since today is the day that will live in infamy, i might as well ask this question that's been bugging me for a few months.
we've all seen the scene, it's in at least a hundred movies: people are going about their business, then someone runs in the room and says "the japanese have bombed pearl harbor!" then everyone freaks out and their lives change forever.
so here's my question: did the average american know what "pearl harbor" was prior to the japanese attack?
whenever i see one of those scenes no one ever says "what's pearl harbor?" hawaii wasn't a state in 1941. i'd imagine that before the attack the naval base at pearl harbor would be about as famous as the air force base at yigo is today. or was pearl harbor well known for some reason prior to december 7, 1941?
