Why did Japan choose Pearl Harbor for their attack?

Answer 1

Pearl harbor was home to the U.S. Pacific fleet. It was the only fleet powerful enough to interfere with Japan's offensive into SouthEast Asia and the Pacific. They needed to damage/destroy it to such an extent that they would be able to safely take all of their objectives before the U.S. had recovered.

Answer 2

Japan chose Pearl Harbor for many reasons. First off, Pearl Harbor was located right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was "in the way" so to speak of the Japan expansion policy. Second, Pearl Harbor was where America's Pacific Fleet was located. If Japan was to wage war with America, it needed to completely wipe out all of America's power in the Pacific with one surprise attack. However, the attack on Pearl Harbor did not wipe out America's presense in the Pacific because the aircraft carriers, the heart of the fleet, were out at sea on training manuevers. The Japanese attacked Peral harbour with the intent of destroying the America pacific fleet in its home base. This would allow them to operate freely in the pacific. I'm not old enough to have witness this peronally but I'm sure my answer is fairly correct.

Answer 3

The US had placedembargos on Japan on steel, etc. but mostly oil to try to stop Japanese aggression in China. Because Japan was running out of oil for their factories and war supplies fast they need to look elsewhere, and Southeast Asia had plenty of oil so they wanted to invade there. The US Pacific Fleet was the only thing that could stop the invasion that was launched, so Japan bombed Pearl Harbour in an attempt to destroy this resistance before it could put up a fight.

Answer 4

To cripple or destroy the US Pacific Fleet. The US had embargoed oil sales to Japan, which has no source of oil. The Japanese had only an eighteen months supply on hand, and had decided to invade and conquer the Dutch East Indies (today's Indonesia) for its ample oil. They knew this would bring on war with the US, and planned to attack US bases in the Philippines simultaneously with the attach on the Dutch East Indies. The Pearl Harbor attack was an extra elaboration on this complex plan, not universally supported by all Japanese leaders, but the faction supporting it carried the day by the argument that removing the US fleet from the picture would give the Japanese enough time to take what they wanted and consolidate their hold on it.

Answer 5

Japan felt it was necessary to attack Pearl Harbor was because that they were mad at USA. USA Stopped selling Natural Resources to them. Japan was short with those Resources, oil, iron, etc. They were suffering from a depression at that time, too.

Answer 6

The largest US Navy Battle Fleet, in the Pacific, was stationed at Pearl Harbor. It had just "transferred" there in 1940.

Answer 7

Because it was where the US Pacific naval fleet was stationed and if the aircraft carriers could be sunk there then the Japanese could conqueor the south Pacific and Australia.