• Home
  • Year 9
    • Unit 1 - Bronze Age Greece >
      • Lesson 1 - Minoa
      • Lesson 2 - Myths
      • Lesson 3 - Atlantis
      • Lesson 4 - The Mycenaeans
      • Lesson 5 - Troy
    • Unit 2 - Classical Greece >
      • Lesson 1 - Archaic Period >
        • End of Unit Test >
          • End of Unit Test - 1
      • Lesson 2 - Olympics
      • Lesson 3 - Athens
      • Lesson 4 - Democracy
      • Lesson 5 - Sparta
      • Lesson 6 - Greek Gods
      • Lesson 7 - Greek Legacy
      • End of Unit Test - 2
    • Unit 3 - Roman Republic >
      • Lesson 1 - Foundation
      • Lesson 2 - Republic
      • Lesson 3 - Hannibal
      • Lesson 4 - Julius Caesar
      • Lesson 5 - Rome
    • Unit 4 - Roman Empire >
      • Lesson 1 - Empire
      • Lesson 2 - Roman Nyon
      • Lesson 3 - Pompeii
      • Lesson 4 - Rise and Fall
      • Lesson 5 - Legacy
    • Unit 5 - The early Middle Ages >
      • Lesson 1 - Middle Ages?
      • Lesson 2 - Christianity
      • Lesson 3 - Monasteries
      • Lesson 4 - Justinian
      • Lesson 5 - Islam
      • Lesson 6 - Vikings
  • Year 11
    • Warfare - A study through time >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction >
        • Warfare - Timeline activity >
          • Students' Timelines 2020
      • Lesson 2 - Medieval >
        • Case Study - 1066 - Battle of Hastings
      • Lesson 3 - Crusades >
        • Case Study - 1271 - Krak des Chevaliers
      • Lesson 4 - New World >
        • Case Study - 1532 - Battle of Cajamarca
      • Lesson 5 - Religion >
        • Case Study - 1572 - St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
      • Lesson 6 - Napoleon >
        • Case Study - 1796 - Battle of Lodi
      • Lesson 7 - Industrial >
        • Case Study - 1859 - Battle of Solferino
      • Lesson 8 - World War 1 >
        • Case Study - 1915 - The Battle of Ypres
      • Lesson 9 - 1930s >
        • Case Study - 1937 - Nanjing Massacre
      • Lesson 10 - Vietnam >
        • Case Study - 1968 - Tet Offensive
    • Matu 1 - The American Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - The Scientific Revolution
      • Lesson 2 - The Enlightenment
      • Lesson 3 - Enlightened Monarchs
      • Lesson 4 - Colonising America
      • Lesson 5 - Thirteen Colonies
      • Lesson 6 - Boston Massacre? >
        • Boston Massacre - The Play
      • Lesson 7 - Short-term causes
      • Lesson 8 - Why Britain lost
      • Lesson 9 - Consequences
      • Lesson 10 - How revolutionary?
    • Matu 2 - The French Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction
      • Lesson 2 - Causes SE
      • Lesson 3 - Causes CP
      • Lesson 4 - Short term causes
      • Lesson 5 - The Bastille
      • Lesson 6 - 1789-91
      • Lesson 7 - 1793 Execution
      • Lesson 8 - The Terror
    • Matu 3 - Switzerland and Napoleon >
      • Lesson 1 - Ancien Regime
      • Lesson 2 - 1789
      • Lesson 3 - Napoleon's Rise
      • Lesson 4 - Napoleon in Art
      • Lesson 5 - Napoleon's Reforms
      • Lesson 6 - Switzerland 1798-1815
      • Lesson 7 - Napoleon's Europe
      • Lesson 8 - Napoleon: Hero or villain
  • S1 S2
    • Matu 4 - Industrial Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - Why was Britain First?
      • Lesson 2 - Economics - Agriculture
      • Lesson 3 - Economics - Industry
      • Lesson 4 - Transport
      • Lesson 5 - Social Impact
      • Lesson 6 - Cultural Impact
      • Lesson 7 - Political Impact
      • Lesson 8 - Switzerland
    • Matu 5 - Nationalism >
      • Lesson 1 - Impact of French Revolution
      • Lesson 2 - Napoleon and Vienna
      • Lesson 3 - 1815-48 - Age of Revolution
      • Lesson 4 - Italian Unification - 1830-48
      • Lesson 5 - Switzerland 1815-48
      • Lesson 6 - Italian Unification - 1848-70
      • Lesson 7 - German Unification - 1848-71
      • Lesson 8 - The German Empire
    • Matu 6 - New Imperialism >
      • Lesson 1 - New Imperialism?
