75 years ago something happened that would change America forever. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by Japanese planes on December 7, 1941. The next day the United States declared war on Japan. This would be the first time that the US was directly involved with World War 2. Three reasons the Japan attacked the US was America's embargo on goods, the New World Order and Japan's expansion in Asia.
In July of 1941 the United States cut off trade with Japan. The embargoed goods included one thing that Japan couldn't run without which was oil. Without oil Japan could be defeated without actually ever going to war (The Americans Textbook). Before the embargo, Japan would receive about 80% of their oil from the US. After the embargo their total amount of oil was only …show more content…
While everything was happening in Europe, Japan was gaining land in Asia from China, Thailand, and other countries (Doc B). By 1941, the British were to busy fighting Germany to stop the Japanese expansion, and only the US and the Pacific Islands remained in Japan's way. Japan began to move their expansion south by taking over French Military bases (The Americans Textbook). America was opposed to this act so they then cut off all trade with Japan, which also cut off Japan's very much needed oil supply. After this Japan needed to find a way to get their oil. They could either try to make amends with the US so they would end the oil embargo or they would have to seize oil fields. If Japan tried to seize oil reserves in the East Indies they would have to pass through the Philippines which is American soil. They knew that if they were to go to the Philippines they would have to surrender to the US due to their very low number of soldiers and America's growing military. So instead then Japan decided to prepare for attack on the United States. Because of the Japanese Expansion, Pearl Harbor was