2006-11-02 03:18:31 · 13 answers · asked by end 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Japan was in a land war with China and needed oil from Malaysia and the Americans threatened to block them. They thought if they took out the American naval fleet they would have complete control of the Far East. They not only attacked Hawaii, they also attacked and invaded the Philippines along with many other British and American outposts. Bottom line: It was about the oil.
2006-11-02 03:26:07 · answer #1 · answered by damdawg 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It was to destroy the U.S. Pacific fleet as a warning. Although it was blown up in the press, it was a total failure for the Japanese. Even though the Japanese flew over Pearl Harbor for several days, the U.S. claimed that the damage rate was 10%. That means 90% of the harbor was fully operational after the attack. Although a few ships were sunk, those that were beached on purpose (beach ships can't be sunk) went back into service within weeks. The aircraft carriers and I think the subs were out at sea and never attacked. The oild fields that supplied the ships with fuel were not hit either.
2006-11-02 16:46:20 · answer #2 · answered by gregory_dittman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Before the war we supplied japan with it's oil and scrap metal. When japan attacked china we put an embargo on japan so that by DEC of 41 japan had only 6-18 months of oil left to it. So it had to make a choice pull out of china and bury it's dreams of empire or destroy the US fleet like it destroyed the Russian fleet 3 decades before and force the Russians to surrender giving japan what is now Korea. In this case the theory was destroy the fleet at pearl harbor and take out all US possessions in the pacific and then wipe out all colonial powers and take all there resources for japan. This attack bought the Japanese 6 months of victories and then the US started to recover and then it was only a matter of time and will to win the war.
2006-11-02 12:29:48 · answer #3 · answered by brian L 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Japan invaded parts of China (and committed some horrible abuses). The US had been meddling around in China (see Doolittle's Raiders) to prevent the Japanese from taking over their natural resources (such as steel). Which the US thought would make them stronger....which it would have.
The Japanese saw this as an act of war and attacked.
2006-11-02 11:22:11 · answer #4 · answered by jacktree2466 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Matsamoto was determine to rule the channel and Japan, was not going to let the U.S. move our battle ships close to within range of Tokyo, so Japan decided to cripple our fleet.
2006-11-02 11:21:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Roosevelt needed an excuse to take part in the war. He knew the attacking in advance but he never moved.
http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=951
2006-11-06 08:07:21 · answer #6 · answered by Joriental 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To cripple the American Fleet, which they did.
As a suggestion, read "At Dawn We Slept" by Gordon Prange.
2006-11-02 11:39:45 · answer #7 · answered by corps4046 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To impress Jodie Foster
2006-11-02 12:17:07 · answer #8 · answered by iknowtruthismine 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
To take the U.S. out of WWII before the U.S. even entered. They wanted to ensure a steady supply of oil and fuel for their war effort.
2006-11-02 11:20:33 · answer #9 · answered by WindWalker10 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they wanted to criple/disable our Pacific fleet to keep us from interfering in their war in China and other parts of the region.
We had a blockade on them (or were going to) at the time as well.
2006-11-02 11:23:24 · answer #10 · answered by dapixelator 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