Essay Preview: War
Report this essay
The war between Japan and the United States did not have to happen. It could have been prevented by diplomacy in 1941.
The United States was Japans principle supplier of scrap metal and oil. In 1940 Japan signed a treaty with the government of France for the establishment of airbases in French Indochina. A proposal was made for a German/Italian/Japanese alliance against America. When America found out about that they were not happy, so they decided to take action. On September 26, America put an embargo on iron; steel scrap and oil shipments to the Far East to try to show their economic force to stop them, but it didnt work. The three “axis” signed their treaty the next day.
The United States told its citizens to leave Japan, so they could better protect them. They were desperate to build a strong alley so they put $50 million in aid into China. All was fine until spring came. Then Japan seized all of Indochina, and the U.S. froze all of their assets and placed the armed forces of the Philippines under control of the American General, Douglas MacArthur. Tojos government made many attempts at peace. Japan offered the U.S. two proposals. The first was a general settlement between the two countries. The second was a temporary truce for the sake of their people. However the United States gave Japan the run around about it. They treated them as a minority allie, and denied them all attempts at peace. So Japan was forced to turn to France for equality. Then the attack on Pearl Harbour occurred.
If the United States had treated Japan as an equal allie the attacks would not have happened.