      • Lesson 2 - Africa
      • Lesson 3 - Congo
      • Lesson 4 - China
      • Lesson 5 - Japan
      • Lesson 6 - Legacy
      • Jared Diamond thesis
    • Matu 7 - World War 1 >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction
      • Lesson 2 - Causes
      • Lesson 3 - 1914
      • Lesson 4 - Expectations
      • Lesson 5 - Reality
      • Lesson 6 - Total War
      • Lesson 7 - Switzerland
      • Lesson 8 - Defeat
      • Lesson 9 - Peace 1919
    • Matu 8 - Russian Revolutions >
      • Lesson 1 - Russia before 1917 >
        • Tim Marshall - Russia
      • Lesson 2 - 1905 Revolution
      • Lesson 3 - February Revolution
      • Lesson 4 - Marxism
      • Lesson 5 - Lenin
      • Lesson 6 - The Bolsheviks
      • Lesson 7 - 1917-18
      • Lesson 8 - Civil War
    • Matu 9 - USA 1919-41 >
      • Lesson 1 - 1920s boom
      • Lesson 2 - Roaring 20s?
      • Lesson 3 - Crash
      • Lesson 4 - 1932 Election
      • Lesson 5 - New Deal
      • Lesson 6 - Judging the New Deal
    • Matu 10 - Totalitarian States >
      • Lesson 1 - Modern Authoritarianism >
        • Is Trump's USA authoritarian?
      • Lesson 2 - Fascism
      • Lesson 3 - Mussolini - Rise to Power
      • Lesson 4 - Mussolini - Consolidation of Power
      • Lesson 5 - Mussolini - Aims and policies
      • Lesson 6 - Research presentations >
        • Hitler - Research presentations
        • Stalin- Research presentations
      • Lesson 7 - Hitler - Germany 1933-45 >
        • Hitler - Rise to Power
        • Hitler - Consolidation of Power
        • Hitler - Aims and policies
      • Lesson 8 - Stalin - USSR 1924-41 >
        • Stalin - Rise to Power
        • Stalin - Consolidation of Power
        • Stalin - Aims and policies
    • Exams and Revision
  • S3
    • Matu 11 - World War II >
      • Lesson 1 - WW1
      • Lesson 2 - LoN
      • Lesson 3 - Hitler
      • Lesson 4 - Appeasement
      • Lesson 5 - 1939-40
      • Lesson 6 - Japan
      • Lesson 7 - Russia
      • Lesson 8 - Total War
      • Lesson 9 - Defeat
      • Lesson 10 - Switzerland
    • Matu 12 - The Cold War >
      • Lesson 1 - Origins
      • Lesson 2 - Causes
      • Lesson 3 - Berlin
      • Lesson 4 - 1950s
      • Lesson 5 - 1960s
      • Lesson 6 - 1970s
      • Lesson 7 - 1980s
    • Matu 13 - Decolonisation and the Third World >
      • Lesson 1 - Factors
      • Lesson 2 - Case studies
      • Lesson 3 - Consequences
    • Matu 14 - Switzerland >
      • Swiss Politics
      • Swiss History
    • Exams and Revision
  • IB History
    • IB History - Paper 1 >
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Content
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Past paper questions >
        • Question 1a
        • Question 1b
        • Question 2
        • Question 3
        • Question 4
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Skills
    • IB History - Paper 2 >
      • IB History - Paper 2 past paper questions
      • IB History - 7. Industrialization >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Industrialization
        • IB History - First and Second Industrial Revolution
        • IB History - Steven Johnson
        • Activity 1
      • IB History - 8. Independence movements >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Independence movements
        • IB History - Revision Template - Independence movements >
          • IB History - Independence movements - Theme 1 - Origin and rise
          • IB History - Independence movements - Theme 2 - Methods
      • IB History - 10. Authoritarian States >
        • IB History - Emergence of authoritarian states
        • IB History - Consolidation and maintenance
        • IB History - Aims and policies
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Authoritarian states
        • IB History - Revision Template - Authoritarian states >
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 1)
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 2)
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 3)
      • IB History - 11. Warfare >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Warfare
      • IB History - 12. Cold War >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Cold War
        • IB History - Revision essay plans - Cold War >
          • Cold War - 1943-49 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - 1947-79 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - 1980-91 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - Leaders, nations and Cold War crises.
