Why Did Japan Attack Pearl Harbor?

Art Thompson, of the John Birch Society, shows how the 1945 issue of Life magazine explains that Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) knew that Japan would attack Pearl Harbor.

December 7, 1941 is remembered as a dark day in the history of American naval fleet and Pearl Harbor. On a fine Sunday morning when the American navy units were busy doing their normal routine work, the surprise attack from Japanese’s navy stunned the world. This attack was so unpredictable that the entire American navy went in deep shock. Very few of them realized the emergent need to manage and control their position to save the naval power.

All the staff and ships that were present at the Pearl Harbor suffered massive loss. Just a couple of hours of bombing gave the Pearl Harbor, a battlefield view with fire and smoke emerging from every corner. The attack left American navy at a loss of 2400 of her best men as well as 21 ships that were either sunk or completely demolished.

In addition, 188 air craft were also turned into ashes. This left Americans in a state of extreme anger and aggression to an extent that they declared the World War II against Japan.

But why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?

Pearl Harbor attack was actually a preventive strategy adopted by the Japanese government to put a hold on the unnecessary interference of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the internal affairs of Japan.    Japan attacked to avoid embarrassment.

But there are a number of other factors that fueled the Japanese anger and led them to attack the US base as retaliation.

Here are some other reasons given by historians;

• The most important reason was the ban imposed by President Roosevelt on the trade functions of Japan especially export of oil, steel and crap iron. This ban gave a great set back to Japanese economy and their trade and military was adversely affected.
• Japanese were on the way to emerge as the strongest naval power but America stood in their way. So Japanese wanted to clean their competitor and earn the title.
• America had not overcome the loss and outcome of World War I and they did not want to involve in another war that can take many lives. The Japanese thought that their idea of surprise attack was too powerful that would destroy the American navy and all its hopes.
• America also wanted Japan to withdraw from north Indo-China

And check out what Independent Editor Robert Higgs says….

Watch The BBC Documentary “Pearl Harbor was NOT a Surprise Attack”

Related Articles on Pearl Harbor

• Japan attacked to avoid embarrassment.
• Pearl Harbor Was No Surprise: http://thenewamerican.com/culture/his…
• Pearl Harbor: Hawaii Was Surprised; FDR Was Not: http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture…
• Pearl Harbor: A True Day of Infamy: http://thenewamerican.com/culture/his…
• Pearl Harbor: Motives Behind the Betrayal: http://thenewamerican.com/culture/his…
• Pearl Harbor: Scapegoating Kimmel and Short: http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture…