Although most Americans were shocked by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the outbreak of war between the two countries came as no surprise to many observers of international affairs, (and to many historians studying these periods).
Indeed, the war could be seen as the culmination of developments in Japan, and relations between Japan and the West, that can be traced back to the 1850s and the appearance of Commodore Perry in Japan.
In an essay
a) Discuss how the relationship between Japan and the United States, developed between the 1850s and the attack on Pearl Harbor.
b) Given what you have studied about Japan and Japan’s relations with the US during this period, could the Japanese or the United States have done anything to prevent the war?
c) Given the ferocity of the war between the United States and Japan, what are some of the reasons Japan and the United States formed an allegiance after the war and lead Japan to embrace American culture?
Use references to the primary sources and specifics in the textbook to back up your analysis.