    • IB History - IA - Internal Assessment
  • TOK
    • Critical Thinking >
      • Lesson 1 - Thinking >
        • Lesson 1 - Test
      • Lesson 2 - Language
      • Lesson 3 - Senses
      • Lesson 4 - Reason
      • Lesson 5 - Emotion
      • Assessment >
        • Movie perception test
        • Complete film
        • Student Films 2021
    • Core theme - Knowledge and the knower >
      • Knowledge framework
    • Areas of Knowledge >
      • History >
        • Scope in history
        • Method and perspective in history
        • Ethics in history
      • Human Science >
        • Scope in human science
        • Method and perspectives in human science
        • Ethics in human science
      • Natural Science >
        • Scope in natural science
        • Method and perspectives in natural science
        • Ethics in human science
      • Maths >
        • Scope in maths
        • Method and perspectives in maths
        • Ethics in maths
      • Arts >
        • Scope in the arts
        • Method and perspectives in arts
        • Ethics in the arts
      • Politics >
        • Scope in politics
        • Method and perspectives in politics
        • Ethics in politics
      • Technology >
        • Scope in technology
        • Method and perspectives in politics
        • Ethics in technology
      • Language >
        • Scope in language
        • Method and perspectives in language
        • Ethics in technology
    • Assessment >
      • TOK Exhibition >
        • TOK Exhibition 2023
        • TOK Exhibition 2024
      • Essay
  • About
International School History
  • Home
  • Year 9
    • Unit 1 - Bronze Age Greece >
      • Lesson 1 - Minoa
      • Lesson 2 - Myths
      • Lesson 3 - Atlantis
      • Lesson 4 - The Mycenaeans
      • Lesson 5 - Troy
    • Unit 2 - Classical Greece >
      • Lesson 1 - Archaic Period >
        • End of Unit Test >
          • End of Unit Test - 1
      • Lesson 2 - Olympics
      • Lesson 3 - Athens
      • Lesson 4 - Democracy
      • Lesson 5 - Sparta
      • Lesson 6 - Greek Gods
      • Lesson 7 - Greek Legacy
      • End of Unit Test - 2
    • Unit 3 - Roman Republic >
      • Lesson 1 - Foundation
      • Lesson 2 - Republic
      • Lesson 3 - Hannibal
      • Lesson 4 - Julius Caesar
      • Lesson 5 - Rome
    • Unit 4 - Roman Empire >
      • Lesson 1 - Empire
      • Lesson 2 - Roman Nyon
      • Lesson 3 - Pompeii
      • Lesson 4 - Rise and Fall
      • Lesson 5 - Legacy
    • Unit 5 - The early Middle Ages >
      • Lesson 1 - Middle Ages?
      • Lesson 2 - Christianity
      • Lesson 3 - Monasteries
      • Lesson 4 - Justinian
      • Lesson 5 - Islam
      • Lesson 6 - Vikings
  • Year 11
    • Warfare - A study through time >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction >
        • Warfare - Timeline activity >
          • Students' Timelines 2020
      • Lesson 2 - Medieval >
        • Case Study - 1066 - Battle of Hastings
      • Lesson 3 - Crusades >
        • Case Study - 1271 - Krak des Chevaliers
      • Lesson 4 - New World >
        • Case Study - 1532 - Battle of Cajamarca
      • Lesson 5 - Religion >
        • Case Study - 1572 - St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
      • Lesson 6 - Napoleon >
        • Case Study - 1796 - Battle of Lodi
      • Lesson 7 - Industrial >
        • Case Study - 1859 - Battle of Solferino
      • Lesson 8 - World War 1 >
        • Case Study - 1915 - The Battle of Ypres
      • Lesson 9 - 1930s >
        • Case Study - 1937 - Nanjing Massacre
      • Lesson 10 - Vietnam >
        • Case Study - 1968 - Tet Offensive
    • Matu 1 - The American Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - The Scientific Revolution
      • Lesson 2 - The Enlightenment
      • Lesson 3 - Enlightened Monarchs
      • Lesson 4 - Colonising America
      • Lesson 5 - Thirteen Colonies
      • Lesson 6 - Boston Massacre? >
        • Boston Massacre - The Play
      • Lesson 7 - Short-term causes
      • Lesson 8 - Why Britain lost
      • Lesson 9 - Consequences
      • Lesson 10 - How revolutionary?
