The Second World War---the hegemonic war that forged the international order that has endured for seventy years---was in reality two separate wars. The war in the Pacific had independent origins, which are much more difficult to pin down than the European war. In the present essay, we will examine the origins of the Pacific War. Why did Japan and the United States go to war? What led Japan to attack an adversary many times more powerful than itself?
The Origins of the War in the Pacific
The Origins of the War in the Pacific
The Origins of the War in the Pacific
The Second World War---the hegemonic war that forged the international order that has endured for seventy years---was in reality two separate wars. The war in the Pacific had independent origins, which are much more difficult to pin down than the European war. In the present essay, we will examine the origins of the Pacific War. Why did Japan and the United States go to war? What led Japan to attack an adversary many times more powerful than itself?