Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Why did tensions between the USA and Japan exist in the Pacific before 1940?

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Why did tensions between the USA and Japan exist in the Pacific before 1940? In 1918 when the First World War was over, after which America had sent two million troops to help Britain and France, many Americans wanted America to withdraw from world affairs. At this time Woodrow Wilson president of the U.S.A wanted a League of Nations to prevent further wars but in 1920 congress rejected to join the League of Nations and so president Wilson lost the election. America now cut them selves of from any other country going into a period of isolationism. In 1935 congress passed a neutrality act which banned the sale of arms to a belligerent country, this meant that with war in Europe progressing, America could not get involved, ...read more.

Middle

So to make sure trade with china would grow the Americans developed a policy known as the 'open door' policy, this meant that china would stay independent. Japan had a large population living on four small islands; they were short of food and raw materials. But Japan wanted to be known as the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere but to do this they needed to invade china. But it was Japan, and not Germany that brought the USA into the Second World War. In the 1930's Japan had gained control of parts of Northern China (Manchuria) and in 1940 Japan took over French Indo-China and now Japan had the largest fleet in the Pacific than the British and Americans together. ...read more.

Conclusion

Japan had remained neutral during the European war but now joined the side of the Germans. In July 1941 Roosevelt announced a total ban on U.S trade with Japan, this jeopardised her oil supplies. General Tojo demanded that the USA give Japan a free hand in Asia, so negotiations between the two countries continued throughout the autumn of 1941. Whilst the two sides talked a Japanese carrier force left islands of north Japan and was heading for Pearl Harbour. On the 26th of November 1941, Tojo broke of negotiations with the USA a clear signal for war, but a delay in decoding the message in Washington meant that Togo's message was only six hours before the attack was launched on the morning of 7th December 1941 - 'a day that will live in infamy' as Roosevelt called it. ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level International History, 1945-1991 section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related AS and A Level International History, 1945-1991 essays

  1. In what ways was the Pacific war a racist conflict?

    people as a whole to be the enemy, whereas several scriptwriters for the film wanted to portray the Japanese military leaders as the true enemy, and the Japanese people as normal people under despotic rule. The film took the form of documenting the long historical build up to the war,

  2. Account for the tensions between the Islamic World and the West

    Orientalism accounts for one of the significant tensions between East and West. It has determined how Islam is portrayed, treated and perceived by Western states politically and socially. Orientalist discourse has fuelled and motivated the antagonistic foreign policies of Western states it has intensified and inspired Islamophobia.

  1. The history of relations' USA - Japan the War in the Pacific

    This was a good way to adapt to western ways and learn military tactics and engineering skills, these would be important for Japan if they were ever to fall out of good terms with the West, they could use their own tactics against the enemy.

  2. Which Country Was Most To Blame for WWII - Italy, Germany or Japan?

    They used this power to force the government to follow a more aggressive foreign policy, like that of Italy's and Germany's. The USSR were feeling continually threatened by Japan, and ordered communist parties to join with other political parties to help stop the spread of Fascism.

  1. For what reason did Japan bomb Pearl Harbour?

    The Japanese would argue that due to the British and America economic 'dictatorship', indirect or not, had pushed Japan to its limits. The two Western Super Powers had allowed themselves to expand and well equip their naval fleets, whilst Japan had to sit in the 'back' seat and disarm.

  2. Discussing Japan.

    They started to do this by opening Iron and steel works and importing and exporting all of their goods around the world. One thing then lead to another and Japan changed with the times. Nowadays Japan faces another problem with their energy resources.

  1. Does Realism as a statist Ideology exist today?

    The following quote illustrates this negative view, that humans have the nature to use their strengths to empower others; "The human condition is one of potential insecurity where predictors take advantage of the weak..."3 This negative view of human nature, in some respect can be applied to the sphere of

  2. A Day of Infamy. pearl harbour

    carriers are the main objective; U.S. aircraft on the Island of Oahu are an objective; every available Japanese Carrier should take part in the operation; all types of attack aircraft should be used; Japanese fighters should play an active role in the attack; the attack should be early in the

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work