2007-10-01 10:46:45 · 18 answers · asked by monete c 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
The Japanese planned to invade what is present-day Indonesia and felt that they needed to capture the Philippines on order to secure their routes to and from that area. Since the Philippines were an American possession they thought that wiping out our battleships would prevent us from defending the Philippines and once these islands fell we would lose heart and sue for peace.
2007-10-01 11:20:40 · answer #1 · answered by MikeGolf 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oil and rubber surpluses. The idea was to hit all the gas fields and the battleships to disable the US Navy. Fortunately for US our ships were out of port and they missed the direct gas lines. Still thousands died.
Japan was involved with other countries and we took sides after WW1. Cut off as an island nation they planned to retaliate. Some historians feel the Emperor sent word before hand and the Generals continued on. The Ambassador was in negotiations at the time in Wash, DC. But all communications came too late.
Now Pearl is one of our most popular tourist attractions. It's kinda weird seeing so many Japanese there. You wonder what they are thinking. The exhibit has a brief documentary that identifies both sides. It's well done.
Aloha.
2007-10-01 11:02:08 · answer #2 · answered by Mele Kai 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It was because of the embargo the US put on Japan of oil, rubber and other raw materials they needed to survive. They had plans to concur the world. They wanted the oil, rubber and other material from southeast Asia. They knew the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor was a problem to their plans. They developed the plan to knock out our fleet so they could do what they wanted. They knew the value of the aircraft carrier and really wanted to knock ours out. As luck would have it our carriers were not at Pear Harbor on 7 December 1941. They knocked out our battleships and air fields. I think their biggest mistake was not mounting a second strike to take out the shipyard and the tank farms. This would have left us without the facilities to re-float and repair the battleships. No fuel for the carriers. The Pacific fleet would have been forced to move back to the mainland. We would probably have lost Midway and possibly Hawaii. It is a good thing Nagumo chickened out and did not launch the second strike or the war could have lasted a couple of years more. We showed them their mistake 6 months later in the Coral Sea and Midway. All the battleships that were sunk at Pearl Harbor, except one, came back to fight.
I think the quote from Yamamoto at the end of the film Tora! Tora! Tora! says it all: "I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve."
2007-10-01 18:10:17 · answer #3 · answered by Tin Can Sailor 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The US was gradually pushing the Japanese to war since 1939 when they cut off chief resources for the Japanese war machine. Since the United States was their greatest threat they thought to make it impotent before Americans troops would be Honshu.
The Japanese acquired many objectives but missed the huge fuel depots and all the Aircraft Carriers would could've cripped the AMerican war machine in the Pacific
2007-10-01 11:36:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They knew that the majority of the American Naval power rested in port at Pearl Harbor.
They surmised that a strike at the Pacific Fleet could possibly cripple the US ability to fight for a number of years giving them time to conquer the Asian rim and expand their Empire.
It almost worked. Only the fact that our aircraft carriers weren't in port allowed the US to stave off Japanese Imperialism and retain a foothold in the Pacific.
g-day!
2007-10-01 12:35:59 · answer #5 · answered by Kekionga 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The emporer of that time was trying to take over all the islands in the Pacific Rim and Hawaii was a place in their best interest to try and conquer, it was in an excellent location for them. Oh how foolish their ignorance that led them down a dark and dismal road.
2007-10-01 12:27:08 · answer #6 · answered by freekin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That was where the majority of our navy was and it was left pretty defencless and it was an unepected move on there part which took full advantage of the element of surprise which is crucial in most military operations. Also if they had wiped out our navy we would have most likely lost to japan.
2007-10-01 10:56:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was a preliminary strike. They thought (along with the axis of power) that if they struck the heart of the US navy, they could incapacitate the us from ever entering the war. They knew that eventually the US would become involved in the war and wanted to stop them before the US even had a chance to start. Obviously, it did not work.
2007-10-01 10:51:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
It was a premptive attack, as USA did on Iraq.USA was involved in the China ,supporting the Army of Chiang Kai Seek.
All that about the treasonous Japanese attack is a big lie, for ignorant cowboys.
2007-10-01 11:21:33 · answer #9 · answered by I love crisis 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To rid us of our fleet so that we could not respond for several years to their expansionism.
However, keep this in mind, NON of our aircraft carriers were there. They were conveniently out to the south on maneuvers.
All the old battleships were tied up to the outside of the docks and our troupes were on shore leave. Only a hand full of brave Americans were on duty. Remember them when you write this report. And remember that our government knew it was going to happen. Sounds kinda like 9-11
2007-10-01 15:56:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