Pearl Harbor Dbq Essay

Japanese planes and submarines managed a surprise attack on the U.S at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Attacked on December 7, 1941, the United States previously deciding to stay out of World War II, now declare war on Japan. Trouble started boiling between the two countries after World War I. In the aftermath of the previous war, the U.S. proposed an establishment of the League of Nations, a way for countries to work out their problems directly without declaring war. A League of Nations was created, and numerous nations joined, among those was Japan however, the United Stated did not join. The Japanese leaders were starting to get suspicious and hold grudges against the United States.The three main reasons that Japan attacked Pearl Harbor were because

The U.S could sense some tension going on between them and Japan and decide to put an embargo on oil, in attempts to stay neutral with the war. The embargo was declared in August, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor took place in December that same year, four short months after (Doc C). Without the oil from the U.S Japan’s resources were running low. According to the chart in Document D, in the late 1930’s roughly eighty percent of Japan’s oil was imported from the United States. In 1938, Japan had a total of three hundred ninety-two tons of oil, Three hundred and sixteen tons of that total was from the United States (Doc D). With limited amounts of oil Japan started seeing problems, in November 1941 Tojo stated, “... Two years from now we will have no petroleum for our military use. Ships will stop moving…” (Doc E). Japan is aware of the decline in petroleum and is starting to get slightly more aggravated at the U.S for causing this situation to fall upon

The U.S has worked Japan down to its last straw, pretty soon Japanese leaders are going to lose it and turn on the United States. Stated in Document C, In May 1940, President Roosevelt moves the U.S Pacific fleet from California, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Furthermore, in the following July, the Congress passes the Naval Expansion Act promising, to triple the size of the fleet by 1944 (Doc C). Japan, Already fearful that the Americans have more power over them, are aware of the expansion, in response Japanese leaders remark, “... When I think about the strengthening of the American defenses in the Southwest Pacific, the expansion of the American fleet, … I see no end to the difficulties... “ (Doc E). Japanese Prime Minister, Tojo is once again commenting on how the U.S is superior compared to Japan. It is inferred from Japan’s point of view that the United States is going to expand their navy, and continue to do things that threaten the nation of Japan. Once again, the Japanese want a new world order, they want to acquire new territory and have world domination, but the United States still stand in their way of conquering this goal. Under the pressure that the U.S is going to gain control of the nation, Japan needs a defense mechanism to stop the United States naval expansion at all