"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve"

This quote by Isoroku Yamamoto is referring to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Imperial Navy in 1941. Yamamoto was concerned that the attack would provoke the United States into going into World War II, which the US would be a formidable opponent. He feared that the attack would "awaken a sleeping giant" and "fill him with a terrible willpower" to combat versus Japan. Yamamoto's worries were well-founded, as the attack on Pearl Harbor did certainly lead to the United States getting in the war and ending up being an effective force in the Pacific theater. The United States Navy was able to utilize its exceptional resources and innovation to gain a benefit over the Japanese, and eventually defeat them. Yamamoto's quote is a reminder of the power of the US military and the consequences of provoking it.