Although Europe was at war, it was so far away to affect the Philippines. A business as usual atmosphere prevailed throughout the archipelago. Fine orchestras performed the latest hits, dance halls were filled with couples fox trotting, waltzing and swirling with the tango. Children at school continued to present school programs, calisthenics, folk dances, singing and oratory contests.
The Lend Lease Act of March 11, 1940 calling for all out aid for Britain and Russia was an inexorable path the United States was taking towards war. Public opinion in the U.S. was still divided and isolationism remained strong, even though volunteer American pilots have died in the Battle for Britain and German U-boats have taken a toll of men of the U.S. merchant marine.
On July 26, 1941, Roosevelt ordered the freezing of Japanese assets and discontinued trade between the two countries, a big blow to Japan who gets 80% of its total oil requirements from the United States. Japan already controlled Manchuria and much of China; stemming the flow of oil would greatly hamper Japan's imperial ambitions.
On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor. On the same day, the U.S. declared war on Japan. On December, 8, 1941, Japanese bombers and fighter planes bombed and strafed Clark Air base. Two days later, the U.S. naval yard at Sangley point, Cavite was destroyed in a two hour bombardment by Japanese bombers. Nielson and Nichols airfields were also destroyed.
On December 21, 1941, 76 Japanese transports unloaded 80,000 veteran troops at Lingayen Gulf.
Christmas was bleak as bad news continued to break, magnifying rumors which increased public uncertainty. However, this did not deter people from singing Christmas carols and attending the misa de gallo. People packed the churches on Christmas eve, praying with added piety and devotion, asking for favors from God and intercession from the saints.
Flora and Bernabe gathered the school children and sang Christmas carols before they closed the school. War had not yet come to Bacon. People resumed their daily activities but gossip inadvertently revolved around war - would war reach Bacon? They hoped not, believing that it would be a short war, now that America has entered the war.
