"Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 a date that will live in infamy United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. I ask that the congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday December 7th, 1941 a state of war has existed between the United States and Japanese Empire." The speech you have just read was given to congress by our president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This speech put us into a full scale war against the Japanese. But why, and moreover what were the reasons behind this attack? Could we have prevented it? Did we have prior knowledge of this oncoming attack from Japan? Or did we let this happen for a reason? I will tell you why the Japanese attacked us, why didn't we do anything about it if we had prior knowledge of an oncoming attack, and what happened on that fateful day at Pearl Harbor.
English: United States President Franklin D. Roose...
The USS Arizona (BB-39) burning after the Japanese...
Photo #: . Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941. J...The road to Pearl Harbor starts way back in the late 1890's and all the way to 1941. Japan traditionally held a deep respect for China but this all went away when the two nations came into conflicts about interests in Korea. The conflict that ensured was called the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). The Japanese won easily and the treaty that followed gave Japan its first taste of power and overseas expansion. This began Japan's rise as the new Asian power. (Peirano)
The war with China was only the beginning of Japan's hunger for more power and land. Russia occupied Manchuria in 1900 and threatened Korea. Japan who has strong ties and interests in Korea soon came into conflict with Russia over the country. After talks broke down in 1904, Japan attacked and defeated Russia in less...