4 ms·
I think the word "capitalist" might have been better than "economically developed". One could argue that Capitalism was the reason Japan went to war against th
by John23832 10y ago
I think the word "capitalist" might have been better than "economically developed".
One could argue that Capitalism was the reason Japan went to war against the US. Japan was worried that the US would cut off all oil exports to Japan, so they attempted to gain control of the pacific in order to solidify access to oil. They needed to keep their machine going.
Idk if I would call (pre-wwII, post rise of Hitler) Germany truly "Capitalist" though.
- nickik 10y agoThat seems strange to me. Its not like the west cut of oil from Japan for no reason. Japan was fighting a war with China. They were not willing to give that up and escalated the war. Capitalists (as in profit seeking companies and people) seem to have very little to do with it. That is a political decision on the highest level.
- John23832 10y agoI guess. The way I viewed it Japan made a move to protect their markets. But you could be right.
- nickik 10y agoI guess they did it to protect their market and war machine. The question is where did the pressure to do so come from, was it from the political class or the business community.
- John23832 10y agoI agree, that is the question. In capitalistic societies, business and politics are often intertwined.
- kyboren 10y ago> Japan was worried that the US would cut off all oil exports to Japan, so they attempted to gain control of the pacific in order to solidify access to oil. Errr, the US did cut off all oil exports to Japan in August 1941. As you say, though, they needed to keep their machine going; the obvious prospect of a US declaration of war in response to their planned (and executed) seizure of oil-producing regions in the South Pacific was the key motivation for the "pre-emptive strike" on Pearl Harbor.