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Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese military launched this surprise attack to prevent the United States Pacific Fleet from interfering with military actions that Japan was planning in Southeast Asia against overseas territories of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. The overall goal was to destroy the Pacific Fleet in order for Japanese expansion.
On the morning of December 7, 1914, the Japanese launched a surprise attack against the United States in Pearl Harbor. The attack came in two separate waves. The first attack hit its target of the Pacific Fleet at 7:53 AM and the second wave was at 8:55 AM. The attack was over at around 9:55 AM. United States was unprepared by the surprise attack where Japanese fighters, bombers, and torpedo planes launched from six different aircraft carriers.
Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor destroyed many American property, including twenty American ships and over three hundred airplanes. Airfields and dry docks were destroyed and 2,403 American citizens were killed with about 1,000 wounded.
During the beginning of WWII, the United States kept to the policy of isolationism. However, after the surprise attack by Japan killing many American soldiers and civilians, the United States immediately declared war on Japn, entering WWII.
A leader using the Rules of War, specificially proportionality, would not order military action like the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbo.
Definition: It is prohibited to launch an attack which would cause incidental loss of civilian life, injuries, and dmage to property which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated.
Using proportionality above, the Pearl Harbor attack was in violation of the Rules of War. The surprise incentive for the attack gave the Japanese military a direct military advantage against the United States. The surprise military attack resulted in 2,403 deaths, including the incidental loss of 68 American civilian lives. Additionally, this attack damaged many United States military property, including battleships located at Pearl Harbor.
Definition: Forces should only engage in those acts necessary to accomplish a legitimate military objective e.g. only target those facilities which, if destroyed will lead to submission as quickly as possible.
Using military necessity explained above, the Pearl Harbor military attack was not in violation of the Rules of War. The main objective of the Japanese military was to demobilize the ships of the Pacific Fleet in order to continue their imperial expansion. Destroying United States airplanes and airfield properties were necessary to accomplish their military objective, therefore, quickly led to the submission of the United States.
Definition: People fighting in an armed conflict must distinguish between civilians and combatants, and between civilian objects and military objects.
Using distinction, the Pearl Harbor attack was not in violation of the Rules of War. The Japanese military specifically targeted military bases, ships of the Pacific Fleet, and U.S. military airfields. Although there were civilian casualties, the Japanese military fighting in an armed conflict distinguished between civilians and combatants, which is cleared with the comparison between 2,335 United States combatant deaths, including Navy, Marine, and Army service members, and 68 American civilian deaths.