Showdown in the Pacific: Japan and the USA EQ: How did Japanese aggression in Asia and the Pacific lead to conflict with the United States of America?

Emperor Meiji: He became the new emperor in September of 1868 He modernized the Japanese economy and the Japanese military This was considered by some in Asia and the USA as a threat to the trade status-quo The USA began to have a trade rivalry with Japan

The Spanish-American War: 1898 While the United States and Japan had relations before the Spanish-American war, the United States gained an empire after the war This included Guam, The Philippines, and several islands in the Eastern Pacific The United States would use these territories to enhance their trade in Asia and Pacific thus intensifying the rivalry with Japan

Russo-Japanese War: 1905 Japan’s defeat of Russia in 1905 strengthened their trade position They also gained territory and resources within China and Korea This further strained trade in the area and trade between the USA and Japan

Annexation of Korea: 1910 This gave more resources to Japan and strengthened their position in Asia The United States deeply protested this move and the brutality the Japanese used toward the Korean population

Invasion of Manchuria: 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 to gain access to vital supplies such as iron and oil Up to this point, most of these resources came from trade with the USA Britain and the USA were both concerned for their territories within the area

The Second Sino-Japanese War: 1937 When Japan invaded China in 1937, this disrupted American trade with China This helped to intensify the rivalry between us and Japan Rape of Nanking: Chinese troops slaughter more than 300,000 civilians and rape an torture women

East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: 1939 Japan instituted this program in order to “unite” all Asian nations against “outside aggression” In reality, they were trying to create an empire in Asia Th United States and others refused to accept this idea

Oil Embargo: 1940 Due to continued deterioration between Japan and the United States, we instituted an embargo We refused to sell oil and metals to Japan The Japanese responded by cutting off all relations with the USA

US Fleet Moves to Pearl Harbor: 1940 In response to continued Japanese aggression in the Pacific, the United States Pacific Fleet moves from San Diego to Hawaii Japan considers this as preparation for American entrance into the war

Isoroku Yamamoto: Attack on Pearl Harbor Planned Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was the head of the Japanese Navy In 1940, he went before the Emperor and Minister Tojo, Hideki and encouraged them not to go to war with the USA He was punished by being made responsible for the attack He and his staff created real-life replica of Pearl Harbor to practice

December 7, 1941: “A date which will live in infamy” Just before 8 am on Sunday, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor (Also the Philippines) They killed more than 2400 people and sunk most of our Pacific Fleet The aircraft carriers were out of the port The leaders of Japan assumed that we would surrender “I fear that all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill it with a terrible wrath”-Yamamoto

WAR!!! The next day, we declared war against Japan and her allies The American populace was outraged, because Japan had attacked before an official declaration of war For the next six months, we would lose several key battles