What was the MAIN reason for the Japanese attack on the United States on December 7, 1941? A) To deter the U.S. from entering the war. B) To retaliate against the U.S. for using the atomic bomb. C) To cripple the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet. D) To divert U.S. attention from the war in Europe.
Social Studies · High School · Thu Feb 04 2021
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C) To cripple the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet.
The primary reason for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, was to cripple the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet. Japan aimed to eliminate the United States as a strategic power in the Pacific, thereby allowing Japan to establish its Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere without interference. By striking the Pacific Fleet and destroying battleships, aircraft carriers, and other naval vessels, Japan intended to prevent the U.S. from projecting naval power for a time, ensuring a tactical advantage in the Pacific region.