    • Matu 2 - The French Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction
      • Lesson 2 - Causes SE
      • Lesson 3 - Causes CP
      • Lesson 4 - Short term causes
      • Lesson 5 - The Bastille
      • Lesson 6 - 1789-91
      • Lesson 7 - 1793 Execution
      • Lesson 8 - The Terror
    • Matu 3 - Switzerland and Napoleon >
      • Lesson 1 - Ancien Regime
      • Lesson 2 - 1789
      • Lesson 3 - Napoleon's Rise
      • Lesson 4 - Napoleon in Art
      • Lesson 5 - Napoleon's Reforms
      • Lesson 6 - Switzerland 1798-1815
      • Lesson 7 - Napoleon's Europe
      • Lesson 8 - Napoleon: Hero or villain
  • S1 S2
    • Matu 4 - Industrial Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - Why was Britain First?
      • Lesson 2 - Economics - Agriculture
      • Lesson 3 - Economics - Industry
      • Lesson 4 - Transport
      • Lesson 5 - Social Impact
      • Lesson 6 - Cultural Impact
      • Lesson 7 - Political Impact
      • Lesson 8 - Switzerland
    • Matu 5 - Nationalism >
      • Lesson 1 - Impact of French Revolution
      • Lesson 2 - Napoleon and Vienna
      • Lesson 3 - 1815-48 - Age of Revolution
      • Lesson 4 - Italian Unification - 1830-48
      • Lesson 5 - Switzerland 1815-48
      • Lesson 6 - Italian Unification - 1848-70
      • Lesson 7 - German Unification - 1848-71
      • Lesson 8 - The German Empire
    • Matu 6 - New Imperialism >
      • Lesson 1 - New Imperialism?
      • Lesson 2 - Africa
      • Lesson 3 - Congo
      • Lesson 4 - China
      • Lesson 5 - Japan
      • Lesson 6 - Legacy
      • Jared Diamond thesis
    • Matu 7 - World War 1 >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction
      • Lesson 2 - Causes
      • Lesson 3 - 1914
      • Lesson 4 - Expectations
      • Lesson 5 - Reality
      • Lesson 6 - Total War
      • Lesson 7 - Switzerland
      • Lesson 8 - Defeat
      • Lesson 9 - Peace 1919
    • Matu 8 - Russian Revolutions >
      • Lesson 1 - Russia before 1917 >
        • Tim Marshall - Russia
      • Lesson 2 - 1905 Revolution
      • Lesson 3 - February Revolution
      • Lesson 4 - Marxism
      • Lesson 5 - Lenin
      • Lesson 6 - The Bolsheviks
      • Lesson 7 - 1917-18
      • Lesson 8 - Civil War
    • Matu 9 - USA 1919-41 >
      • Lesson 1 - 1920s boom
      • Lesson 2 - Roaring 20s?
      • Lesson 3 - Crash
      • Lesson 4 - 1932 Election
      • Lesson 5 - New Deal
      • Lesson 6 - Judging the New Deal
    • Matu 10 - Totalitarian States >
      • Lesson 1 - Modern Authoritarianism >
        • Is Trump's USA authoritarian?
