Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor?

Answer 1

The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor because it was the main naval base for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The Japanese military believed that if a swift, decisive blow could be struck against U.S. forces the U.S. public would demand that the American government negotiate peace with Japan. Admiral Yamamoto, the Japanese naval commander tasked with planning the attack, believed that the result instead would be a major, prolonged war against the United States, but as a dutiful officer he planned and carried out the attack as instructed.

The Japanese government in 1941 believed that war with the United States was necessary. In the late 1930s, the Japanese Army had overrun most of eastern Asia (Manchuria, part of China, and Indochina). This act of imperial aggression eventually resulted in the U.S. declaring an oil and steel embargo against Japan. Since the Japanese islands themselves lack these vital military resources, the Japanese government decided that they could maintain their empire only by forcing the U.S. to negotiate and end the embargo. As long as the U.S. could project military power into the Pacific, the Japanese government doubted they could get advantageous terms from the U.S.

Pearl Harbor was planned in careful secrecy and demonstrated the rapidly expanded military power of Japan (which only seventy years earlier had been virtually a feudal society without modern technology). Initially, the Japanese had expected three U.S. aircraft carriers to be present--virtually the entire U.S. Pacific naval force. However, by a coincidence, the carriers had been sent out on patrol just days before and, thus, were not hit by the attack. Had the carriers been present at Pearl Harbor, they would have been targeted first and destroyed: U.S. naval power in the Pacific would have been crippled, and potentally the U.S. would have had to negotiate peace with Japan in 1942.

There is a longstanding "conspiracy" myth that President Roosevelt knew about the planned attack and let it happen in order to bring the U.S. into the war. Certainly there were some clues that the Japanese were preparing to attack (though most American commanders believed they would attack the Philippines, not Hawaii). Nonetheless, there is no credible evidence that FDR's administration actually knew about an imminent attack on Pearl Harbor--and furthermore, FDR had absolutely no way to know that Hitler would actually honor his treaty with Japan and declare war against the U.S. (FDR wanted to go to war against Germany, not against Japan).

Answer 2

The US had a lot of navy fleets in Pearl Harbor. The Japanese government tried to destroy our already small army (remember, the US was not a superpower then) so we could not be a threat. Unfortunately for them, the idea backfired.

The real irony behind this is that Hitler did not know about the attack until after it happened, and he was pissed. The last thing he wanted was the US to get involved.

And Hiroshima was definitely *after* Pearl Harbor.

Answer 3

as the Jap admiral said, " I am afraid we have awakened the sleeping giant". The idea of thereirs was relly qiite brilliant,, but they did not finish the job, when they had the chance. Thet attacked the pacific fleet, anchored stupidly all lined p, in rows, at Pearl, as well as neighboring airfields. Also, just a few hours later, There is a time difference , which made for sunup, at the two places, different, They also attacked us, in the philippines,,that kind of got forgotten, some how,,but was as devastating. The anser is, they wnted to destry our ability o get into the war, so they could conquer the asian theater, and haveall that poer, and glory. BUT,, they did not totally destroy many of the shps, and even though some sat on the shallow lagoon bottom of Pearl harbor, some were patched, pumped out, floated, and repaired, and put rightback into battle, and we used those same ships, to beat their butts back toward Japan. They had a third wave of aircraft ready to launch, and finish the job, but in their arrogance, and joy of what they thought was a lasting victory, they did not, which allowed us to rebuild, and we grouped together with a unity never known before, or since. If they had launched the third wave, we would have surely been beaten quicklyby the Japs. To this day, the navy , as well as all services, do not group their resorces, in one area, to be an easy target to destroy. If the Japs had not attacted us, and we entered the war, with full power, it would have been rather a quick defeat for them. Their idea was right, to get us by surprize, but, as i said, they were too stupid to finish the job,,,,,,,,,,so,,we did!

Answer 4

The United States effectively pushed Japan into war with its oil embargo. The Japanese decided to begin the necessary war in the same way that they had done previously, with a surprise attack. Pearl Harbor was the obvious choice of location. None of this was a surprise to the Americans. In fact, Billy Mitchell predicted a Sunday morning surprise attack on Pearl Harbor as early as 1939, I believe.

Answer 5

America wouldn't get into the war. They attacked Pearl Harbor because they thought they would catch us offguard.

Answer 6

Oil. The Japanese needed oil and the US had an oil embargo against the Japanese. In order to resume getting its oil supplies they had to immobilize the US Fleet. At least for a while.

Does it surprise you that OIL was the root of it all?

Answer 7

They saw the US fleet as a major threat to their expansionist plans in the Pacific.
They lucked out however as the carriers weren't home that day.

Answer 8

I think they saw America as a threat, so they decided to attack before they were attacked.

Answer 9

It was world war II, And america and japan were on opposite sides. it's funny now how they're such close business alliances tho. although i cant remember if hiroshima was b4 or after pearl harbor...

Answer 10

Just because that was the their last chance to give a Good Lesson to the Americans then!!!