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Bell Ringer: The Attack on Pearl Harbor

Instructions: Examine the pictures. Read the background information. Answer the questions below.

Background: In the 1930s, various conflicts were appearing around the world. In Europe, Germany, led by
Adolf Hitler, was taking over various areas. In East Asia, Japan, led by Hideki Tojo, was also taking over
numerous areas. Many in the USA simply wanted to stay out of these conflicts. World War I was still fresh in
the memory of many Americans and the Great Depression was still going on. Many leaders did not want to
send American men to die in foreign conflicts. For reasons like these, the last thing many Americans wanted
was to get involved in another world war. However, Japan’s military leaders began to plan to initiate a surprise,
preemptive strike against the USA. The USA had a naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Japan knew that the
only nation that could challenge their conquest of East Asia was the USA. Japan pretended to desire peace
with the USA. They even gave peace medals, through their ambassadors, to the United States. Japan declared
they wanted to avoid conflict with America. However, on December 7th, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
They killed over 2,000 Americans and sunk many ships. Japan assumed that, with Pearl Harbor crushed,
nobody could challenge their conquest in the Pacific. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked Congress to
declare war on Japan. Congress agreed and abandoned the policy of neutrality.

1. Why did many Americans desire to remain neutral in the conflicts of Europe and East Asia as
World War II began?
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2. Why did many military leaders in Japan believe a primitive strike against the USA was needed to
achieve their goals of conquest in East Asia?
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3. How did the attack on Pearl Harbor impact the USA’s policy of neutrality?
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Answers:
1. Why did many Americans desire to remain neutral in the conflicts of Europe and East Asia as
World War II began?
World War I was still fresh in the memory of many Americans and the Great Depression was still going on. For
reasons like these, the last thing many Americans wanted was to get involved in another world war.

2. Why did many military leaders in Japan believe a primitive strike against the USA was needed to
achieve their goals of conquest in East Asia?
Japan’s military leaders began to plan to initiate a surprise, preemptive strike against the USA. The USA had a
naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Japan knew that the only nation that could challenge their conquest of
East Asia was the USA. Therefore, they believed that, if they attacked first, they would guarantee success of
their conquest of East Asia.

3. How did the attack on Pearl Harbor impact the USA’s policy of neutrality?
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.
Congress agreed and abandoned the policy of neutrality.

Copyright, USHistoryTeachers.com All Rights Reserved.