Dbq Pearl Harbor Research Paper

Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor for 3 main reasons. Japan had a plan for global domination, and the United States was in the way. Japan was also aggravated at the U.S because the U.S.A had halted from selling oil and materials to Japan. Also, Congress’ decision to expand the U.S Naval fleet furthermore angered Japan. These 3 reasons are why the Japanese assaulted Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In Document A, The Way of the Subjects states that “An old order…(European and American)... is now crumbling.” The Japanese Empire hoped to create a New Order and come in the place of Europe and the U.S.A. Also in Document A, The Way of the Subjects says “The Ideals of Japan...are represented by the principle that the benevolent rule of the

In 1941, the U.S froze all Japanese assets and bank accounts. In August of 1941, the U.S made an embargo of Oil against Japan. This hugely impacted Japan, as about 80% of Japan’s oil came from the U.S, according to Document D. Document D also shows that a huge majority of Japan’s steel and scrap iron came from the U.S. All these embargos, are one of the causes of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. As shown in Document C, In July of 1940, the U.S Congress passed the Naval Expansion Act, which promised to increase the size of the fleet by tripling it. This aggravated Japan extremely as the prime minister and warminster of Japan, Hideki Tojo, stated, in Document E, that withdrawal of the Japanese troops would be retreat. Tojo stated that a lot of effort went into the war, and that many Japanese men died fighting for it. Tojo said “When I think about the strengthening of American defenses in the Southwest Pacific, the expansion of the American fleet,...I see no end to difficulties…” Tojo believed that if Japan backed down and gave up the war, Japan would get taken over or become a lower-class