But the dreams of empire of the Japanese and Fascist leaders were modest in comparison with the gargantuan aspirations of Hitler and his Nazis.  Even before they came to power in 1933, their plans for that conquest had been drawn.  Those plans provided for ultimate domination, not of any one section of the world, but of the whole earth and all the oceans on it.

When Hitler organized his Berlin-Rome-Tokyo alliance, all these plans of conquest became a single plan.  Under this, in addition to her own schemes of conquest, Japan’s role was obviously to cut off our supply of weapons of war to Britain, and Russia and China—­weapons which increasingly were speeding the day of Hitler’s doom.  The act of Japan at Pearl Harbor was intended to stun us—­to terrify us to such an extent that we would divert our industrial and military strength to the Pacific area, or even to our own continental defense.

The plan has failed in its purpose.  We have not been stunned.  We have not been terrified or confused.  This very reassembling of the Seventy-seventh Congress today is proof of that; for the mood of quiet, grim resolution which here prevails bodes ill for those who conspired and collaborated to murder world peace.

That mood is stronger than any mere desire for revenge.  It expresses the will of the American people to make very certain that the world will never so suffer again.

Admittedly, we have been faced with hard choices.  It was bitter, for example, not to be able to relieve the heroic and historic defenders of Wake Island.  It was bitter for us not to be able to land a million men in a thousand ships in the Philippine Islands.

But this adds only to our determination to see to it that the Stars and Stripes will fly again over Wake and Guam.  Yes, see to it that the brave people of the Philippines will be rid of Japanese imperialism; and will live in freedom, security, and independence.

Powerful and offensive actions must and will be taken in proper time.  The consolidation of the United Nations’ total war effort against our common enemies is being achieved.

That was and is the purpose of conferences which have been held during the past two weeks in Washington, and Moscow and Chungking.  That is the primary objective of the declaration of solidarity signed in Washington on January 1, 1942, by 26 Nations united against the Axis powers.

Difficult choices may have to be made in the months to come.  We do not shrink from such decisions.  We and those united with us will make those decisions with courage and determination.

Plans have been laid here and in the other capitals for coordinated and cooperative action by all the United Nations—­military action and economic action.  Already we have established, as you know, unified command of land, sea, and air forces in the southwestern Pacific theater of war.  There will be a continuation of conferences and consultations among military staffs, so that the plans and operations of each will fit into the general strategy designed to crush the enemy.  We shall not fight isolated wars—­each Nation going its own way.  These 26 Nations are united—­not in spirit and determination alone, but in the broad conduct of the war in all its phases.