The three website I used in my research are:
1. WND
This website is credible because it has the contact information of the author,Victor Davis Hanson. The website also has three working hyperlinks within the article and it was created one year ago on December 8 and 10, 2012.
2. The History Channel
This website is credible because it has the contact information to the makers of the website who created the article. The website also has three working hyperlinks within the article and the website was made in 2014, so that means the article was made within the year.
3. Wikepedia
This website is credible because it was last updated May 5, 2015. The website also has three hyperlinks within the article and it ends in a .org which means that the website is a non-profit organization.
My Findings:
Website 1
According to this website, the Japanese took over America in order to prevent them from attacking in the near future after the Pearl Harbor attack. However, the Japanese could of had a better plan by taking care of the lands they already have conflicts with, not starting new conflicts. “In hindsight, the wiser Japanese course would have been to absorb the orphaned colonial Far Eastern possessions of France, the Netherlands and Great Britain that were largely defenseless after June 1941” (Website 1). The Japanese could have inherited the European colonies in the Pacific, avoiding a war with America. That way they have taken care of the land they have started to fight for. The Japanese and Germans could of also banded together against Russia to attack at the same time. This way they avoid the Americans and the Britians along with them. “But in the Japanese view, the Soviets had proved stubborn opponents in a series of border wars, and it was felt wiser to achieve a secure rear in Manchuria to divert attention to the west (the Russians, in fact, honored their non-aggression pact with the Japanese until late 1945) – especially given the fact that the Wehrmacht in December 1941 seemed likely to knock the Soviet Union out of the war in a few weeks or by early 1942” (Website 1). The Japanese had a goal to conquer all of the easy land in the Pacific before Germany ended the war altogether. The Japanese also believed that their naval power was subsequently better than America’s because The Japanese had more advanced a modern power. They believed that it would be easy to bring down their naval base on Pearl Harbor and would easily be able to conquer the Pacific territory right after. “...and the fact that the United States had not intervened in Europe, but instead watched Britain get battered for some 26 months from September 1939 to December 1941, suggested to many in the Japanese military command that the United States might either negotiate or respond only halfheartedly after Pearl Harbor, especially after the envisioned loss of the American carrier fleet” (Website 1). The Japanese did not have much information on the American military potential since they haven't fought in the war, so the Japanese believed that the Americans were weak and had no potential to fight them. They believed that after the Pearl Harbor attack, they would not be able to fight against any of their Pacific agendas and that after they watched Pearl Harbor go down they would lose hope. To Japan, it was the best opportunity to catch them at their worst.
Website 2
The Pearl Harbor attack was a result of Japanese-American rivalry in the Pacific. Japan’s goals were to create an Asian Empire. Japan started in 1933 when she invaded Manchuria. “The conquered region’s bountiful resources were then used to supply Japan’s war machine. Leaving the League of Nations in 1933, Japan pursued an aggressive foreign policy aimed at creating the ‘Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere’, a euphemism for a Japanese empire modeled on European ones of the 19th century” (Website 2). Japan became a threat to allies of Europe and America in Asia. The Japanese declared war on China, which led to America imposing economic sanctions. This act blocked the way of Japan’s imperial ambitions, so she signed a pact with Germany and Italy. America avoided any direct confrontation with Japan to avoid any other complications. “But Japan’s imperial ambitions in the Pacific had placed her on a collision course with the United States, which controlled the Philippines and had extensive economic interests throughout the region” (Website 2). America threatened to suffocate Japan's economy by imposing an oil embargo. Japan was willing to risk everything in order to reach the goals of their imperial ambitions. The Japanese were willing to do everything that they can to ensure that America was out of the way when they will try to accomplish their goal. “When the US imposed an oil embargo on Japan, threatening to suffocate her economy, Japan’s response was to risk everything on a massive preemptive strike which would knock the US out of the Pacific, clearing the way for a Japanese conquest of resource-rich South East Asia” (Website 2). According to this website, Japan’s motive of attacking Pearl Harbor was to create an Asian Empire. Japan saw America as an obstacle preventing them from reaching their dream empire. Japan wanted that empire because they were rich in resources, which Japan was not. They believed that would become an all-around successful empire after they defeat America.
