While I wasn't born yet, I do know what the significance is.

What a pivotal point in US and world history.

We'll always remember! Sadly, there are few left who survived that attack. We are rapidly losing what's left of that greatest generation.

Ditto to what Pudgeder said.

We most definitely respect this date every year by hanging our red/white/blue banner on our balcony railing, we don't have the proper room or balcony in our condo for a real flag.

Seniorgal, we were teenagers when that happened. Our principal brought a radio in so that we could hear it. It was not long before a number of our male teachers went into the service, as well as some of the senior boys.

No, I was 4 months old.

I was two.

I was discussing this with a friend today. I wonder how old you have to be to 1) recognize that December 7, 1941 is significant and 2) understand the history. I expect that to much of our population, you might as well be talking about the ancient Greeks.

I was not born but I do know the significance. Very doubtful many younger people today know.

Some youngers that I work with may know the significance, but don't find it significant to themselves. I had such a one tell me, not long ago, that people needed to "get over" the Holocaust!!!

I myself enjoy reading about SOME periods of history (the 20th Century being one) but I've more than learned over the years that more people aren't interested in history than are. I know my own kids aren't and, frankly, I'm not sure why they would or should be.

I wasn't born until the next decade.

Senior citizens tend to be nostalgic about events that happened when they were young. That same level of interest of course usually doesn't carry on for those born after such events or too young at the time to remember.

Edit for raee's comment:

There are maybe 3 or 4 important things to remember about World War 2, which can be presented in 5 minutes if time is limited, and the Holocaust is one of them. The Pearl Harbor attack is perhaps one of them too but the date itself isn't significant in my view. That kid was either echoing what s/he heard from an adult or hadn't heard a presentation focused and interesting enough to have made an impression on him/her.

Seniorgal, No, I don't remember the date myself but I know its importance. My dad was 17 and enlisted in the Navy shortly after, before his 18th birthday. He served on an aircraft carrier in both the Pacific and Mediterranean arenas...a boy from Kansas who had never seen the ocean.

I have a sincere interest in hIstory and have had since I was little. Because my father served in WWII, I've learned a great deal from him about the war activities in the Pacific and the politics of the time.

My husband and I also volunteer at our local state veterans home so have an ongoing interest in the veterans and their stories.

I find fudd's attitude remarkably shallow. Five minutes, really?

Edmund Burke (or George Santayana) are credited with the remark "Those who do not know history are bound to repeat it."

I am rather inclined to believe it, but of course I like to read history. Currently "The Rise and Fall of Rome" seems rather prophetic. Also, consider the rise of Hitler and the "Third Reich." Scary business!!

I had turned 5 yrs old a few days before the attack on Pearl Harbor and my family did not have a radio at the time. I don't remember much about that time except I do recall the worried, hushed conversations at the next church meeting. My father was a WW1 veteran and his nightmares returned at that time.

Yes, mostly I remember all that was on the radio was news.

Sue

rhizo, you've misunderstood my thought, perhaps aided in doing so by my too brief explanation.

I was suggesting there was no reason for kids to NOT know at least something about events that are important in American history and culture. No one needs to know about or when the invasions of New Guinea or North Africa took place, but the important topics can be effectively covered and explained with a planned and well thought out curriculum segment. Doing this needn't take a lot of time in a history course and also need not be boring because of an overemphasis on dates and underemphasis on significance. Sadly, this is often not how history is presented these days (judging from my own kids experiences in good schools) and I think that's why any of us could ping a teen or 20-something, ask if they know about the Treaty of Versailles, and get a blank stare back. (Sadly, that's probably true of the general population too.)