Learning the news of Japan's sudden attack upon the United States, American Defense, Harvard Group hastened yesterday to take a stand upon the new developments and stated that we should now be prepared to declare war on Hitler, the real instigator of Japan's actions, and on Italy, the other Axis partner. Ralph Barton Perry, Edgar Pierce Professor of Philosophy and president of the American Defense, Harvard Group, emphasized this view last night in his talk before the mass meeting in Sanders Theater.
The full statement of the Group upon the war with Japan is as follows:
The armed attack of Japan upon the United States removes all doubt on the following points:
1. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the military regime in Japan are full partners in aggression. Their purposes and their methods are the same, and they move together under common leadership and with a common strategy.
2. The United States cannot hold itself aloof from the present war, and must devote its full powers, moral military and economic to the defeat of the Axis powers.
3. All the non-Axis nations of the earth must now achieve the same unity of action as the Axis powers. The United States must enter into a full alliance with Britain and the British Dominions, Russia, China, Latin America, and the resistant elements of conquered Europe. There must be a pool- ing of resources and a unined strategy--military and diplomatic.
4. Japanese attack upon the United States is obviously a part of Hitler's grand strategy. We are now fighting the entire Axis: this is a global war. In order to wage such a conflict successfully we should be prepared to declare war on Germany and Italy.
5. The people of the United States must forget their differences and give their full and undivided support to the Government with full confidence in the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
6. Every hampering restriction, whether it affects the sending of military forces abroad, or the operation of industry or other civilian activities at home, must be removed; every private or selfish interest must be subordinated to a total and expanding national effort. The hope of avoiding war must be replaced by an inflexible determination to bring war to a swift and victorious conclusion.
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THE WEEK AT HARVARD