Day of Infamy, 60th Anniversary

In Day of Infamy, Walter Lord traces in brilliant detail the human drama of the great surprise attack on America’s Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941: the spies behind it; the Japanese pilots; the crews on the stricken warships; the men at the airfields and on the bases; the generals, sailors, housewives, and children who responded to this attack with anger, numbness, and magnificent courage.

Republished in 2001 to mark its 60th anniversary, this indespensible and inspiring account of how exactly Pearl Harbor happened is one of the classic books on America’s involvement in World War II.

Praise

“There have been many books on Pearl Harbor . . . but none of them have ever equaled Lord’s in telling the story of Pearl Harbor.”—Stephen E. Ambrose

“[This] carefully planned hour-by-hour recording of the surprise assault on Pearl Harbor [is] as engrossing as the story of the sinking of the Titanic and more harrowing.”—The Atlantic

"Stuns the reader with the weight of reality."—James Michener, The New York Times

"A behind-the-scenes story that is utterly fascinating."—Chicago Sunday Tribune

About the Author(s)

Walter Lord

Walter Lord is the author of several bestselling works of history, including A Night to Remember, a re-creation of the sinking of the Titanic.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

"Isn't That a Beautiful Sight?"

Monica Conter, a young Army nurse, and Second Lieutenant Barney Benning of the Coast Artillery strolled out of the Pearl Harbor Officers' Club, down the path near the ironwood trees, and stood by the club landing, watching the launches take men back to the warships riding at anchor.

They were engaged, and the setting was perfect. The workshops, the big hammerhead crane, all the paraphernalia of the Navy's great Hawaiian base were hidden by the night; the daytime clatter was gone; only the pretty things were left -- the moonlight .

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