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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Hirohito, Emperor of Japan (1901-1989) Declaration of War against the United States and Britain [in Japanese]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01415 Author/Creator: Hirohito, Emperor of Japan (1901-1989) Place Written: Tokyo, Japan Type: Document Date: 8 December 1941 Pagination: 9 p. ; 26 x 11 cm. Order a Copy

Imperial rescript of the Declaration of War declared on the United States and Great Britain on the Japanese date 16th year of Showa, 12th month. " ... we, the emperor, have now declared war upon the United States of America and Great Britain. The officers and men of our army and navy will concentrate their strength in engaging in battles, the members of our government will endeavor to carry out their assigned duties, our subjects throughout the empire will employ full strength to perform their respective tasks. Thus uniting one hundred million hearts and discharging the fullest strength of the nation, we expect all our subjects to strive to attain the ultimate objective of this expedition ... " Document folded accordion-style. Made in the name of Hirohito, emperor of Japan. The document is folded like a fan in an original blue cloth box imprinted with title.

Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, 1901-1989

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