      • Lesson 2 - Fascism
      • Lesson 3 - Mussolini - Rise to Power
      • Lesson 4 - Mussolini - Consolidation of Power
      • Lesson 5 - Mussolini - Aims and policies
      • Lesson 6 - Research presentations >
        • Hitler - Research presentations
        • Stalin- Research presentations
      • Lesson 7 - Hitler - Germany 1933-45 >
        • Hitler - Rise to Power
        • Hitler - Consolidation of Power
        • Hitler - Aims and policies
      • Lesson 8 - Stalin - USSR 1924-41 >
        • Stalin - Rise to Power
        • Stalin - Consolidation of Power
        • Stalin - Aims and policies
    • Exams and Revision
  • S3
    • Matu 11 - World War II >
      • Lesson 1 - WW1
      • Lesson 2 - LoN
      • Lesson 3 - Hitler
      • Lesson 4 - Appeasement
      • Lesson 5 - 1939-40
      • Lesson 6 - Japan
      • Lesson 7 - Russia
      • Lesson 8 - Total War
      • Lesson 9 - Defeat
      • Lesson 10 - Switzerland
    • Matu 12 - The Cold War >
      • Lesson 1 - Origins
      • Lesson 2 - Causes
      • Lesson 3 - Berlin
      • Lesson 4 - 1950s
      • Lesson 5 - 1960s
      • Lesson 6 - 1970s
      • Lesson 7 - 1980s
    • Matu 13 - Decolonisation and the Third World >
      • Lesson 1 - Factors
      • Lesson 2 - Case studies
      • Lesson 3 - Consequences
    • Matu 14 - Switzerland >
      • Swiss Politics
      • Swiss History
    • Exams and Revision
  • IB History
    • IB History - Paper 1 >
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Content
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Past paper questions >
        • Question 1a
        • Question 1b
        • Question 2
        • Question 3
        • Question 4
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Skills
    • IB History - Paper 2 >
      • IB History - Paper 2 past paper questions
      • IB History - 7. Industrialization >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Industrialization
        • IB History - First and Second Industrial Revolution
        • IB History - Steven Johnson
        • Activity 1
      • IB History - 8. Independence movements >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Independence movements
        • IB History - Revision Template - Independence movements >
          • IB History - Independence movements - Theme 1 - Origin and rise
          • IB History - Independence movements - Theme 2 - Methods
      • IB History - 10. Authoritarian States >
        • IB History - Emergence of authoritarian states
        • IB History - Consolidation and maintenance
        • IB History - Aims and policies
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Authoritarian states
        • IB History - Revision Template - Authoritarian states >
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 1)
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 2)
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 3)
      • IB History - 11. Warfare >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Warfare
      • IB History - 12. Cold War >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Cold War
        • IB History - Revision essay plans - Cold War >
          • Cold War - 1943-49 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - 1947-79 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - 1980-91 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - Leaders, nations and Cold War crises.
    • IB History - IA - Internal Assessment
  • TOK
    • Critical Thinking >
      • Lesson 1 - Thinking >
        • Lesson 1 - Test
      • Lesson 2 - Language
      • Lesson 3 - Senses
      • Lesson 4 - Reason
      • Lesson 5 - Emotion
      • Assessment >
        • Movie perception test
        • Complete film
        • Student Films 2021
    • Core theme - Knowledge and the knower >
      • Knowledge framework
    • Areas of Knowledge >
      • History >
        • Scope in history
        • Method and perspective in history
        • Ethics in history
      • Human Science >
        • Scope in human science
        • Method and perspectives in human science
        • Ethics in human science
      • Natural Science >
        • Scope in natural science
        • Method and perspectives in natural science
        • Ethics in human science
      • Maths >
        • Scope in maths
        • Method and perspectives in maths
        • Ethics in maths
      • Arts >
        • Scope in the arts
        • Method and perspectives in arts
        • Ethics in the arts
      • Politics >
        • Scope in politics
        • Method and perspectives in politics
        • Ethics in politics
      • Technology >
        • Scope in technology
        • Method and perspectives in politics
        • Ethics in technology
      • Language >
        • Scope in language
        • Method and perspectives in language
        • Ethics in technology
    • Assessment >
      • TOK Exhibition >
        • TOK Exhibition 2023
        • TOK Exhibition 2024
      • Essay
  • About

S3 - Matu 11 - World War II - Lesson 6

Lesson 6 - The war becomes global - 1. Pearl Harbor 
Japan - US rivalry
To some extent it might be argued that the Second World War actually began with Japan's invasion of China in 1937.  As in the West, the Great Depression had resulted in the rise to power of a nationalist and militaristic government in Japan in the 1930s. The invasion of Manchuria in 1931 was merely the prelude to Japanese imperial ambitions in China and in south east Asia in General. (See map left) 
​Following the Japanese bombing of civilians in Shanghai during the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 and the Nangjing Massacre (see case study in Year 11), many ordinary Americans were outraged. However, this outrage was not enough to shake the USA out of its isolationist stance. Beginning in 1935, the US government had passed a series of popular Neutrality Acts that were designed to ensure that the USA did not become involved in foreign conflicts, but Roosevelt had warned in his famous ‘quarantine speech’ in October 1937 (p.276) that the USA could not have 'complete protection' from the threat of war. 

