NARRATOR: The 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese
was one of the most devastating attacks on American soil.
But just a few decades earlier, Japan and the United States
were allies in World War I. So how did
things get so bad between them?
It all comes down to oil.
To explain, we need to go all the way
back to the 19th century.
Once an isolated nation, Japan underwent a makeover of sorts
to compete with the West.
Known as the Meiji Restoration, it embraced industrialization,
built up its military, and restored Japan's emperor
as the powerful head of state.
Aided by two successful, wars Japan aggressively
expanded its empire.
The Japanese were becoming an imperial superpower
until the Great Depression hit.
You see, Japan is an island nation
with few natural resources.
So it depends on international trade
to keep its economy afloat.
The economic crisis put a stop to all that.
Japan was in a bind.
So its military leaders, who called the shots at this point,
decided the best defense against financial ruin
would be a good offense.
They would invade nearby China, particularly Manchuria,
for its plentiful resources like iron, soybeans, and land, lots
and lots of unsettled land.
So what does this all have to do with the United States?
Well, the US was a longstanding Chinese ally.
And it watched uneasily from the sidelines
as the two nations clashed in the 1930s.
But America wanted nothing to do with another war,
so it just denounced Japan's aggression.
Tensions rose in 1937, when Japan invaded
the Chinese city of Nanjing.
In doing so, they attacked an American gunboat, killing
three and wounding dozens.
Disturbing images coming out of war-torn China
further swayed American opinion against Japan.
In response, America attacked Japan's resources.
They imposed economic sanctions of aircraft,
scrap metal, and other items crucial to Japan's military.
The US hoped the sanctions would stop Japanese expansion.
But Japan doubled down, invading French Indochina in 1940,
and then teaming up with Germany and Italy.
Why those two countries?
Because like Japan, they were controlled
by militaristic governments obsessed with conquest
and driven by a deep sense of nationalism.
The final straw came in July of 1941
when President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced
a trade embargo on oil.
An oil shortage was an absolute disaster
for Japan, who relied on imports for 90% of its supply.
Not only would this destroy the Japanese economy,
but it would put its military at a literal standstill,
which meant no more expansion.
Japan resented the US for meddling
in its quest to dominate Asia.
The only solution left for the Japanese was total war--
crush the US fleet in the Pacific
and then occupy Southeast Asia and claim its resources.
And so on December 7, 1941, Japan launched its surprise
attack at Pearl Harbor.
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At first, it seemed like a win for the Japanese,
destroying or damaging 21 US ships and more than 300
aircraft, and killing around 2,400 soldiers,
sailors, airmen, and civilians.
But the success was short-lived.
The United States declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941.
Not long after, the Japanese would realize the mistake
it made at Pearl Harbor.
Their bombers had failed to deliver a mortal blow
to the Pacific fleet, missing oil
tanks, ammunition sites, repair facilities,
and aircraft carriers.
Just six months later, remnants of the US fleet
would score a key victory against Japan
at the Battle of Midway, turning the tide
of the war against the once mighty Japanese.
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