Japanese Attack On Pearl Harbor Essay

Japanese military on the 7th of December 1941. The assault left nearly 20 U.S. naval vessels either damaged or destroyed, 300 aeroplanes and resulted in the death of 2400, the injury of 1000 and, ultimately, led to the U.S. declaring war on Japan. Although the attack was a surprise, tensions between the U.S. and Japan built up over many years prior. In the late 19th century, Japan’s economy rapidly grew and industrialised, expanding its territory in Asia, and straining relations with the U.S. In response to Japan’s invasion of China, the U.S. and other Western powers imposed economic sanctions, aiming to halt Japanese expansion. Due to Japan’s heavy reliance on imports, their economy and military were under immense strain and Japanese leaders took bold and aggressive actions, leading to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

During the 1930s and early 1940s, the U.S. put into effect a number

Japan devised a strategic plan that included enlarging its empire into Southeast Asia, notably the oil-rich Dutch East Indies, in response to the urgent need to gain new areas rich in resources. Japanese leaders were growing increasingly upset with the economic sanctions and their effects on the country's resources and military capabilities, as shown by the intercepted Magic diplomatic decrypts. On November 6, 1941, the Japanese Foreign Minister sent a message to Ambassador Kichisaburo Nomura stating "Our Empire's future existence is at stake... We must take advantage of this opportunity to increase our power and resources.". Japan was given a window of opportunity to gain the resources it needed for its expansionist aspirations thanks to the attack on Pearl Harbour, which was perceived as a proactive measure to cripple the US Pacific Fleet, as shown by similar