ROAD TO PEARL HARBOR
After Japan invades, FDR wants to get American out of China Americans have special place in their hearts for China as they see it
Some American grow up in China as children of missionaries
Pearl Buck The Good Earth
Japan invades French Indo-China FDR freezes Japanese credit in US No trade for Oil & Scrape metal until Japan gets out
Japan gets new PM – Hideki Tojo
Choices for Japan: Give in to the US – have already lost 100,000 in China Find oil somewhere else – Dutch East Indies
Have to find way to hold off US while Japan establishes new empire
Isoroku Yamamoto
Knows Japan can not defeat the US in a long war Must find way to neutralize the US
Plan: *continue negotiations with US *attack Pearl *follow with attacks on other US & European possessions
Can damage Pacific fleet to allow Japan a free hand in the Pacific for a year or two Make a defensive ring that will be too costly in men and money for US to attack