answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

The immediate reason for the attacks on Pearl Harbor and other targets in the Pacific and Southeast Asia was that Japan was facing an embargo of strategic materials, especially oil and steel, both of which it needed to persue it's war aims. At that time the US was a major supplier of oil and metals to Japan, and we had embargoed both oil and steel due to the Japanese war in China. At the time of Pearl Harbor, Japan had an approximatly six month supply of oil, so they were hoping to decisively defeat US (and British, Dutch, and French colonial forces as well) quickly enough to force a peace treaty favorable to themselves. Their attack on Pearl Harbor, while destructive, did not stop US Pacific Fleet operations as they had hoped, and while Japan did gain substantial victories all across southeast Asia and the Pacific region, they failed completly to create a situation which would have compelled a surrender or armistice by either the US or Britain.

Japan was trying to become the dominant, imperial power in East Asia and the Pacific. They had invaded China in 1933 and were preparing to conquer Indochina, Maylasia, India and the Pacific islands. they wanted to control all these territories so that they could use the raw materials in them for their own industries. The United States had been growing steadily more opposed to the Japanese expansion. They knew that if they attacked those other countries we might go to war to stop them. So they decided to attack us first. They hoped they could cripple us so we could not oppose them while they grabbed as much territory as they could and that once they had the territory we would make peace and let them keep it. The first part of their plan worked. They were able to take huge amounts of territory in early 1942 because we weren't strong enough to stop them. But their sneak attack had made us mad, very mad. So, we didn't make peace, we made war. They were unable to destroy our remaining strength and we were able to build so many ships and planes and guns and everything else you need for war that we could arm ourselves and the British and the Russians and adopt a "Germany first" strategy and still completely defeat Japan into the bargain. One statistic tells the tale. Before the war both Japan and the united States had both been building about one aircraft carrier a year. From 1942 to 1945 the Japanese built four more. That was all they could do, one a year. In that same three and a half year span the United States commissioned over one hundred aircraft carriers. Michael Montagne To understand why Japan lashed out, we must go back to World War I. Japan had been our ally. But when she tried to collect her share of the booty at Versailles, she ran into an obdurate Woodrow Wilson. Wilson rejected Japan's claim to German concessions in Shantung, home of Confucius, which Japan had captured at a price in blood. Tokyo threatened a walkout if denied what she had been promised by the British. "They are not bluffing," warned Wilson, as he capitulated. "We gave them what they should not have." In 1921, at the Washington Naval Conference, the United States pressured the British to end their 20-year alliance with Japan. By appeasing the Americans, the British enraged and alienated a proud nation that had been a loyal friend. Japan was now isolated, with Stalin's brooding empire to the north, a rising China to the east and, to the south, Western imperial powers that detested and distrusted her. When civil war broke out in China, Japan in 1931 occupied Manchuria as a buffer state. This was the way the Europeans had collected their empires. Yet, the West was "shocked, shocked" that Japan would embark upon a course of "aggression." Said one Japanese diplomat, "Just when we learn how to play poker, they change the game to bridge." Japan now decided to create in China what the British had in India � a vast colony to exploit that would place her among the world powers. In 1937, after a clash at Marco Polo Bridge near Peking, Japan invaded and, after four years of fighting, including the horrific Rape of Nanking, Japan controlled the coastal cities, but not the interior. When France capitulated in June 1940, Japan moved into northern French Indochina. And though the United States had no interest there, we imposed an embargo on steel and scrap metal. After Hitler invaded Russia in June 1941, Japan moved into southern Indochina. FDR ordered all Japanese assets frozen. But FDR did not want to cut off oil. As he told his Cabinet on July 18, an embargo meant war, for that would force oil-starved Japan to seize the oil fields of the Dutch East Indies. But a State Department lawyer named Dean Acheson drew up the sanctions in such a way as to block any Japanese purchases of U.S. oil. By the time FDR found out, in September, he could not back down. Tokyo was now split between a War Party and a Peace Party, with the latter in power. Prime Minister Konoye called in Ambassador Joseph Grew and secretly offered to meet FDR in Juneau or anywhere in the Pacific. According to Grew, Konoye was willing to give up Indochina and China, except a buffer region in the north to protect her from Stalin, in return for the U.S. brokering a peace with China and opening up the oil pipeline. Konoye told Grew that Emperor Hirohito knew of his initiative and was ready to give the order for Japan's retreat. Fearful of a "second Munich," America spurned the offer. Konoye fell from power and was replaced by Hideki Tojo. Still, war was not inevitable. U.S. diplomats prepared to offer Japan a "modus vivendi." If Japan withdrew from southern Indochina, the United States would partially lift the oil embargo. But Chiang Kai-shek became "hysterical," and his American adviser, one Owen Lattimore, intervened to abort the proposal. Facing a choice between death of the empire or fighting for its life, Japan decided to seize the oil fields of the Indies. And the only force capable of interfering was the U.S. fleet that FDR had conveniently moved from San Diego out to Honolulu. Japan was trying to expand in Asia. Their population had doubled and they needed raw materials for their emerging industries. The U.S. tried to negotiate with Japan and offered to help them find raw materials if they would stop their expansionist policies. However, Japan refused believing that the U.S. was not in a position to tell them what to do. The U.S. then embargoed several items such as scrap metal in order to make Japan stop. At this point, Japan saw the U.S. as the major factor in trying to halt their quest for more land. Although the Japanese leaders believed that they would eventually have to face U.S. in a war, they believed that attacking Pearl Harbor would give them at least a year before doing so. I can scarcely attempt to improve on the answer that begins 'To understand why Japan lashed out.......' as that is most coherent response to this question I have ever seen. Alternatively, there is the 'John Wayne movie' response that beings with 'Japan was trying........'. As an addition to the first response as noted above I would like to add a few comments. When two powers are both trying to influence or expand into an area, conflict is almost inevitable. When reading and trying to understand history, try and look past the juvenile good guy/bad guy routines. All nations are looking out for their own best interest. That Japan in WWII attacked several of its neighbors no more makes them a bad nation than it does the USA for destroying their various neighbors and competitors on the North American continent. These conflicts are the natural result for any situation that has dynamic expanding powers. Japan in WWII was looking out for its best interest. That included its elemental need for petroleum and other imports. When looked at in the broader perspective, WWII was almost entirely about petroleum. Germany and Japan both ran their military campaigns with the fundamental desire to control oil fields. The USA was successful in WWII with its projection of power via its naval and air forces entirely due to having huge supplies of oil. That Italy was so inept in WWII is largely a result of oil shortages, lacking even those supplies necessary to sortie their Mediteranian fleet. Had these various factors been turned around I am cetain the USA would have gone to war (calling it 'preemptive' war) to take over the oil from Japanese or German spheres of control. That would not necessarily make the USA a 'bad' nation and Japan/German 'good' nations. It is just the natural course of human history as is being played out in 2006 just like it was in 1942. See the closely related questions linked to the right. See the closely related questions linked to the right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYvXTLEgKS4&feature=g-all-s

