Why Did Japan's Involvement In World War II?

Although most wars are meant to solve problems, they end up creating more. During World War Two, Japan used its power to conquer land, and expand its territory. They did this because their land was a measly island, that didn’t have very many resources. Throughout the war though, Japan ran into more problems, than they initially began with. They were beaten in many battles, lost land, and lost many lives. They also gained few allies, while gaining many enemies. Japan’s involvement in World War Two was filled with unfortunate losses, and dishonorable motives. After World War One, Japan felt the time was ripe to expand its empire. “Japanese thought the time was ripe to extend her empire into greater east Asia prosperity sphere which it did very
“On July 7, 1937, Japan invaded China to initiate the war in the Pacific”(Axis Alliance in World War II). Japan was now officially in war with the Pacific. They still knew that the US was a major threat now, and that they were their biggest enemy. “Gen. Tojo Hideki believed that the United States was determined to throttle Japan, that was inevitable, and that it would be preferable to begin conflict sooner rather than later”(World War II Part 2). General Tojo knew that war was inevitable, and his popular opinion that Japan should start the war sooner rather than later became even more relevant than it initially was. “On December 7, 1941, Japan sent bombers to destroy a US Naval Base on Hawaii”(Pearl Harbor). This was an act of war on the US from Japan. US had to retaliate now. “Congress voted to declare war on Japan. On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States” (World War II Part 2). US was now at war with the Axis because of Japan. They were now a big threat to the US. The axis powers were now a major contender with the United States now after Japan showed its power at Pearl
They were the only ones left on their side of the war, with overwhelmingly powerful enemies. “Soviet armies numbering over a million men, backed by armored, air, and naval forces, had begun sweeping into Manchuria”(Soviet Invasion of Manchuria). Japan had now lost one of it’s most important territories to the Soviet Union, who decimated Japanese troops. This event drove Japan to the brink of failure. “The country did not stop fighting until after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki”(Hirohito). The atomic bombs completely destroyed all Japanese forces in the areas, and there was nothing any of them could have done to stop it. Japan knew that they had lost. “On August 15, 1945, Hirohito made a radio broadcast announcing Japan's surrender”(Hirohito). Japan had lost the war, and as the last enemy, the allies had finally emerged victorious. Japan soon signed the Tripartite Treaty, which established that all Axis powers had surrendered to the Allies. After hundreds of battles, and millions of death, Japan had been