As war broke out in Europe, the Japanese Empire continued to grow in China
and began to move into Indochina. President Roosevelt tried to stop this
expansion, in July of 1940, by placing an embargo on important naval and
aviation supplies to Japan, such as oil, iron ore, fuel, steel and rubber. The
embargo slowed, but did not stop, Japanese expansion as the Japanese were able
to secure the resources they needed within their new territorial possessions. In
1941, General Hideki Tojo became the Japanese Prime Minister. He was known as
"the razor" for his sharp mind. He sought to continue Japan's expansion and at
the same time to keep the United States neutral. "Throughout the summer of 1941,
Japan and the United States attempted to negotiate an end to their
disagreements, but with little success." (Devaney, 1991, p. 41). Japan was obviously bent on further
expansion by use of aggression and the United States was firmly against it.
Finally, in late November 1941, Cordell Hull, the U.S. Secretary of State,
rejected Japan's latest demands. Formal negotiations continued for the next
week, but Japanese Prime Minister Tojo had given up on peace.
As Japanese diplomats gathered in the U.S. capital, Japan's navy sailed for
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the site of the United States Navy's main Pacific base.
"The forces that Tojo sent from Japan included six aircraft carriers, 360
airplanes, an assortment of battleships and cruisers, and a number of
submarines. Their mission was to destroy the American naval and air presence in
the Pacific with a surprise attack." (Burgan, 2012, p. 74). On December 7, 1941, the attack struck with
devastating power, taking the American forces completely by surprise. The
Americans suffered heavy losses. Nearly 2,500 people killed, eight battleships
severely damaged, three destroyers left unusable, three light cruisers damaged,
and 160 aircraft destroyed and 128 more damaged. This caused the U.S. battle
fleet to be knocked out of commission for nearly six months. Despite these
losses, the situation was not as bad as it could have been. Some of the most
important U.S. ships - aircraft carriers - were out at sea at the time of the
attack and remained untouched. Of the battleships in Pearl Harbor, only three -
the USS Arizona, the USS Oklahoma and the USS Utah - suffered irreparable
damage. As the news about Pearl Harbor spread across the nation and President
Roosevelt prepared to address Congress, Americans rallied together. Many did not
know what to expect but most understood that the war in Europe and Asia had
finally come to America. The attack on Pearl Harbor left little doubt about
declaring war on Japan. While some had doubted that America should enter the
war, the attack on Pearl Harbor changed that. It made the act of declaring war
on Japan a necessity and ended any serious political divisions between American
Isolationists and Interventionists.
and began to move into Indochina. President Roosevelt tried to stop this
expansion, in July of 1940, by placing an embargo on important naval and
aviation supplies to Japan, such as oil, iron ore, fuel, steel and rubber. The
embargo slowed, but did not stop, Japanese expansion as the Japanese were able
to secure the resources they needed within their new territorial possessions. In
1941, General Hideki Tojo became the Japanese Prime Minister. He was known as
"the razor" for his sharp mind. He sought to continue Japan's expansion and at
the same time to keep the United States neutral. "Throughout the summer of 1941,
Japan and the United States attempted to negotiate an end to their
disagreements, but with little success." (Devaney, 1991, p. 41). Japan was obviously bent on further
expansion by use of aggression and the United States was firmly against it.
Finally, in late November 1941, Cordell Hull, the U.S. Secretary of State,
rejected Japan's latest demands. Formal negotiations continued for the next
week, but Japanese Prime Minister Tojo had given up on peace.
As Japanese diplomats gathered in the U.S. capital, Japan's navy sailed for
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the site of the United States Navy's main Pacific base.
"The forces that Tojo sent from Japan included six aircraft carriers, 360
airplanes, an assortment of battleships and cruisers, and a number of
submarines. Their mission was to destroy the American naval and air presence in
the Pacific with a surprise attack." (Burgan, 2012, p. 74). On December 7, 1941, the attack struck with
devastating power, taking the American forces completely by surprise. The
Americans suffered heavy losses. Nearly 2,500 people killed, eight battleships
severely damaged, three destroyers left unusable, three light cruisers damaged,
and 160 aircraft destroyed and 128 more damaged. This caused the U.S. battle
fleet to be knocked out of commission for nearly six months. Despite these
losses, the situation was not as bad as it could have been. Some of the most
important U.S. ships - aircraft carriers - were out at sea at the time of the
attack and remained untouched. Of the battleships in Pearl Harbor, only three -
the USS Arizona, the USS Oklahoma and the USS Utah - suffered irreparable
damage. As the news about Pearl Harbor spread across the nation and President
Roosevelt prepared to address Congress, Americans rallied together. Many did not
know what to expect but most understood that the war in Europe and Asia had
finally come to America. The attack on Pearl Harbor left little doubt about
declaring war on Japan. While some had doubted that America should enter the
war, the attack on Pearl Harbor changed that. It made the act of declaring war
on Japan a necessity and ended any serious political divisions between American
Isolationists and Interventionists.