was pearl harbor an unprovoked attack?

Question

i hear there was a war going in asia between japan and china, and that american pilots were fighting against the japanese airforce and we were an ally of china momths before pearl harbor occurred.

Answer 1

No, it was expected, and provoked as much as possible. we stopped trading in raw materials such as lumber, and also steel and oil. when Japan tried to negotiate with Dutch east indies we threatened to curtail trade with Dutch if they sold oil to Japan. Also the US pacific fleet had sailed into Japanese waters including Tokyo Bay in 1940 uninvited. Much goes on behind the scene in foreign policy, it appears as nothing to the people but to nations it is life or death.

Answer 2

Yes. It was unprovoked. There was a group of aviators called the American Volunteer Group or Flying Tigers who carried out air missions against the Japanese in China. But, their actions did not mean we were allied with China against Japan at that point. Additionally, Japanese aircraft attacked and sank one of our gun boats, the USS Panay, on the Yangtse River in 1936. Though such an attack was normally considered an act of war, we accepted Japan's apology for the incident.
BTW, the eldest son of the Executive Officer of USS Panay was one of the three astronauts during the first landing on the moon with the Apollo Eleven space mission.

Answer 3

Most of what you've heard is correct, if out of context. The Flying Tigers were a group of american volunteers fighting for the Chinese military. But if you are looking for a reason for the attack, it was more likely our economic embargos that spurred the Japenese to attack the US. We had stopped selling them metals and Oil. (Yes the United States used to export Oil)

Answer 4

1 It was provoked and
2 it was not intended as a sneak attack, apparently since they didn't have word processors in those days a number of typos requiring retyping delayed the delivery of the declaration of war by a half hour.

The culprits behind the typos were hung as war criminals. Things they do change...

Answer 5

Yes. The USA had stepped in trying to end the conflict in Asia by diplomatic means by bringing economic means to bear to force Japan into peace.

Answer 6

of course! America wasn't out there dropping bombs on Japan before Pearl Harbor. Japan admitted that it was unprovoked and that it attacked without warning.

Answer 7

It was an unprovoked sneak attack!

Answer 8

totally an unprovoked attack

Answer 9

When the japs were finished bombing, the realized that their enemy was not preparing to attack them first. Most jap pilots were ashamed of what they did. atleast that what I've read.

Answer 10

yes