Existing comment:
Japanese Expansion: 1931-1941:
A Grab for Empire:
Japan's seizure of Manchuria in 1931 opened a decade of military expansion that ended in world war. The brutal war of conquest it launched in China in 1937 brought condemnation from Western leaders. Concern in the U.S. grew in 1940 when Nazi victories over the French and Dutch and the desperate situation of the British made their Asian colonies tempting targets.
Because Japan imported important strategic materials from America, some thought economic sanctions might stop its aggression. In July 1940, President Roosevelt curbed sales of scrap iron, steel and aviation gasoline to Japan. Undetered, Japan continued fighting in China, and in September occupied northern French Indo-China. To intimidate the U.S., Japan also signed a mutual defense pact with Nazi Germany and Italy. American responded by expanding its embargo, but didn't ban sales of its most vital export; oil.
In July 1941, Japan struck again, occupying all of French Indo-China. Roosevelt now froze Japanese assets in the U.S., in effect stopping oil sales to Japan. Dependent on U.S. oil, Japan negotiated to end the embargo. But it simultaneously began preparing for war if negotiations failed, plotting to invade the heart of oil-rich Southeast Asia. To prevent U.S. interference, Japan also planned a surprised attack on America's Pacific Fleet in Hawaii.
In November, Japan secretly decided to go to war. While pretending to negotiate, it was poised to strike. |