Why did Japan Attack Pearl Harbor? Do you ever remember a day American’s trembled in fear? On December 7th, 1941, a day that will live in infamy for Americans, Japan led a surprise attack that launched three hundred sixty-one airplanes from six aircraft carriers. Pearl Harbor is United States naval base located in Hawaii. The Japanese destroyed five battleships while damaging three battleships. Two hundred airplanes damaged and many Americans lost their lives. As a result, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asks Congress for a declaration of war against Germany and Japan. The United States then entered World War ll. Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor? Japan bombed Pearl Harbor for three reasons: a plan to create a new world order, the United States oil embargo, and the fear of the United States expansion of their naval fleet. One reason why Japan wanted to attack Pearl Harbor was to begin a new world order. Japan believed that America stood in their way for a new world order. “An old order… (European and American)... is now crumbling” (Document A). Japan wants to be recognized as a world power. The Emperor of Japan wanted to spread their beliefs and ideals of the Yamato race to the entire world. In 1932, Japan completes …show more content…
As a result the United States begins an oil embargo in August of 1941. According to Suzuki Akira, Japan receives 80 percent of its oil from the United States. Due to the geography on the islands of Asia, there were few oil fields. In order for Japan to build a new world order, it was essential that they have oil. Hideki Tojo was the Prime Minister and the minister of war for Japan, he says, “I fear that we would become a third-class nation after two or three years if we just sat tight” (Document E). Tojo and the leaders of Japan feel that the United States was only asking Japan to sacrifice. Therefore, Japan would see a diminished in their military strength to the oil
This paper focuses on the failure of diplomatic decisions made by Japan that is national in nature most particularly when they chose to fight in the midst of an embargo made by the American government. The attack of Japan against Pearl Harbor is a result of an erratic, egoistic and irrational behavior blinding the Japanese Military Personnel and Officials of the destructive outcome of the World War 2 and a lack of diplomatic strategies that misled the communication between USA and
Another potential reason that they chose to bomb the United States is that Japan had been the biggest naval power only to the exception of the United States. Japan would have wanted to beat their competition and get the honor of being the best. They chose Pearl Harbor because their goal was to take a hit at the American foundation by ruining their military base. Their original target was the aircraft carriers, but most of them were not there that day, so they had to go with Plan B and continue the attack on the battleships. They attacked on December 7, 1941 and they destroyed 18 ships as well as 300 aircrafts.
Boom, boom, boom, boom! Those were the sounds of bombs being dropped by Japan on Pearl Harbor. There are three main reasons Japan attacked Pearl Harbor which are the U.S. embargo, U.S. fleet expansion, and Japan’s new world order. The first reason Japan attacked is Japan's new world order.
90% of all Japanese oil came from America so the Japanese had no choice but to respond.2 FDR provoked Japan into attacking for their very
Due to this location of the fleet, it would leave the US too exposed and vulnerable, being difficult to defend in behalf of placement closer to Japan, furthermore surrounded 360 degrees by ocean. Soon after, FDR reduces the supply of oil and materials to Japan and gains permission by Churchill to place US warships in Singapore near oil fields in the Dutch East Indies. As a result of the new adjustment to the fleet the Dutch also reduce their supply of oil to Japan under Roosevelt's pressure, and give permission to base US warships. As increasing amounts of American naval forces were being moved from local bases to the Pacific, twenty-four submarines were sent to the Orient along with cruisers and destroyers all the way to Japanese home waters. With FDR's “Lend-Lease Act” passed, money and other resources can now be given to the Chinese and British Governments to fight Japanese, doing away with America's war neutrality once and for
Roosevelt. It was December 7, 1941 when the United States was deliberately attacked by air and naval forces of Japan. The Japanese targeted Pearl Harbor which is located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The Japanese naval forces caught America completely off guard. The Americans believed that the harbor was too shallow for an attack by torpedoes dropped from airplanes because the required depth for it to be possible is about 75 feet and Pearl Harbor is approximately 45 feet deep.
Rahul Bagga Mr.Campbell US History, Period 0 16 December 2015 Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor? One day that will always be remembered by America is the date of December 7, 1941, which changed American history forever. December 7, 1941 was the day the Japanese warplanes attacked Pearl Harbor (Hawaii) which stationed many of American ships and airfields. Immediately after the bombings, United States President Franklin Roosevelt declared war on Japan, leading to a direct involvement into World War ll. Japan had many reason to do so but Japan attacked Pearl harbor for three reasons which were that they had a plan for a new world order, United States were expanding their number of naval ships rapidly, and an oil embargo was placed upon Japan
In 1928, The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed and then many other reforms came into place. These countries involved in these many acts were Britain, Japan, Italy, and Germany. The U.S wanted to stay neutral during the war but couldn’t after Japan attacked Pearl harbor. But we are here to discuss the events leading up to Pearl Harbor. So, The events leading up to Pearl Harbor affected the economy positively.
At the time, the United States was neutral in World War II and had been supplying materials to Allied powers, including Great Britain and the Soviet Union. Japan was seeking to expand its territory in the Pacific
Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor? If you were threatened by an individual, would you throw the first punch or wait for the attack. This is how Japan felt when they were trying to dominate Asia. On Sunday December 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked the United State’s biggest naval base, Pearl Harbor. This attack was a turning point for the United States because this was one factor that brought them into World War II to fight against the Axis Powers.
The United States began to slowly edge toward the war when the situation in Europe became catastrophic. Germany and Italy had a pact with Japan and declared war on the United States. The United States officially entered the war in December 11, 1941, due to a sudden Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. While America was suffering from the economic crisis of the Great Depression, Japan was trying to get out of their own financial meltdown. The Japanese thought their best hope for survival was to expand their military.
Despite America supporting the Chinese during this war they unintentionally continued to provide Japan with resources such as steel and iron up until 1940 when President Franklin Roosevelt cut off all shipments and later took away Japan’s access to the US oil supply in 1941. Historian David M. Kennedy, PhD, summarized it perfectly, “Each [nation] stepped through a series of escalating moves that provoked but failed to restrain the other, all while lifting the level of confrontation to ever-riskier
The United States and Japan fought in World War II during 1941 to 1945. Japan planned to expand their land and gain resources- which led them to invade China whom was an ally of the U.S. In result, the United States cut off the supply of oil to Japan. On December 7th 1941, Japan’s air force did a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor because that is where their military base is located.
Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 is a day that will forever live in infamy. On this day in history the United States of America was attacked by the Japanese. This deliberate and vicious attack took place on our own soil, while still in peace keeping talks with Japan. The attacks took place in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The history behind how Pearl Harbor got its name and the devastating events of that day, are part of United States history that every American should know.
The Japanese aspired of having an empire in Asia for a long time. Japan had their reasons to why they desired so much to expand and dominate Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The practical reason was based on natural resources. Japan, as an island nation, was an incredibly resource poor country. They lacked crucial reserves a prosperous industrialized economy would need during this century.