Pearl Harbour - 7th December 1941
Roosevelt declares war on Japan - 8th December 1941
Economic
- As the Sino-Japanese war continued the US decided to block the Japanese from
accessing war materials needed to complete the invasion
- US was Japan’s major trading partner so anything the US did greatly affected them -
population growing 1 million a year so relied on imports and exports declined in 1929 by
40%
- Summer 1941 the US trade embargo prevented the Japanese from getting rubber, oil
and iron just like the trade tariffs in 1931which instigated the need for Japanese
colonialism
Foreign Policy and Military
- 1937 USA Neutrality Act outlawed the selling of weapons or loaning of capital to all
countries in future war
- Poll in May 1941 showed US public opinion and revealed 79% were opposed to going to
war voluntarily
- When Roosevelt won his 3rd term in early 1941 he managed to steer through the Lend-
Lease Act
- Japan wanted to establish dominance in the Far East - US seemed increasingly likely to
interfere with Japanese expansion particularly after the Manchurian Crisis - the rape of
Nanjing cost the lives of 250,000 Chinese
- 27th September 1940 Germany, Italy and Japan signed the Three Power Pact- assist
each other politically, economically and militarily when one of the powers was at war
with a power at present not involved in the European war of the Chinese -Japanese
conflict - it was clear that this power alluded to the US
- The signatories hoped it would deter Roosevelt from intervening on the side of the Allied
in Europe by suggesting it invite the US into war with Japan
- 16th October 1941, General Tojo became Japanese Prime Minister which emphasised
the military’s dominance over Japanese policy
- Tojo formulated plans for war against Britain and US
- They hoped that a surprise attack would allow them to defend their interests in the
western Pacific
- Admiral Yamamoto instructed to prepare a force to attack US fleet at Pearl Harbour
- Early December 1941 Washington received intelligence that a Japanese attack was
imminent but they believed that the Philippines was the likely target
- 7th December 1941, 300 Japanese planes launched a bombing raid on Pearl Harbour,
deliberately attacking on a Sunday so US were off-guard
Social/ Ideological
- News of Nazi atrocities start to sway public opinion
- Germany wanted to reaffirm principles behind the Anti-Comintern Pact
- Public opinion turned after Pearl Harbour and the US declared war on Japan on 8th
December 1941 and on the 11th December 1941 Germany declared war on the USA,
according to the Three Power Pact
- They had ideological differences- nationalism vs. democracy
- In August 1941 Churchill and Roosevelt met in Newfoundland to discuss the
development of the war and outline plans for post-war world
Roosevelt declares war on Japan - 8th December 1941
Economic
- As the Sino-Japanese war continued the US decided to block the Japanese from
accessing war materials needed to complete the invasion
- US was Japan’s major trading partner so anything the US did greatly affected them -
population growing 1 million a year so relied on imports and exports declined in 1929 by
40%
- Summer 1941 the US trade embargo prevented the Japanese from getting rubber, oil
and iron just like the trade tariffs in 1931which instigated the need for Japanese
colonialism
Foreign Policy and Military
- 1937 USA Neutrality Act outlawed the selling of weapons or loaning of capital to all
countries in future war
- Poll in May 1941 showed US public opinion and revealed 79% were opposed to going to
war voluntarily
- When Roosevelt won his 3rd term in early 1941 he managed to steer through the Lend-
Lease Act
- Japan wanted to establish dominance in the Far East - US seemed increasingly likely to
interfere with Japanese expansion particularly after the Manchurian Crisis - the rape of
Nanjing cost the lives of 250,000 Chinese
- 27th September 1940 Germany, Italy and Japan signed the Three Power Pact- assist
each other politically, economically and militarily when one of the powers was at war
with a power at present not involved in the European war of the Chinese -Japanese
conflict - it was clear that this power alluded to the US
- The signatories hoped it would deter Roosevelt from intervening on the side of the Allied
in Europe by suggesting it invite the US into war with Japan
- 16th October 1941, General Tojo became Japanese Prime Minister which emphasised
the military’s dominance over Japanese policy
- Tojo formulated plans for war against Britain and US
- They hoped that a surprise attack would allow them to defend their interests in the
western Pacific
- Admiral Yamamoto instructed to prepare a force to attack US fleet at Pearl Harbour
- Early December 1941 Washington received intelligence that a Japanese attack was
imminent but they believed that the Philippines was the likely target
- 7th December 1941, 300 Japanese planes launched a bombing raid on Pearl Harbour,
deliberately attacking on a Sunday so US were off-guard
Social/ Ideological
- News of Nazi atrocities start to sway public opinion
- Germany wanted to reaffirm principles behind the Anti-Comintern Pact
- Public opinion turned after Pearl Harbour and the US declared war on Japan on 8th
December 1941 and on the 11th December 1941 Germany declared war on the USA,
according to the Three Power Pact
- They had ideological differences- nationalism vs. democracy
- In August 1941 Churchill and Roosevelt met in Newfoundland to discuss the
development of the war and outline plans for post-war world
