How did the war between Japan and the U.S. start?

Answer 1

After a near lifetime of reading about the war between Japan and the United States, I have come to the conclusion that the war (i) was unnecessary from Japan's standpoint - they could have negotiated with the US and others to obtain access to the natural resources they needed such as oil, rubber, food, but would have had to agree to some political restrictions in return; (ii) Japan was controlled by militarists who wanted war and were not interested in a solution to Japan's problems through non-military means; (iii) President Roosevelt needed an excuse to enter the war on behalf of the England (the U.K.) but the American public was not yet interested in getting involved in the war that was threatening to conquer the U.K. (by the German "Axis") unless the U.S. intervened directly (instead of just sending needed convoys of war materiale and supplies to the U.K.) - and encourage and permitted Japan to strike us militarily [at Pearl Harbor on 12/7/41] which enabled the President to declare that "A State of War Exists between the U.S. and Japan" before Congress on 12/8/41. Here is the first part of the speech:

On December 8, 1941, the day after Japanese forces attacked the American military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Franklin Roosevelt addressed Congress with one of the most famous speeches to Congress in history and asked for a Declaration of War with Japan.

At 12:30 pm, Roosevelt started the speech.

«Mr. Vice President, and Mr. Speaker, and Members of the Senate, of the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a form reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hit of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded, that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government had deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. * * * [end of speech quotation]

There is an abundance of evidence in support of the idea that Roosevelt and his advisors pushed Japan into attacking the U.S. and numerous other countries, so that Roosevelt could have the U.S. enter the war directly, to save the U.K. But to be fair, there is also a body of evidence that suggests that maybe our leaders were merely derelict in their duties and did not actually plan to have Japan attack the U.S.

In light of other history, it seems that "false flag operations" have been around for a long time, in which a country or faction wanting to go to war will create an even for public consumption that looks like America has been attacked by another country (contrary to fact) to justify America attacking such country. Instances such as this can be found, arguably, with the blowing up of the Battleship USS Maine in the Havana, Cuba harbor on February 15, 1989; the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty on June 8, 1967 during the SIX-DAY WAR; and the events surrounding 9/11 and the U.S. conflict with Iraq (to attempt to secure oil rather than to eliminate weapons of mass destruction).

For many, many years I was willing to assume that there were mistakes and inattention and carelessness involved with Pearl Harbor, but the more I read and see about world events today, the more I realize that Pearl Harbor was probably engineered by Roosevelt and his advisors, and that the controversy will never be resolved, and this inability to resolve such large questions will continue to invite more and more false flag operations and military actions by the U.S. in oil-related places throughout the world.

We should learn from this Japan incident, but it appears that what we have learned best is how to start wars on pretext.

What we need to do is develop a political system that can control the growing military-industrial complex about which President Eisenhower warned 1/17/61 when leaving office as POTUS. The solution seems obvious, to me at least. As I see it, we must have 100% campaign financing by government (i.e., by taxpayers). Today, the super rich provide the money for election of themselves or their surrogates to public office, and the cost to the public is probably 1,000 times each dollar so spent. In other words, if an election campaign costs $1 billion, I think that the amount of improperly spent public money to follow will be $1 trillion. Instead of saving the $1 billion by requiring candidates to go hat in hand to the rich to beg for campaign contributions, we ought to give the $1 billion to candidates (or other appropriate amounts at all levels of government) and save the country the $ trillions that we see are being spent needlessly and often without any competitive bidding or meaningful Congressional oversight.

For a list of 12 reforms that are vital to the US (a list prepared by the person writing this article), please go to http://www.lawmall.com/Top10List_MostNeededChanges.php Here is my list of 13 reforms:

# Stop All Mergers and Acquisitions Of or By Any Company Having a Value in Excess of $100,000,000. # Require All Imports from Other Countries to Pay Their Fair Share of U.S. Costs to Maintain the U.S. Market. # Break up the Monopoly of the Major Media so that the Owner is Limited to One Major Medium (Newspaper, Television Station, Cable Company) in a Given City or Geographic Area. # 100% Financing of All Parts of Campaign for Candidates for State/Local Office. # An Alternative to the Monopolized Media - Opt-In Email Lists. # Decentralization of the Awsome Civil-Litigation Power of the State Attorney General to Create a "City Attorney General" for Each of 40,000 Cities, Towns, Villages, Municipalities and Counties in the U.S. # Direct Voting by Voters to Enact Desired Local and/or State Statutes - Ballot Initiatives or Referendums. # Changing the U.S. from a Country of Ruling-Corporation Employees to a Country of Self-Employed "Task" Providers. # $2/Hour Equivalency College in Your Home Town - But Does Not Grant a State-Licensed "Degree". # The Key to Reform in Education Is Competition - There Is No Other Way. # Court Reform is Needed in a Variety of Ways. # Banking and Credit-Card Reform is Needed in a Variety of Ways. # THE SOLUTION IS PERFECTLY CLEAR FOR THOSE WITH EXCELLENT VISION - HOW GOOD IS YOUR VISION?

Answer 2

First answer: Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, United States territory.

Prior to entering World War 2, the US was suffering from many problems. They were still suffering from the Great Depression. While on one hand pressure from European allies to help them in the war against the Nazi's was ever increasing, public opinion was against entering the war because of casualties in World War 1. Roosevelt needed a way to solve these problems. The US government wanted to enter the war but couldn't due to strong anti-war public opinion. The US decided to use the Japanese to enter the war.Japan did not want a war with the US. Japan had over multiple occasions tried to diplomatically solve its differences with the US, but the US did not give an audience. Instead, the US created a blockade cutting off raw materials such as steel and oil from reaching Japan. Japan only had supplies for 6 months of production. the modernized Japan was dependent on its industry. without industry Japanese people had no jobs. If the industry shut down, then their economy would crash with no prospect of recovering. Basically the country of Japan would cease to exist as it did then.Japan had two options. One was to abide by the blockade and cease to exist. The other was to somehow break through the blockade to continue to exist.

Japan attacked the US to break the blockade. Japan decided to exist.

Answer 3

On December 7, 1941, while German armies were freezing before Moscow, Japan suddenly pushed the United States into the struggle by attacking the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Four days later Hitler declared war on the United States. President Roosevelt called on Congress for immediate and massive expansion of the armed forces. Twenty years of neglect and indifference, however, could not be overcome in a few days.

Additional thoughts -- (Mick4ManUtd) In the late 30's and 1940/41 Japan attacked Manchuria (China) to secure oil, rubber, etc . This became a large point of contention with the US since Russia, our ally at the time, saw this as a direct threat to their nation. Remember, they were currently at war with Germany and had previously been in a war with Japan earlier that century. Roosevelt seized on this breach of an existing treaty and would not provide steel and other needs of the Japanese.

Subsequently, the Japanese acknowledged their need to protect their national interest(s) and decided that crippling the United States Fleet at Pearl Harbor would isolate the US from interfering in Asia / S. Pacific. By aligning themselves with the Axis (Germany, Italy) they felt that Russia would succumb to Germany and they would be in a strong position to resist US expansionism in the East (Asia). Thereby, becoming the dominant Asian authority and securing their ally's, Germany, Southern and Eastern flanks.

Answer 4

December 7 1941, the Japanese attack th US pacific fleet at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. This brings the US on the side with Britain, Germany then declares war on the US.

Answer 5

The bombing of Pearl Harbor preceded the declaration of war between the two nations.