​In September 1940, Germany, Italy and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact (also known as the Three-Power Pact or Berlin Pact). This pact signalled greater cooperation, especially with regard to defence, and promised assistance if one member country was attacked. The pact was signed partially to deter the USA from intervening in the growing conflicts in Europe and Asia.  Japan seized the opportunity caused by France’s surrender to occupy northern Indochina (modern-day Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam).  The USA responded by imposing sanctions and reducing exports of vital resources such as oil and iron to Japan. When the Japanese advanced further south in Indochina in July 1941, the USA announced a total ban on exports. Furthermore, all Japanese assets in the USA were frozen. Roosevelt made clear that the sanctions would not be lifted until Japan agreed a peace treaty with China. ​This development meant that, without retreating in Indochina and China, the only hope that Japan had of gaining the necessary resources to maintain its armed forces lay in the Philippines (a US possession), Malaya (a British colony) and the Dutch East Indies (a Dutch colony). Therefore, during the negotiations with the USA over the summer of 1941 to bring about an end to the sanctions, Japan planned coordinated attacks in South-East Asia with the planned assault on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
Pearl Harbor and the war in the Pacific
Picture
What was Japan hoping to achieve at Pearl Harbor?

The aim of the attacks on Pearl Harbor was to knock out the US Pacific Fleet in order to give the Japanese a free hand in South-East Asia. At 07:55 a.m. on 7 December, the first attack wave of 183 aircraft arrived at Pearl Harbor. A second wave of 170 aircraft was launched shortly afterwards. The attack on Pearl Harbor lasted only 90 minutes. During that time, 21 ships were destroyed or damaged, with nearly 2500 servicemen killed and just over 1000 injured. But crucially no aircraft carriers were destroyed. The formal Japanese declaration of war was not received by the US government until after the attacks on Pearl Harbor had ended. 
When Italy and Germany declared war on the USA on 11 December, the USA responded by declaring war on them. The attacks on Pearl Harbor, along with Operation Barbarossa (the German invasion of the Soviet Union which had begun on the 22 June 1941 - below), essentially transformed what was then a European war into a global one.
Activity 1 - From isolationism to war

Read the textbook pages 275-8. 
​Explain how and why American isolationist policy gradually changed in the lead up to Pearl Harbor. 
Activity 2 - Did President Roosevelt let Pearl Harbor happen? 
"I will go to my grave convinced that FDR ordered Pearl Harbor to let happen. He must have known." Vice Admiral Libby.

This is one of the world's favourite conspiracy theories, but it also one that has engaged the attention of a number of serious historians.  Watch the film opposite. You can also get plenty of more information from Wikipedia and Encyclopaedia Brittanica.

  • Explain why Roosevelt may have allowed the attack on Pearl Harbor.
  • Provide three pieces of evidence used by supporters of the theory and three pieces of evidence used by opponents. 
The little sister of internationalschoolhistory.net - Richard Jones-Nerzic- Nyon, Switzerland 2025 
The views expressed on this website are those of the author and not necessarily endorsed by the author's employer. 
  • Home
  • Year 9
    • Unit 1 - Bronze Age Greece >
      • Lesson 1 - Minoa
      • Lesson 2 - Myths
      • Lesson 3 - Atlantis
      • Lesson 4 - The Mycenaeans
      • Lesson 5 - Troy
    • Unit 2 - Classical Greece >
      • Lesson 1 - Archaic Period >
        • End of Unit Test >
          • End of Unit Test - 1
      • Lesson 2 - Olympics
      • Lesson 3 - Athens
      • Lesson 4 - Democracy
      • Lesson 5 - Sparta
      • Lesson 6 - Greek Gods
      • Lesson 7 - Greek Legacy
      • End of Unit Test - 2
    • Unit 3 - Roman Republic >
      • Lesson 1 - Foundation
      • Lesson 2 - Republic
      • Lesson 3 - Hannibal
      • Lesson 4 - Julius Caesar
      • Lesson 5 - Rome
    • Unit 4 - Roman Empire >
      • Lesson 1 - Empire
      • Lesson 2 - Roman Nyon
      • Lesson 3 - Pompeii
      • Lesson 4 - Rise and Fall
      • Lesson 5 - Legacy
    • Unit 5 - The early Middle Ages >
      • Lesson 1 - Middle Ages?
