(B2431) wrote in
:

From: "Rostyslaw J. Lewyckyj"
Date: 10/22/2003 1:48 PM Central Daylight Time
Message-id:

Did the US have a pact with Japan, similar to the Stalin Hitler,
Molotov Ribbentrop pact to divide Europe between them?


The U.S. cut off raw material shipments to Japan as a result Japan's
misbehaviour in China. The Japanese rationale for attacking the U.S.
was to ensure they could take the Dutch oil fields, the Philipines etc
uninterrupted for control of their resources. Estimates were Japan had
about 6 months before running out of strategic resources at the time
of Pearl Harbour.

My personal opinion is the Pearl Harbour attacks were a waste of time
since Japan could have expanded into the areas without much more than
a yell or two from the U.S..

While they might not have had much trouble with attacing the Dutch, I have
a feeling that the invasion of the Philipines, which were a US territory,
controled by the US army, with waters patroled by the USN, (etc...), would
have caused some kind of negative reaction in the US. I find it very hard
to believe that the US government would view an attack on the Philipines
any anything other than an act of war.