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Pearl Harbor - A Japanese Perspective

 

            Pearl Harbor was one of the greatest tragedies ever to Americans. However, very few things are said about the Japanese point of view, what their conditions were, what they did to plan out the attack, and what the consequences of this attack was, both long term and short term. While the attack on Pearl Harbor was an ambush, there had been tension between the two nations for decades. During the 1920's and 1930's, Japan underwent suffering due to industrial congestion and greater competition in Asia. Japan was left struggling to get back on the top, and was anxious for economic growth. In addition, there was also a scarcity of foreign food supplies to feed the growing population of Japan. And with the Great Depression in 1931, this isolated country took a turn for the worse, particularly in terms of trading. Japan was left with very little, and because of their conditions was forced to obtain new funds from China. Although times were very tough for Japan, they were driven by their pursuit for power. In 1931, the Japanese Imperial Army invaded the Manchuria in Northeast Asia and set up a puppet state known as Manchukuo. Japan was removed from the League of Nations because the League denounced this attack. After taking over Manchuria, Japan was hungry for more land. So, they thought that China would be the perfect place to call their own. .
             The Americans were not pleased with Japan's progressively aggressive defiance towards China in 1937. The Japanese thought that the only way that they could solve their financial and demographic difficulties once and for all was to develop into China's territory and rule over its import market. In September of 1941, Japan became a member of the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy. This arrangement gave them the power that was necessary to force major issues with the United States. Japan also gained new territory when they invaded French Indochina. The United States reacted to this hostility by a succession of fiscal sanctions and trade embargoes.


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