The Suprise Attack on Pearl Harbor

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Plan of Investigation
The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate how the attack on Pearl Harbor wasn’t a surprise to Roosevelt and the United States. The main body of evidence will investigate what events lead up to the attack, diplomatic relations between Japan and the U.S., and the resulting factors of the attack. Evidence will include eyewitness accounts and newly released top secret documents. Documents will be analyzed in regards to their value, origin, purpose, and limitation in order to properly evaluate the evidence. Documents include a book containing top secret documents, letters, and theories written by Robert Stinnett as well as evidence from the U.S. Army Board. An analysis of these documents and a summary of evidence will be used to make a conclusion stating whether or not Pearl Harbor was a real surprise or not to the United States.

Summary of Evidence
Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, tensions between the United States and Japan had begun to become more serious in the 1930’s. When Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 the war was effectively on. Japan continued to expand into China over the decade, while the United States began to send arms and equipment to China to assist in the war. To make matters worse Japan invaded French Indochina. However, the relationship was growing tenser. In a move aimed at Japan, in 1939, the United States ended the 1911 commercial treaty with Japan. Starting in July of 1940, Roosevelt signed the Export Control Act. This act authorized the President to license or prohibit the export of defense materials to the Empire of Japan. Under this act, exports of aviation motor fuels, heavy melting iron, and steel scrap were restricted. Effective October 16, Roosevelt slapped an embargo on...

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...rst overt act and the U.S. would have initiative to joining the war. Roosevelt's ends(getting the U.S. into the war) did not justify his deceptive means.

Works Cited

Robert B. Stinnett, Day of Deceit: The Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor (New York: Free Press, 2000)
Department of Defense. 50th Anniversary of World War II Commemorative Committee. Pearl Harbor: 50th Anniversary Commemorative Chronicle, "A Grateful Nation Remembers" 1941-1991. Washington: The Committee, 1991.

Robert Higgs, "How U.S. Economic Warfare Provoked Japan's Attack on Pearl Harbor," The Freeman 56 (May 2006): 36-37.

"Day of Infamy" Speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt, December 8, 1941; SEN 77A-H1, Records of the United States Senate; Record Group 46; National Archives.

Morgenstern, George. The Actual Road to Pearl Harbor. in Barnes, ed. Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace. 322-23, 327-28.

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