A documentary film describing the modern History of Japan from the Meiji Restoration to the Greater East Asian War (WW2).

Directed by Ryuichi Izumi.

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

The US was threatening an embargo/blockade of war materials (steel etc) because of Japan's invasion of China. Japan saw the US pacific fleet as a threat to their expension in the Pacific - I doubt their intention was to have a full scale war as much as to neutralize the threat the US posed to them. The Pearl Harbor attack, as well as Philippines, Midway and such, was meant to destroy military presence and break US resolve to stay in the pacific

Admiral Yamamoto, who was US educated, realized the mistake when he made the remark about waking a sleeping giant - the Japanese military leaders for the most part did not understand the industrial capability of the US to rebuild the Pacific fleet so quickly and the resolve of the US citizens to seek revenge for Pearl Harbor

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

Pearl Harbour was a pre-emptive strike designed to stop the U.S. from interfering with Japanese plans to invade other countries and territories.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

They attacked the US because they wanted to knock out the Pacific Fleet so that America couldn't get involved.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago
  1. Demolish the US Naval Fleet
  2. Prevent the US Naval Fleet from coming after the Japanese Navy when they attempted to take the Dutch East Indies
This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

Japan attacked the U.S. for the island (Hawaii). it was a big supprise to all the americans,

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why the Japanese wanted to attack the United States?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about General History

Why was there no declaration before pearl harbor attack?

There was no declaration before the attack on Pearl Harbor because the Japanese government believed a surprise attack would cripple the United States Pacific Fleet and prevent them from interfering with Japanese military expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. It was seen as a strategic move to gain an advantage in the early stages of the war.


When did Japan try to make peace with America before the attack on Pearl Harbor?

