Why Did Japan Attack Pearl Harbor? by

Japanese imperial and expansionist aims in Asia

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 07:59:07 UTC

Japan continued to expand across Asia. They first took Korea, then expanded into Manchuria, and on July 7 1937, the country declared war on China with the goal of further expansion. Japan believed that they were the "leaders of Asia" and had the right to control the region. They also sought more resources and economic development, especially following the Wall Street Crash in the US, which influenced a global depression. Another reason for their expansion was due to the power and influence that the military held in leading Japan. Japan was afraid that the United States would prevent their expansion, so they made a decisive move to prevent any interference.

Economic factors: US trade in the region and US oil embargo on Japan

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 07:59:33 UTC

Japan heavily relied on the United States' oil to thrive. The country knew that without it, they wouldn't be able to sustain themselves for long. This put Japan at a crossroad: negotiate with the United States and risk having to pull out of China or force the US into submission. Their choice was the latter.

Failure of diplomacy and negotiations

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 08:00:06 UTC

Japan and the US tried to negotiate, as Japan wanted the US to halt their embargo and the US wanted Japan to end their attack of China. The two struggled to come to an agreement on terms.

US support for and assistance to China

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 08:00:19 UTC

The United States took the side of China by sending millions of dollars of aid and reprimanding Japan for its actions. This obviously bothered Japan, as they believed the West was trying to thwart and undermine their plans of becoming the leaders of Asia.

Japanese militarism

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 08:00:27 UTC

The Japanese military was very pro-expansion, but they knew that the US, with their base in the Pacific, would ultimately intervene. The Japanese also knew that the US would eventually defeat the Japanese in a war, so they knew that they had to strike first and make an impact.

US and Japanese strategic concerns

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 08:00:35 UTC

Japan was afraid that the US' base in the Pacific would prevent their expansion, so they knew they had to strike. Japan's strategic interests concerned their expansion, primarily into China. The US' strategy was to place an embargo on Japan in hopes that they would cease their attack on China. Japan's strategy to solve this problem and prevent the collapse of the nation was to attack the US first.

Impact of atrocities such as the Rape of Nanjing on US public opinion

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 08:00:43 UTC

After seeing the atrocities that the Japanese were committing in their expansion across China, much of the world began to turn against them. The lack of support caused Japan to feel targeted and think that their position as a world power was being undermined.

The Hull note

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 08:00:53 UTC

The final try at negotiations that the US made before Pearl Harbor. Outlined that Japan should withdraw its troops from China, cease expansion in the Pacific, and end the Tripartite Pact. If Japan agreed to these requests, the US would resume trade.

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 12:52:19 UTC

These three topics all relate to how a failure to settle on agreed negotiations was a cause of Japan's attack of the US.

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 12:57:34 UTC

These three topics show that a reason for Japan's attack was because they felt threatened by the US' base in the Pacific, which they feared America would use to prevent their expansion.

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 13:00:21 UTC

These two topics are connected, for they both show how Japan's belief that the West was undermining their right to expand and their "rightful place" on the global stage was a reason for the Pearl Harbor offensive.

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 13:02:53 UTC

These topics are connected because they describe Japan's fear that being without the US' oil supply would cripple the nation.

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 13:06:04 UTC

One of the reasons that Japan committed so many atrocities was because they felt they were superior. This is also a reason for their justification of expansion.

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 13:08:03 UTC

These topics are related because they display how the US' support of China was a reason for Japan's attack.

mevans321 — 2024-10-09 13:12:47 UTC

The US supported China as a cause of Japan's expansion.