Sixth Grade
Worksheets
What Led to the Attack on Pearl Harbor?
Caption: A Japanese propaganda poster from 1940 for the Tripartite Pact. The Japanese symbols say: "Good friends in three countries". Japan, Italy, and Germany were known in World War II as the Axis Powers.
In the 1930s, a military group came into power in Japan. The new leaders of Japan dreamed of ruling Asia just as the Nazis dreamed of ruling Europe. Japan needed more raw materials like oil, rubber, and minerals. Japan began invading its Asian neighbors.
In 1937, Japan began a major invasion of China. Three years later, Japan controlled much of eastern China. Japan formed a military alliance with Nazi Germany and with Fascist Italy. The Tripartite Agreement made the three countries allies. They became known as the Axis Powers.
In the United States, President Roosevelt was worried. He watched Japan's actions with great concern. Both Hawaii and the Philippines were territories of the U.S. There were U.S. military bases in both places. Many American citizens lived there.