The Japanese were not really trying to find a peaceful solution. They wanted the United States to allow Japan to continue the Japanese invasion of China and kill & brutalize the Chinese people. The United States was opposed to the Japanese aggression. See below for more info.The United States & Japan were already in negotiations in Washington, D.C. (which began in August 1941), prior to the Japanese attack on 7 December 1941 on the United States at Hawaii (incl. Pearl Harbor), the Philippines, Guam & Wake Island. At the same time as the Japanese attack on the US, the Japanese attacked the British (at Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong & Borneo) and later the Dutch in Asia. he Japanese attacked before any declaration of war and were not engaged in negotiations with Britain or Netherlands.These negotiations concerned the Japanese military's brutal aggression against China and the resulting US sanctions taken on trade with Japan. The Japanese diplomatic position never changed from that of demanding that the United States accept the Japanese conquest of China and that the United States should not interfere in Japanese military actions. The Japanese wanted economic sanctions, against them, lifted by the United States, but offered nothing for it. Negotiations were doomed to fail, except that a small group of misguided intellectuals (American clergymen & some Japanese business interests) provided false & misleading information (about Japanese diplomatic positions) that lead to false hope in a diplomatic compromise. By 1941, the Japanese government secretly undertook to use the negotiations as a delaying tactic, while preparing & planning for war against the United States, Britain & Commonwealth, and the Netherlands. Even the Japanese negotiators in Washington, DC were not told of the futility of their efforts.Primary reason for the Japanese attack on the US: The Japanese Army's reckless obsession with their on-going brutal conquest of China. The United States had been taking diplomatic and economic steps against Japan for several years to convince (or force) the Japanese to end their war of conquest in Asia. The Japanese Army actually controlled the Japanese Government since the early 1930's. The Japanese Army refused to end its war of conquest & extreme brutality in China.Beyond China, the Japanese Army had plans to take advantage of the weakness of the British, French, Dutch & Soviet Union in Asia because of Hitler's conquests in Europe. The Japanese wanted to be free of American interference, and create a vast Asian empire that would have eventually included China, eastern Siberia, Mongolia, Korea, Formosa, Indo-China, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Philippines, Guam, Wake Island, & New Guinea; and possibly India.The Japanese military thought that the best way to keep the United States from interfering in their plans in Asia, was to deliver a surprise attack on various US bases throughout the Pacific to do as much damage to the US military capability in the Pacific. At Pearl Harbor, they intended to sink as many battleships, cruisers & aircraft carriers as possible. At Manila they intended to follow-up with an invasion and capture of the Philippines. At Wake Island they intended to seize the island. The Japanese also attacked the bases, ships & troops of the British Empire. All this was intended to persuade the United States & Britain to negotiate a settlement giving the Japanese most of the western Pacific territories, and most of Asia. They hoped that the US & Britain would not want to fight a prolonged & costly war in Asia to liberate what territory the Japanese could capture in the first six months of the war.


Which way did the goals for the soviet intervention in Europe differ from those of the US?

Answer this question… The Soviet Union wanted to encourage the spread of communist ideals, but the United States did not.


Why was Japan's attack on Indochina upsetting to the US?

Now, I assume you mean why the Japanese were angry at the Americans during World War II? If so, it was because, at the turn of the 20th century, the Japanese faced rapid modernization and militarization. They had goals of conquering colonies to have a large empire like what the Western world was doing. Because Japan is an island nation, its resources are limited. Prior to WWII, the Japanese needed sufficient fuel for their warships, planes, and transportation, as well as oil and steel. To solve this problem, the Japanese wanted to attack the United States in order to acquire ample resources. This eventually led to the attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entering WWII.


In what primary way did the goals for U.S. Intervention in Europe differ from those of the Soviet Union?

The United States wanted to limit the spread of communism, but the Soviet Union did not.

Related questions

Why was there no declaration before pearl harbor attack?

There was no declaration before the attack on Pearl Harbor because the Japanese government believed a surprise attack would cripple the United States Pacific Fleet and prevent them from interfering with Japanese military expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. It was seen as a strategic move to gain an advantage in the early stages of the war.


What was the goal of the Japanese attack on pearl harbor?

they did it cuz they wanted 2


Within months of his inauguration in January 2001 President George Bush announced that he wanted to begin building a missile defense shield for the United States because?

President George W. Bush announced that he wanted to begin building a missile defense shield for the United States because he might have been informed of upcoming events that were dangerous to the United States. This is purely speculation, however.


The united states wanted the lousiana territory in order to?

The United States wanted the Louisiana territory in order to expand its territory


The Japanese wanted to move first against the united states because?

They didn't attack us first and emperor Hirohito of Japan didn't want to attack us but General Hideki Tojo wanted to conquer us and said " the American bases in Hawaii makes Hawaii a dagger pointed at our throats." So The Japanese assured Hirohito we were not to go to war with the US. But the Japanese (Tojo) had been planning the attack on Pearl Harbor Long before we stopped sending oil. God only knows why they attacked us. I quite frankly think they were idiots for doing so.


Why did the Japanese attack the uss lexington in pearl harbor?

Japan wanted US out of the out Pacific


Did pearl harbor change anything?

Pearl Harbor brought a dramatic change on the United States views on World War II. The United States wanted to maintain neutral and prevent entering war, but once the Japanese bombed the United States at Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, the United States changed their mindset and decalred war.


Why did the Japanese attack neighbouring countries?

why did Japanese attack other countries?becuz they were short of oil they wanted an empire and most of all they needed land because their popularity was overflowing


Why did the Japanese need oil during WWII?

The Japanese needed oil during World War II because they didn't have enough of it. Oil is not an abundant resource in Japan. One of the reasons the Japanese wanted to attack the United States was because they were in desperate need of oil. Without oil, their planes, warships, and vehicles would be useless.


Why did the United Nations approve an attack on Afghanistan?

Obama wanted to improve


Who wanted the united states constitution?

The Federalists


Why we're British manufacturers dumping goods on the American market?

They wanted to control the United States Market.