The Pearl Harbor attack was a result of Japanese-American rivalry in the Pacific. Japan’s goals were to create an Asian Empire. Japan started in 1933 when she invaded Manchuria. “The conquered region’s bountiful resources were then used to supply Japan’s war machine. Leaving the League of Nations in 1933, Japan pursued an aggressive foreign policy aimed at creating the ‘Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere’, a euphemism for a Japanese empire modeled on European ones of the 19th century” (Website 2). Japan became a threat to allies of Europe and America in Asia. The Japanese declared war on China, which led to America imposing economic sanctions. This act blocked the way of Japan’s imperial ambitions, so she signed a pact with Germany and Italy. America avoided any direct confrontation with Japan to avoid any other complications. “But Japan’s imperial ambitions in the Pacific had placed her on a collision course with the United States, which controlled the Philippines and had extensive economic interests throughout the region” (Website 2). America threatened to suffocate Japan's economy by imposing an oil embargo. Japan was willing to risk everything in order to reach the goals of their imperial ambitions. The Japanese were willing to do everything that they can to ensure that America was out of the way when they will try to accomplish their goal. “When the US imposed an oil embargo on Japan, threatening to suffocate her economy, Japan’s response was to risk everything on a massive preemptive strike which would knock the US out of the Pacific, clearing the way for a Japanese conquest of resource-rich South East Asia” (Website 2). According to this website, Japan’s motive of attacking Pearl Harbor was to create an Asian Empire. Japan saw America as an obstacle preventing them from reaching their dream empire. Japan wanted that empire because they were rich in resources, which Japan was not. They believed that would become an all-around successful empire after they defeat America.
Website 3
This website focuses on Japan’s objectives when they attacked Pearl Harbor. Japan obviously had a motive that led them to the attack. America can only do so much to provoke them. “The attack on Pearl Harbor was intended to neutralize the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and hence protect Japan's advance into Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, where it sought access to natural resources such as oil and rubber” (Website 3). War between Japan and America was known by everyone that it would happen sooner or later because of the tension between the two countries. The tension significantly became worse when Japan invaded Manchuria and continued to go deeper into China. Japan invaded French Indochina in order to try to control the imports coming to China. Due to this, America stopped all exports, except oil, to Japan. “The U.S. did not stop oil exports to Japan at that time in part because prevailing sentiment in Washington was that such an action would be an extreme step, given Japanese dependence on U.S. oil, and likely to be considered a provocation by Japan” (Website 3). They knewy that Japan was a threat, and taking away all of the exports at once would provoke them to declare war on them and they knew that it was not the right time to declare war since they weren’t ready. “Early in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the Pacific Fleet to Hawaii from its previous base in San Diego and ordered a military buildup in the Philippines in the hope of discouraging Japanese aggression in the Far East” (Website 3). President Roosevelt knew that Japan would attack the Far East. He tried to show the Japanese that they are ready to defend their allies, but they obviously were not ready because they got attacked themselves. The Japanese have many motivations that America was not ready for. “Because the Japanese high command was (mistakenly) certain that any attack on Britain's Southeast Asian colonies would bring the U.S. into war, a devastating preventive strike appeared to be the only way to avoid U.S. naval interference” (Website 3). The Japanese worked their way around what the Americans thought would happen. They tried to hit them where it hurts the most and that would be the fleet that they purposely put out in Pearl Harbor in order to scare off Japan from attacking any of their Eastern land. Japan planned to do the unexpected.
This website focuses on Japan’s objectives when they attacked Pearl Harbor. Japan obviously had a motive that led them to the attack. America can only do so much to provoke them. “The attack on Pearl Harbor was intended to neutralize the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and hence protect Japan's advance into Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, where it sought access to natural resources such as oil and rubber” (Website 3). War between Japan and America was known by everyone that it would happen sooner or later because of the tension between the two countries. The tension significantly became worse when Japan invaded Manchuria and continued to go deeper into China. Japan invaded French Indochina in order to try to control the imports coming to China. Due to this, America stopped all exports, except oil, to Japan. “The U.S. did not stop oil exports to Japan at that time in part because prevailing sentiment in Washington was that such an action would be an extreme step, given Japanese dependence on U.S. oil, and likely to be considered a provocation by Japan” (Website 3). They knewy that Japan was a threat, and taking away all of the exports at once would provoke them to declare war on them and they knew that it was not the right time to declare war since they weren’t ready. “Early in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the Pacific Fleet to Hawaii from its previous base in San Diego and ordered a military buildup in the Philippines in the hope of discouraging Japanese aggression in the Far East” (Website 3). President Roosevelt knew that Japan would attack the Far East. He tried to show the Japanese that they are ready to defend their allies, but they obviously were not ready because they got attacked themselves. The Japanese have many motivations that America was not ready for. “Because the Japanese high command was (mistakenly) certain that any attack on Britain's Southeast Asian colonies would bring the U.S. into war, a devastating preventive strike appeared to be the only way to avoid U.S. naval interference” (Website 3). The Japanese worked their way around what the Americans thought would happen. They tried to hit them where it hurts the most and that would be the fleet that they purposely put out in Pearl Harbor in order to scare off Japan from attacking any of their Eastern land. Japan planned to do the unexpected.