War In The Pacific Dbq

1227 Words3 Pages

The outbreak of World War II in the Pacific was not a sudden occurrence, but rather a combination of separate events which changed the course of history forever. At its centre there were three main causes for the outbreak of the war in the Pacific, including Japan’s desire for resources because of their rapid industrialization, the rise of nationalism in Japan, and the US embargo on Japan leading to the bombing of Pearl Harbour. These were all the main causes of World War II, which led to an outbreak of war in the Pacific. The rise of militarism and nationalism led to the outbreak of war in the Pacific. The rise of nationalism led to the Japanese people believing that Japan had to expand and become a world leader. This mindset was the groundwork …show more content…

This mindset was brought around because of the nationalist views in Japan forming a foundational pillar as it not only shaped the beliefs of the Japanese people but also created tension between Japan and the US which was a vital reason for the outbreak of war in the Pacific. The nationalist mindset was not only a result of militarism but also because of Japan’s desire for resources to keep up with the rapid industrialization, leading them down a path of colonization and aggressive expansionism, which was a major factor in the outbreak of war in the Pacific. The main reason for Japan’s desire for resources was because in the late 1930s, Japan imported approximately 90% of its iron ore, 100% of its aluminum, and about 80% of its oil from foreign sources; this led to the Japanese desire for resources, which eventually led them down a path of colonization. An example of this can be seen in 1931 when Japan took a major step in expanding their resources as they invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria. The invasion of Manchuria highlights Japan’s path of colonization to assist with their rapid …show more content…

Another example of Japan’s expansionism can be further seen when the Japanese military leaders decided to incorporate the southern strategy in 1940, where their imperial naval force invaded French Indochina in hopes of cutting off the supply of resources to China. This was successful in the short term as they gained more resources which was their primary goal but in the long term it affected them badly as the US had frozen their assets and placed an embargo cutting off their oil supplies as 80% of Japan’s oil supplies came from the US. This situation that Japan’s found themselves in was the direct result of their desire for resources, which led to their own loss and was a major factor in the outbreak of war in the Pacific. Along with this, it increases the tension between Japan and the US, which led to the planning of Pearl Harbour. The US embargo on Japan resulted in a massive loss of crucial resources for Japan which resulted in bombing of Pearl Harbour as the Japanese were desperate to acquire more resources, playing a significant role in the outbreak of war in the

Open Document