world war with the U.S. fighting on foreign soil. Several bills were Name passed in Congress that prohibited the United States from helping countries that were being invaded. These bills became known as the Neutrality Acts. Senator Burton Wheeler of Montana led the fight in Congress to keep the U.S. out of any new wars. What Led to the Attack on Pearl Harbor? In December 1940, President Roosevelt wanted the U.S. to loan By Cindy Grigg ships, planes, and weapons to Britain. He thought the U.S. should help Britain so it could keep on fighting off the German assault. In Caption: A Japanese propaganda poster return, Britain would lease some British territory to the U.S. The from 1940 for the Tripartite Pact. The Lend-Lease Plan got congressional approval in early 1941. The U.S. Japanese symbols say: "Good friends in three was also building up its military so that it could protect itself. Most countries". Japan, Italy, and Germany were Americans at that time were still not ready to enter another war to known in World War II as the Axis Powers. stop Germany and Japan. In the 1930s, a military group came into Peace talks between Japanese and U.S. ambassadors were meant power in Japan. The new leaders of Japan to keep both countries out of war. However, Japan would not stop dreamed of ruling Asia just as the Nazis its aggressions in Asia. The U.S. stopped exporting oil, gas, iron, dreamed of ruling Europe. Japan needed more steel, and rubber to Japan. Without these raw materials, the Japanese raw materials like oil, rubber, and minerals. war efforts were limited. FDR told Japan that trade would not start Japan began invading its Asian neighbors. again until the Japanese withdrew from both China and Indochina. The president also sent aid to China so that it could defend itself. In 1937, Japan began a major invasion of China. Three years later, Japan controlled much of eastern China. Japan formed a military The Japanese government would not accept America's rules. It alliance with Nazi Germany and with Fascist Italy. The Tripartite did not believe that the U.S. was neutral. From Japan's point of view, Agreement made the three countries allies. They became known as the U.S. was threatening Japan. Admiral Yamamoto of the Japanese the Axis Powers. navy felt that the U.S. military bases at Pearl Harbor were "a dagger being pointed at our throat." Japan planned a secret attack on In the United States, President Roosevelt was worried. He American military bases in Hawaii - the headquarters of the U.S. watched Japan's actions with great concern. Both Hawaii and the Pacific Fleet. Japan thought that a quick, damaging attack would Philippines were territories of the U.S. There were U.S. military make America plead for peace. Then Japan would be free to wage bases in both places. Many American citizens lived there. war on its neighbors. In 1940, Japan continued its invasions in Asia. It attacked French To hide its plans, Japan began a new round of peace talks with the Indochina. It already controlled Korea. Now it invaded the countries United States in November 1941. However, the U.S. learned from of North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The U.S. became reading a secret, coded message that the Japanese talks were only even more concerned about its military bases in the Philippines. meant to lull the U.S. into a false sense of security. A message was sent to U.S. Pacific military bases. It said: In May 1940, President Roosevelt moved the main base of the U.S. Pacific fleet from California to Hawaii. He wanted the Pacific This dispatch is to be considered a war warning: Negotiations fleet to be closer so that it could better protect those territories. with Japan have ceased and an aggressive move by Japan is expected within the next few days. In Europe, Germany waged war on its neighbors. Britain was under attack by Germany. Many British and French colonies in Asia However, it was believed that Japan would strike the Philippines were in danger from Japan. Many Americans felt that the U.S. or some other spot in Asia. No one thought Japan would strike Pearl should not become involved. They did not want to see another Harbor. Hawaii's isolated place in the Pacific, it was thought, 4. Did Japan's plan to attack U.S. bases in Hawaii achieve the Name goal it desired? A. Yes, Japan's goal was to destroy the ships in Pearl Harbor. B. No, Japan's goal was to make the U.S. plead for peace, offered it protection. not declare war. C. Yes, Japan's goal was to provoke the U.S. into war. D. No, Japan's goal was to kill every American in Hawaii, What Led to the Attack on Pearl Harbor? and the attack did not succeed in doing that. Questions 5. The U.S. stopped ______ oil, steel, and rubber to Japan. A. exporting 1. What caused Japan to invade countries in Asia? B. selling C. sending D. all of the above 6. The U.S. was expecting an attack by Japan on American military bases in the Pacific. A. false B. true 2. Japan formed alliances with which two countries? 7. Admiral Yamamoto of the Japanese navy felt that the U.S. military bases at Pearl Harbor were "a dagger being pointed at A. Germany and Russia our throat." Which type of figurative language did he use in B. Germany and Italy that statement? C. Great Britain and Russia D. Great Britain and France A. alliteration B. metaphor 3. What caused President Roosevelt to move the main base of C. simile the U.S. Pacific fleet to Hawaii? D. idiom A. Moving the Pacific fleet to Hawaii was an aggressive 8. Put these events in the order in which they happened: move intended to provoke Japan into war. B. He wanted the Pacific fleet to spy on Japan. C. Japanese aggressions in the Pacific made the president move the Pacific fleet closer to U.S. territories in Hawaii and Asia so the fleet could better protect them. A. U.S. Congress passed the Lend-Lease Plan. D. Most Americans wanted another world war to stop B. The U.S. warned military bases in the Pacific that the Germany and Japan. Japanese might attack. C. The main base of the U.S. Pacific fleet was moved from California to Hawaii. D. Japan invaded China..