There wasn’t any single definite event that caused the attack on Pearl Harbor, but rather a list of situations, events, and mentalities. In Japanese schools, students were taught that they stemmed from the Yamato race, which they deemed to be superior. They saw America and Europe as nations who’ve ruled for a long time and were falling apart, and off their pedestal:“an old order… is now crumbling.”(Document A) This was their chance for their superiority to “...extend[ed] so as to embrace the whole world.” This perspective of superiority over the other nations, brought them into challenging the U.S. against their power. A list of events that occurred against the Japanese, by the Americans can be seen in Document C. Actions that had seemed insulting and unfair to the Japanese, and equivalent to “third-class treatment” (Doc E) by the Americans, especially after Japanese had gained so much power and control in Manchuria and East Asia. …show more content…
made an “embargo of aircrafts and aircraft parts against Japan.” In addition, the U.S. “freezes all Japanese assets and bank accounts” and placed another “embargo on oil shipments to Japan” right after they move their US Pacific fleet to Pearl Harbor, which they had planned to increase by three time within the next 3 years. Considering all the losses, and the poor treatment Japan faced by the U.S., Pearl Harbor seemed to be an important investment to America, as well as a perfect target for the Japanese to attack and show off their power through revenge. In Document E, Prime and War Minister of Japan, Hideki Tojo states that the U.S. never had a real reason to treat Japan in such a manner and “make[s] strong demands.” Part of the reason Japan attacked Pearl Harbor was because it was strategically necessary for their