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THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE WAR
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In June 1940, with Britain undermined by Hitler’s victory over
France, the Japanese forced the closure of the Burma Road,
which was an important supply route for the Chinese.
The US banned the export of scrap iron to Japan. This measure
had an impact on an already fragile Japanese economy. Japan had
to import the food and raw materials it needed to sustain its
occupation of Chinese territories (oil and steel). Japan heavily
depended of the USA for these goods.
In September the Japanese signed the Tripartite Pact. In
November, USA gave the Chinese leader a massive loan to
encourage and strenghten their ability to resist Japan. When
Germany attacked Russia in July 1941, Japan attacked and
occupied southern Indochina. The USA, Britain and the
Netherlands imposed a total trade embargo. Japan was in crisis.
- If Japan would run out of oil, it meant it could not continue to fight
in China.
- Japan appeared willing to negotiate, but USA demanded Japan to
withdraw from China, that was unacceptable. Japan decided it had
to get resources by force.
- On December, 2nd /1941, a Japanese fleet began its journey to
Hawaii. Without warning on Sunday December 7th, Japan
unleashed a 2-hour attack on Pearl Harbor (American naval base).
Japan sank or disabled 19 ships, 150 planes were destroyed and
2400 Americans died.
- In response, the USA declared war on Japan the following day.
IMPACTS OF JAPAN’S RELATIONSHIPS
WITH GERMANY
- Japan and Germany had some common interests, especially
perceiving the USSR as an enemy, which led to the Anti-Comintern
Pact of 1936.
- When Germany and the USSR signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Japan
felt isolated, and the pact was signed when Japan was fighting
against the Soviet forces near Manchuria.
- Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Italy and Germany, which was
primarily designed to deter the USA from becoming more involved
in the wars in Europe and Asia. Japan’s policies were linked to the
success of their ally.
- Three days after the bombing, Hitler declared war on the USA.
Hitler abhorred the Americans, he said: “America was a decayed
country, the half is Judaized and the other half negrified.”
WITH THE USSR
- The relationship between these two countries had been tense.
Some historians suggested that Japan considered the USSR as the
only real enemy. When the Sino-Japanese war started the Soviets
were the suppliers of China, and there was fighting between
Japanese and Soviet troops on the Manchurian border.
- The Russians were now focused on the threat posed by Hitler and
Japan was willing to sign its own version of the Neutrality Pact with
the USSR.
- With the launch of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 (the German
attack on the Soviet Union), the Russian thread to Japan ended,
Japan attacked south instead of joining in the assault of the USSR.
The Soviets declared war on Japan in August 1945.
WAS THE USA RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC?
- Following WWI, the USA limited Japan’s gains at Versailles and
ended Japan’s relationship with Britain.
- Japan was also offended when the USA passed a policy in order to
cease immigration from Japan to USA.
- Japan’s liberal government failed with the success of the Kwantung
Army in Manchuria, and as the war of expansion spread in China,
the Americans responded by condemning morally and increasing
the help for China.
- Relations between Japan and the USA deteriorated further with
the escalation of the Sino-Japanese war.
“We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human
freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression -everywhere in the world.
The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way
-- everywhere in the world.
The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms,
means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a
healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.
The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms,
means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in
such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit
an act of physical aggression against any neighbor-- anywhere in the
world.” (The four freedoms)
- The 4 values were clearly opposed to those of the fascist and
militaristic regimes. Roosevelt believed that these aims could only
be achieved through war, but the American public would not
support a conflict.
- Churchill told the British cabinet that Roosevelt would look for and
“incident” to justify going to war.