through rationing and bond drives. The U.S. government declared war on Japan the next day, officially entering World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called on Congress to declare war, and the American public rallied behind the government in a show of unity and patriotism. The attack on Pearl Harbor galvanized the nation and led to a collective effort to defeat the Axis powers.
