Eleanor+S.+-+PH+-+SP12

When asked to whom the blame should be laid for the attack on Pearl Harbor, the majority of Americans would respond with the Japanese, who physically bombed the harbor. However, the strong argument could be made that the American government itself is to blame for this first attack that brought the United States into WWII. Either way, on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. At this time, the President of the United States was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the last straw that pulled America into the Second World War. This finally got American government’s attention because it was an attack on their link to the American Pacific Empire, not concern for the casualties caused by it. It was by this Japanese action which threatened US potential markets that put the government on edge.

However, this was not how the incident at Pearl Harbor, a potential economic attack, was presented to the American public. This attack put the American people in an uproar, calling it a “sudden, shocking, immoral act.” Though, like any other bombing, it was immoral, the event was far from sudden or shocking to the government. Some of the public caught on to the predictions of this occurrence and outlandishly accused FDR of knowing exactly where and when a Japanese attack would occur or that he intentionally aggravated the attack on Pearl Harbor. Though these have no evidence to back them up, it can be assumed that FDR was following the precedent Polk, in the Mexican War, and Johnson, in Vietnam, had set for him- to consciously lie to the public for what was assumed as a just cause.

You still may say that even if FDR kept the American public in the dark for their own good, it was the Japanese that bombed Pearl Harbor. Though that is true, remember that economics and power are what drive every nation. Up until this point, America and Japan had been playing economic chess. After Japan moved to capture Indochina, the East Indies, and China, while still disregarding America’s previous warnings about imperialism, FDR froze all Japanese assets in the US, limiting their ability to gain needed supplies, a “check” to Japan. This put Japan in a position of either patching up relations with America to restore the procurement of these provisions or needing to find such supplies elsewhere. The leader of their war party was not willing to negotiate so a Japanese attack became imminent. The Japanese used the attack on Pearl Harbor as their “check mate.”

So, whether it was due to inactions or actions by FDR, the blame for the attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor ultimately goes to America. And despite this revelation, the blame lies on American government, not FDR alone. All of his decisions were made with the best interests of the public in mind.

Works Cited

Brinkley, Alan. //The Unfinished Nation: a concise history of the American people.//. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997. Print.

Leuchtenburg, William Edward. //New Deal and Global War//. New York: Time [LIFE], 1964. Print.

Zinn, Howard. //A People's History of the United States: 1492-present//. [New ed. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. Print.