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A Day Before Pearl Harbor Essay

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As the sun rose filling the dark Sunday morning sky with light, the planes silently glided above the water and above the land then dived like a pack bloodthirsty hawks at the unprepared and defenceless prey that the Unite States was, marking the beginning of a day of hell. Many people have heard of the day of infamy where Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor unleashing hell on the Americans on Sunday, December 7, 1941. Mighty battleships that once stood tall and strong are now resting at the bottom of the sea along with the dead bodies of brave men that once served in the navy to defend their country. But many lives could have been saved, the terrible loss that the United States suffered, could have been prevented.

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The United States stopped shipping airplanes, parts, machine tools and aviation gasoline to Japan. However they did not stop sending oil to Japan because of their dependence on it. In early 1941 the American President of the time Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to move the Pacific Fleet from its base in San Diego to Hawaii. A massive military buildup in the Philippines was ordered with goal of discouraging any Japanese aggression in the Far East. Because the Japanese high command was, unfortunately for them, mistakenly certain that any attack on the UK’s Southeast Asian colonies (including Singapore) would bring the U.S. into the war. In July 1941 the United States stopped sending oil to Japan, following the Japanese expansion into French Indochina after the Fall of France, it was partly because of American restrictions on domestic oil consumption. This, of course, made the Japanese continue with their plans to invade the Dutch East Indies which was an oil-rich territory. On August 17, President Roosevelt warned Japan that the U.S. was ready to take the necessary steps against Japan if they attacked neighbouring countries. During 1941 Japan and the U.S engaged in negotiations trying to improve their relationship. Japan said they would withdraw from most of China and Indochina once peace was made. The United

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Japan also disrespected America’s pleads for peace. President Roosevelt sent a letter to Japan that said, “I am confident that both of us, for the sake of the peoples not only of our own great countries but for the sake of humanity in neighboring territories, have a sacred duty to restore traditional amity and prevent further death and destruction in the world.” (Doc L). This quote is showing how FDR respectfully suggested that Japan think about the impact their actions are having on the entire world and to consider peace. Japan replied to this letter one day later by attacking Pearl Harbor (Doc M).

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