Japan had now, in 1941, officially declared itself in favor of war with the United States in order to secure control of Southeast Asia. This, from their standpoint was necessary due to the embargo the United States had placed against Japan, cutting off this source of badly need natural resources. Japan had no choice now but to look toward China for these resources.
Negotiations to Life Embargo Continues
Negotiations were now underway between the Untied States and Japan to lift the embargo. America's price tag to Japan for removing the embargo was for Japan to evacuate China and French Indo-China. For Japan this would mean walking away from all she had gained since her invasion there had commenced in 1937. This prescription for peace between Japan and the United States was too much of a bitter pill for Japan to swallow.
Japan Chooses Official War Date
On September 4, 1941, Japan made the official decision for war to begin at the end of October. However, Japan continued her 'peace' negotiations with the United States. In part, these negotiations were being used as a cover-up for Japan's preparations for the war she would soon wage against America. It is also believed that these negotiations were, also in part, a genuine attempt to find peace.
As these negotiations dragged on in Washington D.C., and yet to be known by the Roosevelt administration, the Japanese embassy in Washington had received instructions to end their negotiations to the State Department at 1300 [1:00 p.m. civilian time in Washington] local time on December 7, 1941.
United States Guesses Wrong
Japan continued its negotiations with the United States and at the same time prepared for war with America. By now the United States was well alerted to the fact that they would be pulled into this conflict but at the same time the idea that its involvement would be triggered by a strike against her Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor was simply unimaginable. She was wrong, dead wrong.
Bombing Pearl Harbor: A Day of Infamy continues with Japan Starts Pearl Harbor Attack: Bombers Headed for Oahu.
Previous: Japan Favors War with America: U. S. Places Trade Embargo Against Japan.
Recommended Reading:
The United States and Cuba: The Case of the Misadvised Advisors.
The Cuban Missile Crisis: Attack by Air or Sea.
