Was the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan a mistake?

Answer 1

From the point of view of both the Americans and the Japanese, it was, because it precipitated America's entry into WWII. During the early stages of World War II, the United States willingly assisted Britain as one of its allies, but did not declare war on any of the countries involved. This changed on the morning of 7 December 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy, stationed at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. The attack pushed the US into WWII, and provided the catalyst and the motivation for the development of the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.