Oil Embargo

During Japan’s Invasion of Manchuria and the horrific Rape of Nanking, America decided to enforce an oil embargo, the cut off of oil supply. America had provided Japan with oil, but after hearing the Rape of Nanking and the constant invasions from Japan, America wanted to economically stop Japan’s wrong doing. Since America were isolationists after World War 1, America did not want to be involved in the war militarily. In April 1941, the Japanese signed a neutrality treaty with the Soviet Union to help prevent an attack from the Soviet Union if they were going to go to war with the U.S while invading Southeast Asia. A few months later, June through July, Japan had taken control of Manchuria, so the Allied Powers had officially stopped selling their oil to Japan. The Japanese decided to declare war on the Allied Powers to take oil from other countries. Also, the oil embargo led to Pearl Harbor where the Japanese flew over Hawaii and dropped bombs.