Why did Japan Bomb Pearl Harbor?

[gremily]

I am trying to figure this out for a research project. Why did Japan bomb Pearl Harbor.

 

[Raven_Letters]

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in order to destroy the U.S Navy based there, thereby eliminating the U.S's ability to wage war against Japan in the Pacific.

This is a very basic, crude outline of it; there are other major factors as well, but this is generally the starting point.

 

[Eagle Est1986]

They were worried that the Americans were going to join the war effort, if the US had joined with their full navy, the war might have been over that much quicker. To try and avoid this defeat, they launched a preemptive strike.

 

[Ago Iterum]

Well the US were already drawing up their plans to join WWII, and so were Japan. Japan wanted to rid south-east Asia of the Dutch and the British forces, and knew that the US would interfere, so they bombed the nearest naval yard to Asia, which was Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

 

[Dudemeister]

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in order to destroy the U.S Navy based there, thereby eliminating the U.S's ability to wage war against Japan in the Pacific.

This is a very basic, crude outline of it; there are other major factors as well, but this is generally the starting point.

I thought the US weren't in WW2 until Pearl Harbor was bombed though ?
I mean they weren't planning to fight the Japanese anyway were they ?
I don't know much about this stuff obviously.

 

[Eagle Est1986]

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in order to destroy the U.S Navy based there, thereby eliminating the U.S's ability to wage war against Japan in the Pacific.

This is a very basic, crude outline of it; there are other major factors as well, but this is generally the starting point.

I thought the US weren't in WW2 until Pearl Harbor was bombed though ?
I mean they weren't planning to fight the Japanese anyway were they ?
I don't know much about this stuff obviously.

Not officially, but the possibility that they might was a big threat to the Japanese navy.

 

[nekolux]

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in order to destroy the U.S Navy based there, thereby eliminating the U.S's ability to wage war against Japan in the Pacific.

This is a very basic, crude outline of it; there are other major factors as well, but this is generally the starting point.

I thought the US weren't in WW2 until Pearl Harbor was bombed though ?
I mean they weren't planning to fight the Japanese anyway were they ?
I don't know much about this stuff obviously.

The japanese, italians and germans signed a tripartite treaty to take over the world between the 3 of them. The US were going to join the war sooner or later, also they were already supplying Britain with a lot of raw materials, weapons etc.

This means that even if US was only going to fight the germans, they would eventually help the british get their colonies back in asia.

 

[rossatdi]

I thought it was the traditional culture of warfare was to make a show strength and then sue for peace. Theoretically by crippling the US's pacific capability with a stunning show of strength Japan would demand control over the Pacific.

A tactical & cultural misunderstanding. Also bravado.

 

[Raven_Letters]

Well

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in order to destroy the U.S Navy based there, thereby eliminating the U.S's ability to wage war against Japan in the Pacific.

This is a very basic, crude outline of it; there are other major factors as well, but this is generally the starting point.

I thought the US weren't in WW2 until Pearl Harbor was bombed though ?
I mean they weren't planning to fight the Japanese anyway were they ?
I don't know much about this stuff obviously.

Well the issue is somewhat complicated by a number of factors. Firstly that the U.S saw the south pacific region as within its sphere of influence, and this directly came into Japan's plans for its "Co-Prosperity Sphere" - i.e Its head chopping time if you dont do what we say.

Secondly the U.S itself was making preparations PRIOR to Pearl Harbor, preparations targeted at Japan. To be precise, the various comments in the U.S newspapers of the day relating to the production of B-17 Bombers that would be used to turn Tokyo into a fireball. FDR had little love of the Japanese, and the U.S considered Japan a competitor in the Pacific Sphere. one could argue that the attack on Pearl Harbor was a preemptive strike by Japan to cripple the possible future aggression of the U.S

Thirdly there was the whole issue of helping The Third Reich by opening a second front in the Pacific, in the hopes of tying up the U.S so that they could no longer effectively support the European Theatre.

Again, this is still a little too general, and there are some more factors as well.

 

[fix-the-spade]

To damage or destroy the U.S Navy's Pacific Fleet.

Thereby cutting US forces in the Phillipines from any rapid reinforcement. As well as this it allowed the Japanese to commit their fleet and most of their army to fighting the Royal Navy/Commonwealth Army in the Burma campaign.
The plan was to advance quickly through the Phillipines, Burma and China, forcing peace with the US and British Empire once they had made enough gains. The entire war had to be fought and finished before America's production abilities could be brought to bare.


Of course the mission only half succeeded, the U.S carriers being out of port at the time. The Americans met the Japanese head on at Midway and the Commonwealth army stalled then defeated the Japanese at Kohima and Imphal. The rest is history (sorry).

 

[Raven_Letters]

I thought it was the traditional culture of warfare was to make a show strength and then sue for peace. Theoretically by crippling the US's pacific capability with a stunning show of strength Japan would demand control over the Pacific.

A tactical & cultural misunderstanding. Also bravado.

A strategic misunderstanding not a tactical one - which of course makes the matter far worse. As for Bravado - well not much. See "Total War" by Peter Calvocoressi (If memory serves me right) the Japanese werent exactly Gung-ho about the plan at the highest levels, they realized that they were taking a huge gamble by antagonizing the U.S, but given the circumstances they felt that had little room to maneuver.

 

[nekolux]

To damage or destroy the U.S Navy's Pacific Fleet.

Thereby cutting US forces in the Phillipines from any rapid reinforcement. As well as this it allowed the Japanese to commit their fleet and most of their army to fighting the Royal Navy/Commonwealth Army in the Burma campaign.
The plan was to advance quickly through the Phillipines, Burma and China, forcing peace with the US and British Empire once they had made enough gains. The entire war had to be fought and finished before America's production abilities could be brought to bare.


Of course the mission only half succeeded, the U.S carriers being out of port at the time. The Americans met the Japanese head on at Midway and the Commonwealth army stalled then defeated the Japanese at Kohima and Imphal. The rest is history (sorry).

Yeah i was going to add. If i were to rank the 3 major powers of the axis forces in terms of military prowess it would be.
1. Germany undoubtedly. The Wehrmacht was the one of the best armies in the world at that time ( regular army ).
2. Japanese. At least the japanese broke out some major victories and pushed the british out of the south east asia area for quite a while.
3. Italians. They just lost time and again until germany intervened to prevent them from collapsing entirely -_-

 

[Raven_Letters]

The US was isolationist before the Pearl Harbor attacks, though i understand that Roosevelt wanted to join. The attacks altered public perception, as any pre-emptive strike does.

Again the reality is a bit more complicated. The U.S Public for the most part did not want to be involved, (especially after WW1) but the U.S Government wished to once more take a more offensive footing. The attack on Pearl Harbor provided the Casus Belli for the U.S Government to declare war on not only Japan but the Axis in general.

 

[willard3]

I thought it was the traditional culture of warfare was to make a show strength and then sue for peace. Theoretically by crippling the US's pacific capability with a stunning show of strength Japan would demand control over the Pacific.

A tactical & cultural misunderstanding. Also bravado.

Worse because the carriers were out of port, and carriers are the most dangerous weapons in a modern navy. Plus, they didn't even sink close to everything that was actually in port.

"Haha, we kill you! We teach you not to mess with Japan!"
"WHATTHEFUCKYOUFUCKINGASSHOELSIMGONNAGETYOUBITCH"
"Hey wait, you're supposed to surrenSHITSHITSTOPBOMBINGUS!!!!"


But honestly, all you need is this absolutely amazing prose, which is highly appropriate for the Escapist. Cut for length.

Spoiler

*Hitler[AoE] has joined the game.*
*Eisenhower has joined the game.*
*paTTon has joined the game.*
*Churchill has joined the game.*
*benny-tow has joined the game.*
*T0J0 has joined the game.*
*Roosevelt has joined the game.*
*Stalin has joined the game.*
*deGaulle has joined the game.*
Roosevelt: hey sup
T0J0: y0
Stalin: hi
Churchill: hi
Hitler[AoE]: cool, i start with panzer tanks!
paTTon: lol more like panzy tanks
T0JO: lol
Roosevelt: o this fockin sucks i got a depression!
benny-tow: haha america sux
Stalin: hey hitler you dont fight me i dont fight u, cool?
Hitler[AoE]; sure whatever
Stalin: cool
deGaulle: **** Hitler rushed some1 help
Hitler[AoE]: lol byebye frenchy
Roosevelt: i dont got **** to help, sry
Churchill: wtf the luftwaffle is attacking me
Roosevelt: get antiair guns
Churchill: i cant afford them
benny-tow: u n00bs know what team talk is?
paTTon: stfu
Roosevelt: o yah hit the navajo button guys
deGaulle: eisenhower ur worthless come help me quick
Eisenhower: i cant do **** til rosevelt gives me an army
paTTon: yah hurry the fock up
Churchill: d00d im gettin pounded
deGaulle: this is fockin weak u guys suck
*deGaulle has left the game.*
Roosevelt: im gonna attack the axis k?
benny-tow: with what? ur wheelchair?
benny-tow: lol did u mess up ur legs AND ur head?
Hitler[AoE]: ROFLMAO
T0J0: lol o no america im comin 4 u
Roosevelt: wtf! thats bullsh1t u fags im gunna kick ur asses
T0JO: not without ur harbors u wont! lol
Roosevelt: u little biotch ill get u
Hitler[AoE]: wtf
Hitler[AoE]: america hax, u had depression and now u got a huge fockin army
Hitler[AoE]: thats bullsh1t u hacker
Churchill: lol no more france for u hitler
Hitler[AoE]: tojo help me!
T0J0: wtf u want me to do, im on the other side of the world retard
Hitler[AoE]: fine ill clear you a path
Stalin: WTF u arsshoel! WE HAD A FoCKIN TRUCE
Hitler[AoE]: i changed my mind lol
benny-tow: haha
benny-tow: hey ur losing ur guys in africa im gonna need help in italy soon sum1
T0J0: o **** i cant help u i got my hands full
Hitler[AoE]: im 2 busy 2 help
Roosevelt: yah thats right ***** im comin for ya
Stalin: church help me
Churchill: like u helped me before? sure ill just sit here
Stalin: dont be an arss
Churchill: dont be a commie. oops too late
Eisenhower: LOL
benny-tow: hahahh oh sh1t help
Hitler: o man ur focked
paTTon: oh what now biotch
Roosevelt: whos the cripple now lol
*benny-tow has been eliminated.*
benny-tow: lame
Roosevelt: gj patton
paTTon: thnx
Hitler[AoE]: WTF eisenhower hax hes killing all my sh1t
Hitler[AoE]: quit u hacker so u dont ruin my record
Eisenhower: Nuts!
benny~tow: wtf that mean?
Eisenhower: meant to say nutsack lol finger slipped
paTTon: coming to get u hitler u paper hanging hun cocksocker
Stalin: rofl
T0J0: HAHAHHAA
Hitler[AoE]: u guys are fockin gay
Hitler[AoE]: ur never getting in my city
*Hitler[AoE] has been eliminated.*
benny~tow: OMG u noob you killed yourself
Eisenhower: ROFLOLOLOL
Stalin: OMG LMAO!
Hitler[AoE]: WTF i didnt click there omg this game blows
*Hitler[AoE] has left the game*
paTTon: hahahhah
T0J0: WTF my teammates are n00bs
benny~tow: shut up noob
Roosevelt: haha wut a moron
paTTon: wtf am i gunna do now?
Eisenhower: yah me too
T0J0: why dont u attack me o thats right u dont got no ships lololol
Eisenhower: fock u
paTTon: lemme go thru ur base commie
Stalin: go to hell lol
paTTon: fock this sh1t im goin afk
Eisenhower: yah this is gay
*Roosevelt has left the game.*
Hitler[AoE]: wtf?
Eisenhower: sh1t now we need some1 to join
*tru_m4n has joined the game.*
tru_m4n: hi all
T0J0: hey
Stalin: sup
Churchill: hi
tru_m4n: OMG OMG OMG i got all his stuff!
tru_m4n: NUKES! HOLY **** I GOT NUKES
Stalin: d00d gimmie some plz
tru_m4n: no way i only got like a couple
Stalin: omg dont be gay gimmie nuculer secrets
T0J0: wtf is nukes?
T0J0: holy sh1t!! holy sh1t!!! hoylshti!!!
*T0J0 has been eliminated.*
*The Allied team has won the game!*
Eisenhower: awesome!
Churchill: gg noobs no re
T0J0: thats bull**** u fockin suck
*T0J0 has left the game.*
*Eisenhower has left the game.*
Stalin: next game im not going to be on ur team, u guys didnt help me for ****
Churchill: wutever, we didnt need ur help neway dumbarss
tru_m4n: l8r all
benny~tow: bye
Churchill: l8r
Stalin: fock u all
tru_m4n: shut up commie lol
*tru_m4n has left the game.*
benny~tow: lololol u commie
Churchill: ROFL
Churchill: bye commie
*Churchill has left the game.*
*benny~tow has left the game.*
Stalin: i hate u all fags
*Stalin has left the game.*
paTTon: lol no1 is left
paTTon: weeeee i got a jeep
*paTTon has been eliminated.*
paTTon: o sh1t!
*paTTon has left the game.*

