4. Analyze diplomatic correspondence, legislative actions, and political speeches to determine the reasons for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

• ? Why did Japan set up the East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere? How did the United States respond?
• ? When and why did the United States cut off oil to Japan? Was this an act of war?
• ? Should the United States have accepted the November 10 proposal from Japan?
• ? Were the differences between the United States and Japan in the 1930s negotiable or irreconcilable?
• ? How did Japan justify its attack on Pearl Harbor? Why did FDR call it a "day that will live in infamy"?

The attack on the military forces of the U.S. at Pearl Harbor Hawaii did not just happen nor was it a quick reaction to initiatives instituted by President Roosevelt.  The Japanese believed that they were being pushed into a corner by Roosevelt and felt that they must act to protect the Empire.  Gordon Prange in 'At Dawn We Slept' describes pre-attack events in detail.  The description of these events note the mistakes made on each side.  A few years later the Japanese Army invaded North China from Manchuria, and eight years of combat with the Chinese began.
The gunboat USS Panay, while on routine duty in Chinese waters, was attacked by Japanese aircraft.  It is unknown whether the attack was intentional or an accident but Roosevelt looked for ways to punish Japan. Nothing became of this incident because the Japanese government apologized, paid for all damages, and promised to protect American nationals.
With the continued German military rearmament program and European leadership capitulation at the Munich conference, President Roosevelt asked Congress for $500 Million to increase America's defence forces. This action was done because he believed that Germany was a threat to the U.S.  The Japanese saw this build up as a direct threat to their Empire because the U.S. was the only country in the Pacific, which could impede their expansion. Japan continues its conquest of China by occupying Hainan Island of the Southern coast.  This occupation improved Japans ability to interdict maritime trade routes.
Because the U.S. was the primary military threat in the Pacific, Japan had prepared war plans to deal with this problem, the U.S. had similar war plans aimed at Japan. The Japanese plan was to conduct one large naval battle against the American Navy, destroying it, resulting in the inability of the U.S. to interfere with Japanese expansion through out Asia. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto assumed command of the Japan's Combined Fleet in August of 1939. Having lived in America for several years he knew Americans, the type of people we were, he knew that this war plan was impractical. He needed a new plan, which would remove the threat of U.S. intervention from his flank.
Some time between January and March 1940, Yamamoto devised his plan to destroy the U.S. Navy in Hawaii and demoralize the American people.  Prange asks the question 'Why did Yamamoto think that this attack would crush American morale since he knew them?' but he does not answer his own question. No actions were implemented to put the plan in action.  Trade sanctions followed by a trade embargo were imposed resulting in increased ill-will and additional political problems with Japan.  These trade actions were imposed because Roosevelt was attempting to stop Japanese expansion.