Pearl Harbor December 7th, 1941 “A day that will live in infamy.” Aim: Why did Japan decide to attack Pearl Harbor?

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Largest American naval base in pacific Key to American Pacific military power Pearl Harbor 3,000 mi 2,500 mi

In the event of outbreak of war with the United States, there would be little prospect of our operations succeeding unless, at the very outset, we can deal a crushing blow to the main force of the American Fleet in Hawaiian -Minoru Genda, planning officer "I can run wild for six months … after that, I have no expectation of success." -Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto How did Japanese naval officers evaluate their chance of defeating America in a war?

Japan’s Motivation and Plan American embargo on oil and steel to Japan –Only two year stockpile of oil Japan can’t continue fight in China Time not on Japan’s side - do or die! –Can get natural resources in south east Asia first need to knock out America and Great Britain Pre-emptive strike on Pearl Harbor –Plan is to destroy American Naval power in the Pacific –Surprise necessary –Aircraft carriers used to attack Consolidate territory in Asia –Hope America gives up and asks for peace America knows war w/ Japan is imminent –America had broken Japanese code –Didn’t expect war to come to Hawaii

The Attack When –Sunday Morning, Dec. 7, 1941 –Why…? How –Carrier based attack –Dive bomb planes w/ torpedoes Where –Pearl Harbor –Guam –Wake –Hong Kong –French Indo China Damages –2,300 + military personnel killed –4 battleships sunk, 4 damaged –188 aircraft destroyed

Results of Pearl Harbor Pacific Fleet temporarily knocked out –No aircraft carriers destroyed President Roosevelt asks Congress to declare war on Japan America is unified against Japan - enters war –End of debate to enter WW II or not –President receives support of people American gov’t calls for “unconditional surrender” of Japan Germany and Italy declare war on America

Japanese Empire 1942

What Do You Think… Was war between Japan and the United States was inevitable? Considering Japan’s situation, was an attack on Pearl Harbor was logical? Considering what happened at Pearl Harbor, was America’s decision to fight Japan until “unconditional surrender” was reasonable and just? What could the two countries have done to prevent war?