      • Lesson 2 - Christianity
      • Lesson 3 - Monasteries
      • Lesson 4 - Justinian
      • Lesson 5 - Islam
      • Lesson 6 - Vikings
  • Year 11
    • Warfare - A study through time >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction >
        • Warfare - Timeline activity >
          • Students' Timelines 2020
      • Lesson 2 - Medieval >
        • Case Study - 1066 - Battle of Hastings
      • Lesson 3 - Crusades >
        • Case Study - 1271 - Krak des Chevaliers
      • Lesson 4 - New World >
        • Case Study - 1532 - Battle of Cajamarca
      • Lesson 5 - Religion >
        • Case Study - 1572 - St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
      • Lesson 6 - Napoleon >
        • Case Study - 1796 - Battle of Lodi
      • Lesson 7 - Industrial >
        • Case Study - 1859 - Battle of Solferino
      • Lesson 8 - World War 1 >
        • Case Study - 1915 - The Battle of Ypres
      • Lesson 9 - 1930s >
        • Case Study - 1937 - Nanjing Massacre
      • Lesson 10 - Vietnam >
        • Case Study - 1968 - Tet Offensive
    • Matu 1 - The American Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - The Scientific Revolution
      • Lesson 2 - The Enlightenment
      • Lesson 3 - Enlightened Monarchs
      • Lesson 4 - Colonising America
      • Lesson 5 - Thirteen Colonies
      • Lesson 6 - Boston Massacre? >
        • Boston Massacre - The Play
      • Lesson 7 - Short-term causes
      • Lesson 8 - Why Britain lost
      • Lesson 9 - Consequences
      • Lesson 10 - How revolutionary?
    • Matu 2 - The French Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction
      • Lesson 2 - Causes SE
      • Lesson 3 - Causes CP
      • Lesson 4 - Short term causes
      • Lesson 5 - The Bastille
      • Lesson 6 - 1789-91
      • Lesson 7 - 1793 Execution
      • Lesson 8 - The Terror
    • Matu 3 - Switzerland and Napoleon >
      • Lesson 1 - Ancien Regime
      • Lesson 2 - 1789
      • Lesson 3 - Napoleon's Rise
      • Lesson 4 - Napoleon in Art
      • Lesson 5 - Napoleon's Reforms
      • Lesson 6 - Switzerland 1798-1815
      • Lesson 7 - Napoleon's Europe
      • Lesson 8 - Napoleon: Hero or villain
  • S1 S2
    • Matu 4 - Industrial Revolution >
      • Lesson 1 - Why was Britain First?
      • Lesson 2 - Economics - Agriculture
      • Lesson 3 - Economics - Industry
      • Lesson 4 - Transport
      • Lesson 5 - Social Impact
      • Lesson 6 - Cultural Impact
      • Lesson 7 - Political Impact
      • Lesson 8 - Switzerland
    • Matu 5 - Nationalism >
      • Lesson 1 - Impact of French Revolution
      • Lesson 2 - Napoleon and Vienna
      • Lesson 3 - 1815-48 - Age of Revolution
      • Lesson 4 - Italian Unification - 1830-48
      • Lesson 5 - Switzerland 1815-48
      • Lesson 6 - Italian Unification - 1848-70
      • Lesson 7 - German Unification - 1848-71
      • Lesson 8 - The German Empire
    • Matu 6 - New Imperialism >
      • Lesson 1 - New Imperialism?
      • Lesson 2 - Africa
      • Lesson 3 - Congo
      • Lesson 4 - China
      • Lesson 5 - Japan
      • Lesson 6 - Legacy
      • Jared Diamond thesis
    • Matu 7 - World War 1 >
      • Lesson 1 - Introduction
      • Lesson 2 - Causes
      • Lesson 3 - 1914
      • Lesson 4 - Expectations
      • Lesson 5 - Reality
      • Lesson 6 - Total War
      • Lesson 7 - Switzerland
      • Lesson 8 - Defeat
      • Lesson 9 - Peace 1919
    • Matu 8 - Russian Revolutions >
      • Lesson 1 - Russia before 1917 >
        • Tim Marshall - Russia
      • Lesson 2 - 1905 Revolution
      • Lesson 3 - February Revolution
      • Lesson 4 - Marxism
      • Lesson 5 - Lenin
      • Lesson 6 - The Bolsheviks
      • Lesson 7 - 1917-18
      • Lesson 8 - Civil War
    • Matu 9 - USA 1919-41 >
      • Lesson 1 - 1920s boom
      • Lesson 2 - Roaring 20s?
      • Lesson 3 - Crash
      • Lesson 4 - 1932 Election
      • Lesson 5 - New Deal
      • Lesson 6 - Judging the New Deal
    • Matu 10 - Totalitarian States >
      • Lesson 1 - Modern Authoritarianism >
        • Is Trump's USA authoritarian?
