PugJesusJapanese schoolgirls training with a machinegun for the anticipated American invasion of Japan, WW2, 1945
Semi-Hemi-DemigodIn 9th grade US history we held a mock trial about the nuclear strikes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I was assigned the role of Harry Truman, one of the defendants. I did a ton of research about the plans for invasion of Japan on both sides, and it was terrifying. The Japanese were teaching children to fight with garden tools, and US casualty estimates were over a million soldiers.
However, in the end I came to the conclusion that the nuclear strikes weren't necessary, and I wouldn't have ordered them simply because a the war was already incredibly one-sided, and an invasion wouldn't have been necessary in the first place since Japan was already on its last legs.
The class ended up convicting me of a war crime, which was nice.
Jo MiranEven though I am an American, my primary school education is from a school for British expats so my WWII knowledge is mostly European focused. What was the beef between the US and Japan that led to the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
alcoholicornThe US stopped selling oil to Japan. Japan needed oil to maintain their empire and fight the USSR, so they interpreted it as the US weakening Japan for a near-future war.
I thought it was copper? Ah, looks like both were factors. And we wanted them to leave all their neighbors alone.
*leave their neighbors for us to exploit
America was still directly administering its empire in the pacific.
Oh I’m not going to say that pre-WW2 America was benevolent or anything like that. We bought Guam and the Philippines from Spain and were perfectly happy for France to have Vietnam. It’s a good clarification though, thanks.
According to Google’s new AI:
The attack on Pearl Harbor wasn’t caused by a single disagreement, but rather a buildup of tensions between the United States and Japan for decades. Here are some key points:
- Competing Interests in Asia: Both countries wanted access to resources and markets in China and Southeast Asia [National WWII Museum]. This led to friction as Japan invaded Manchuria and later most of China.
- U.S. Opposition to Japanese Aggression: The U.S. disapproved of Japan’s military expansion and imposed economic sanctions, including an oil embargo, to pressure them to withdraw [Asia for Educators].
- Resource Scarcity for Japan: Japan needed oil and other resources to fuel its war machine. The embargo threatened to cripple their military [Imperial War Museums].
- Failed Negotiations: Diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Japan broke down as neither side was willing to concede [National WWII Museum].
Japan’s leaders hoped a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor would cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet and force them to negotiate a peace that allowed Japan to continue its expansion. Their gamble backfired, uniting the U.S. in anger and leading to America’s entry into World War II.