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Question: Why Japanese attacked USA in December 1941 and not attacked Russia instead!?
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Japan had its nose badly bloodied by the Red Army in 1939 when it pushed up against the Siberian boundary!. That was a valuable lesson!. In 1941 Japan signed a neutrality agreement with the Russians, leaving the fate of the Soviets for Hitler to settle, after which Japan would see what pieces of Siberia it m might want!.

That cleared the way for Japan's move south where it could get the vital resources (embargoed by the US) it had to have, oil, rubber, tin, rice, etc etc!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The Soviet Union was not a threat to Japan in 1941!. They had signed a non-aggression pact with Japan, plus at the time of Pearl Harbor they had their hands full fighting Germany, and would not have opposed Japan's planned expansion!.

Japan considered the US much more of a threat to their planned Asian Empire!. The US had been supporting China in their war with Japan, and the US had cut off trade of vital war materials including oil and scrap metal with Japan!.

Now, would it have been better in the long run if Japan had attacked the Soviet Union!? Perhaps!. Japan could have made concessions to the US in China, thus ensuring we would stay neutral, then attack Russia in the summer of 1942!. This MIGHT have been enough help to allow Germany to take Moscow, Stalingrad, and or Leningrad, and forced the Russians to negotiate a peace treaty!. If that had happened, Germany would have quickly won the war in Europe, and then could have supported Japanese expansion in 1943 or 44, if Hitler had cared!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

China was on the way!. Japan was fighting in China, and the Chinese were resisting (and were actually getting help from the USSR as they were already engaged in war against Germany and didn't want to end up attacked from China as well)!. Additionally, the Japanese were being hindered already by the American and other Allies involvement against their invasion of China!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The Japanese needed raw goods, oil, and rubber!. Russia had none of these things!. By taking out the American fleet they could take these things and hope the US makes a treaty!. If they did attack Russia then Russia would have lost the war fighting on two fronts!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

We cut off supplies such as food, oil, steel!. That were important to the infrastructure and the japanese war machine!.

We did this because they sided with the axis powers and attacked china!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

They attacked Hawaii, not the US!. This was before Hawaii was a state!.Www@QuestionHome@Com