AboutTom Expertise While it is a huge topic, I am well-versed in World War II generally. There is a huge wealth of information available on the internet, HOWEVER, one has to know the trash from the gems. Many sites which are not obviously credible (govt, university, and museum sites, for ex.), provide erroneous information (intentionally or otherwise).
Experience BA in history, and been reading and studying WW2 as my 'hobby' for 30 years. Regular contributor to several online forums in military history, WW2, and related areas and topics.
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Education/Credentials BA, History (Secondary Education), with minor in Geography
US Army Engineer Officer (Officer Basic and Advanced Courses)
Expert: Tom Date: 1/11/2007 Subject: World War II project
Question I have been searching and searching on two specific questions and have had no success, can you please help me?
The U.S. placed an embargo on goods being traded to Japan, namely oil. Some feel the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of that year may have been in retaliation for this embargo.
1) What were the goals and objectives in 1941 that would have been hindered by such and embargo of this important resource.
A question not relating to the above statement.
1)How did scarcity of resources contribute to World War I? (namely in Europe)
If you can't answer either of these questions can you please refer me to a website that can?
Thank You
Satin A.
Answer "The U.S. placed an embargo on goods being traded to Japan, namely oil. Some feel the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of that year may have been in retaliation for this embargo."
Actually, you would be hard pressed to find a historian who doesn't agree that Japan acted in response to the embargo (glad you didn't say "blockade" as so many erroneously call it). However, NOT in retaliation. Rather without oil, Japan's economy would starve. They had no native oil to speak of, including in their empire (won in the previous decades). Bogged down in a war in China that kept dragging on, Japan was stuck in a horrible position - fighting a war that was much larger, harder, costlier, and longer than they ever expected, and having no way out of it. Now the west (US, UK and the Netherlands govt-in-exile) had ended sales of all oil (and some other notable impacts as well), which meant Japan would simply run out of oil. It is worth noting the detail, too, that the embargo was put in place after Japan moved into southern French Indochina (e.g., south vietnam) in July 1941 - thus further expanding their empire.
Now, you ask: "1) What were the goals and objectives in 1941 that would have been hindered by such and embargo of this important resource."
The goals of Japan, I am presuming here - how were they hindered? Japan was seeking to be great, and to keep its position (actually, enhance its position), and keep its independence. What role models were there in the time period of 1850-1930s? European nations with huge colonial empires, esp. Britain. Thus, Japan followed the role models present - but Japan was very late to the colonial race, and in fact was late to industrialization as well. They saw what was happening all around the globe, and in particular what was happening to the 'elder brother' China - prostrate before the western nations, having lost her dignity, being carved up and pillaged... it was a horror for Japan to behold.
Regardless, Japan unified, industrialized and modernized and went out to form an empire, taking Okinawa, then Formosa (Taiwan), then Korea, the German islands in Pacific, and into Manchuria before finally launching their war against China proper in 1937. Without oil, Japan would not be able to power her economy or her war machine. What was left for Japan?
When the embargo was put in place, Japan was faced with a stark choice, with no other real alternatives:
1) make a horrifically humiliating withdrawal from at least China proper, in order to get the embargo lifted, or
2) go and seize the oil and other resources they needed.
What else could they do? The US refused to accept the ludicrous Japanese negotiating terms (they offered to withdraw, but in phases - over 20 years!). There were no other sources of oil that they could turn to. There was no other alternative to oil (their fledgling program to turn coal into oil was unable to help notably).
So they chose war, and Pearl Harbor was the result. My father was there that day, by the way.
Your second question - how did scarity of resources contribute to WW1?
I'm not aware of it playing any notable role in regards causing WW1. Germans (and Central Powers) suffered serious food shortages during the war, which played a notable part at the end of the war and in the immediate aftermath.
Hope that helps. If this is unclear, just submit a new query.
t