 

[AfricanSwallow]

The Japanese were motivated by a need to secure resources, and a desire to continue what has popularly been called "empire building".

As far as US / Japanese relations go, they were rocky enough to begin with before Pearl Harbor.
A Japanese request for a statement of racial equality was swiftly rejected during the Versailles negotiations at the end of the First World War, and in addition to this the Japanese felt slighted as they did not gain possession of German territories in the Pacific.
During this time hostility towards people of Asian descent skyrocketed in the US, and to a lesser extent in Canada, in what is often referred to as the time of the "Yellow Menace".


The final straw was the imposition of an embargo against Japan, removing the source of 85% of the nation's oil.
The only way to get more resources was to secure those resources by invasion, and invasion is only plausible if the main naval adversary, the US is out of the way, even if only for a brief time period.


Obviously this is at best a crude generalization, and complex opinions on the foreign policy of two nations over a period spanning several decades can hardly be condensed into a short 'blurb'... but that's a good place to start.

 

[Break]

The USA was one of the countries to place a trade embargo on selling oil to Japan, during the second Sino-Japanese War. Several countries were opposed to Japan's aggression towards the surrounding regions, and had impeded war efforts in similar ways, but the oil embargo was the straw that broke the camel's back. Japan then attacked Pearl Harbour as their first move against the Allies, and the Sino-Japanese war merged into WWII.

 

[darthzew]

Adding a reason that nobody has mentioned...

The US was mad at Japan's genocidal campaigns in China, so the US cut off Japan's oil supply. Pearl Harbor was retaliatory and then it was threating the US, saying that if they didn't give oil there would be war.

Pearl Harbor wasn't as effective as Japan had hoped and the US didn't back down.

 

[rossatdi]

I thought it was the traditional culture of warfare was to make a show strength and then sue for peace. Theoretically by crippling the US's pacific capability with a stunning show of strength Japan would demand control over the Pacific.

A tactical & cultural misunderstanding. Also bravado.

A strategic misunderstanding not a tactical one - which of course makes the matter far worse. As for Bravado - well not much. See "Total War" by Peter Calvocoressi (If memory serves me right) the Japanese werent exactly Gung-ho about the plan at the highest levels, they realized that they were taking a huge gamble by antagonizing the U.S, but given the circumstances they felt that had little room to maneuver.

Was only going from what I can dimly remember from years ago at school for GCSE (8 years ago). Pretty close though. I forgot that they thought it was their only realistic chance of winning.