EDNA SPONHOLTZ'S FIRST DIARY ENTRY ON DECEMBER 7, 1941:
Sponholtz: "Dear Lloyd, because you are much too young to understand the terrible tragedy which has befallen us today, I hope to keep this diary for you. When you are old enough to study history in school it will help you to understand our reaction to the historical events happening each day and how these events may shape our way of life in the future. May our heavenly father hold his protecting arm over all of us, military and civilian, and in his mercy, grant us victory. Lovingly, Mother."

LIKE MANY AMERICANS TODAY, SPONHOLTZ BELIEVES HIS MOTHER USED HER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AS A SOURCE OF COMFORT.
Sponholtz: "So I think she relied on and went back to her religious scruples as a way of trying to get that kind of courage and sympathy that she felt we needed."

AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE DONE IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, SPONHOLTZ SAYS, HIS MOTHER ALSO WONDERED WHY THE UNITED STATES WASN'T PREPARED FOR A SURPRISE ATTACK.
Sponholtz: "Spring of '42 she was mentioning, 'How could this occur? What's the matter with our officials? The world was at war, essentially, except for us. Why were we not alert?'"

SPONHOLTZ SEES ONE SIMILARITY BETWEEN U.S. DOMESTIC REACTION TO THE PEARL HARBOR BOMBING AND HOW THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION AND U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN ASHCROFT HAVE REACTED TO THE THREAT OF TERRORISM SINCE SEPTEMBER 11.

Sponholtz: "I think there's some racial profiling in both instances. I think the difference is Japanese-Americans were more geographically concentrated and I think probably gave the Californians an opportunity to give in to their racism, whereas although the federal government officially disdains profiling, it seems to me that the attorney general was engaging in those kinds of activities."

IN HIS RESPONSE TO THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS, PRESIDENT BUSH COMPARES FAVORABLY TO PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT, SPONHOLTZ SAYS.
Sponholtz: "He's risen to a stature that we had not anticipated, I think, prior to 9-11. If you look at Roosevelt's 'day of infamy' speech and Bush's speech shortly after, certainly he rhetorically rose to the occasion."

SPONHOLTZ BELIEVES THE KOREAN WAR, AND NOT WORLD WAR II, PROVIDES A MORE ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT U.S. EFFORT IN AFGHANISTAN.
Sponholtz: "And I was reflecting back to the Korean War, which as I recall, was always referred to as a 'police action' despite the fact that we were militarily engaged quite heavily. A more accurate metaphor for this is police action because we're ferreting out gangsters that are in hiding."

SPONHOLTZ SAYS THE ROOSEVELT ADMINISTRATION HAD ALWAYS ENCOURAGED U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS. HE SAYS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN FORCED BY WORLD EVENTS TO ADAPT A SIMILAR POSITION.
Sponholtz: "And so here we have an administration now that is actively involved in nation building that is, despite their pre-9-11 rhetoric, is back again in big government. And so they really had to do a 180-degree turn."

EDNA SPONHOLTZ DIARY ENTRY FOR DECEMBER 31, 1941:
Sponholtz: "Exactly two weeks have elapsed since last I wrote you. Christmas has come and gone, but the holiday spirit was dampened very much by world conditions, especially our entrance into this dreadful war. It was very apparent in every side all faces are very grave. Just where is this peace which the Christ-child brought to the world on Christmas Eve? Practically the entire world are at each other's throats. What has happened to Christianity and our "so-called" civilization? New Year's Day has been designated by our president as a day of prayer. If America as a nation will humble themselves in deep contrition and repentance before almighty God, he will hear our prayers and be merciful unto us."