ite ▁P act ▁did ▁not ▁require ▁it . ▁Congress ▁issued ▁a ▁declaration ▁of ▁war ▁against ▁Germany ▁and ▁Italy ▁later ▁that ▁same ▁day . ▁The ▁UK ▁actually ▁declared ▁war ▁on ▁Japan ▁nine ▁hours ▁before ▁the ▁U . S . ▁did , ▁partially ▁due ▁to ▁Japanese ▁attacks ▁on ▁Mal aya , ▁Singapore ▁and ▁Hong ▁Kong , ▁and ▁partially ▁due ▁to ▁British ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁W inst on ▁Church ill ' s ▁promise ▁to ▁declare ▁war ▁" with in ▁the ▁hour " ▁of ▁a ▁Japanese ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁The ▁attack ▁was ▁an ▁initial ▁shock ▁to ▁all ▁the ▁Al lies ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Theater . ▁Further ▁losses ▁comp ounded ▁the ▁alarm ing ▁set back . ▁Japan ▁attacked ▁the ▁Philippines ▁hours ▁later ▁( because ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁difference , ▁it ▁was ▁December ▁ 8 ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines ). ▁Only ▁three ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁attack ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor , ▁the ▁batt les hips ▁Prince ▁of ▁Wales ▁and ▁Rep ulse ▁were ▁s unk ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Mal aya , ▁causing ▁Church ill ▁later ▁to ▁re collect ▁" In ▁all ▁the ▁war ▁I ▁never ▁received ▁a ▁more ▁direct ▁shock . ▁As ▁I ▁turned ▁and ▁tw isted ▁in ▁bed ▁the ▁full ▁horror ▁of ▁the ▁news ▁s ank ▁in ▁upon ▁me . ▁There ▁were ▁no ▁British ▁or ▁American ▁capital ▁ships ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁or ▁the ▁Pacific ▁except ▁the ▁American ▁surv iv ors ▁of ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁who ▁were ▁hast ening ▁back ▁to ▁California . ▁Over ▁this ▁vast ▁exp anse ▁of ▁waters ▁Japan ▁was ▁supre me