Originally Posted by CarpeyBiggs
Dec. 7th - the day we should all ask ourselves why Japan attacked the United States.
Answer: They finally responded the economic warfare we'd been engaging in with them for years. The U.S. had essentially enforced embargoes on Japanese trade with dozens of other countries. Japan is a very small country, with few natural resources. They have to import much of their raw materials. The U.S., while superficially stating they were not going to engage in physical warfare, were concurrently behind the scenes battling a tremendous war in economic terms. By limiting what they could import, the Japanese were essentially paralyzed. The attack at Pearl Harbor was a result.
Make no mistake, America wanted in on WWII, but they needed a noble reason. It was only a matter of time before Pearl Harbor happened, and it was a consequence that FDR's administration not only expected, but some may even suggest FDR desired.
Was it an immoral act? Absolutely. Tragic? No doubt.
Shocking, sudden, and unprovoked? Not at all.
That's the history we should all know about. Dates are unimportant. Context is.