      • Lesson 2 - Fascism
      • Lesson 3 - Mussolini - Rise to Power
      • Lesson 4 - Mussolini - Consolidation of Power
      • Lesson 5 - Mussolini - Aims and policies
      • Lesson 6 - Research presentations >
        • Hitler - Research presentations
        • Stalin- Research presentations
      • Lesson 7 - Hitler - Germany 1933-45 >
        • Hitler - Rise to Power
        • Hitler - Consolidation of Power
        • Hitler - Aims and policies
      • Lesson 8 - Stalin - USSR 1924-41 >
        • Stalin - Rise to Power
        • Stalin - Consolidation of Power
        • Stalin - Aims and policies
    • Exams and Revision
  • S3
    • Matu 11 - World War II >
      • Lesson 1 - WW1
      • Lesson 2 - LoN
      • Lesson 3 - Hitler
      • Lesson 4 - Appeasement
      • Lesson 5 - 1939-40
      • Lesson 6 - Japan
      • Lesson 7 - Russia
      • Lesson 8 - Total War
      • Lesson 9 - Defeat
      • Lesson 10 - Switzerland
    • Matu 12 - The Cold War >
      • Lesson 1 - Origins
      • Lesson 2 - Causes
      • Lesson 3 - Berlin
      • Lesson 4 - 1950s
      • Lesson 5 - 1960s
      • Lesson 6 - 1970s
      • Lesson 7 - 1980s
    • Matu 13 - Decolonisation and the Third World >
      • Lesson 1 - Factors
      • Lesson 2 - Case studies
      • Lesson 3 - Consequences
    • Matu 14 - Switzerland >
      • Swiss Politics
      • Swiss History
    • Exams and Revision
  • IB History
    • IB History - Paper 1 >
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Content
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Past paper questions >
        • Question 1a
        • Question 1b
        • Question 2
        • Question 3
        • Question 4
      • IB History - Paper 1 - Skills
    • IB History - Paper 2 >
      • IB History - Paper 2 past paper questions
      • IB History - 7. Industrialization >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Industrialization
        • IB History - First and Second Industrial Revolution
        • IB History - Steven Johnson
        • Activity 1
      • IB History - 8. Independence movements >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Independence movements
        • IB History - Revision Template - Independence movements >
          • IB History - Independence movements - Theme 1 - Origin and rise
          • IB History - Independence movements - Theme 2 - Methods
      • IB History - 10. Authoritarian States >
        • IB History - Emergence of authoritarian states
        • IB History - Consolidation and maintenance
        • IB History - Aims and policies
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Authoritarian states
        • IB History - Revision Template - Authoritarian states >
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 1)
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 2)
          • Hitler - Germany and Castro - Cuba - A comparative analysis (Part 3)
      • IB History - 11. Warfare >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Warfare
      • IB History - 12. Cold War >
        • IB History - Past paper questions - Cold War
        • IB History - Revision essay plans - Cold War >
          • Cold War - 1943-49 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - 1947-79 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - 1980-91 - Rivalry, mistrust and accord
          • Cold War - Leaders, nations and Cold War crises.
    • IB History - IA - Internal Assessment
  • TOK
    • Critical Thinking >
      • Lesson 1 - Thinking >
        • Lesson 1 - Test
      • Lesson 2 - Language
      • Lesson 3 - Senses
      • Lesson 4 - Reason
      • Lesson 5 - Emotion
      • Assessment >
        • Movie perception test
        • Complete film
        • Student Films 2021
    • Core theme - Knowledge and the knower >
      • Knowledge framework
    • Areas of Knowledge >
      • History >
        • Scope in history
        • Method and perspective in history
        • Ethics in history
      • Human Science >
        • Scope in human science
        • Method and perspectives in human science
        • Ethics in human science
      • Natural Science >
        • Scope in natural science
        • Method and perspectives in natural science
        • Ethics in human science
      • Maths >
        • Scope in maths
        • Method and perspectives in maths
        • Ethics in maths
      • Arts >
        • Scope in the arts
        • Method and perspectives in arts
        • Ethics in the arts
      • Politics >
        • Scope in politics
        • Method and perspectives in politics
        • Ethics in politics
      • Technology >
        • Scope in technology
        • Method and perspectives in politics
        • Ethics in technology
      • Language >
        • Scope in language
        • Method and perspectives in language
        • Ethics in technology
    • Assessment >
      • TOK Exhibition >
        • TOK Exhibition 2023
        • TOK Exhibition 2024
      • Essay
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