THE SUN GOING DOWN SMOKING

After Japanese military personnel began to play a greater role in Japanese government Japan began a pattern of expanding their domain and control over new territories, e.g. TAIWAN and Russian territories, and the Korean peninsula. After WWI Japan gained control of most of Imperial Germany's possessions and colonies in the Far East and Pacific waters. In 1937 the Empire of Japan started laying out plans to invade mainland China. Japan shook hands with Nazi German and declared common interests. In 1940 Japan made a pact with Hitler and Fascist Italy to form the Axis Powers. These Japanese actions led to the U.S. embargo of scrap metal and gasoline and to close the Panama Canal to Japanese shipping. One thing led to another and to a complete oil embargo. Also to help China the United States and the United Kingdom made loans to China and (unofficially) provided COVERT MILITARY ASSISTANCE, PILOTS, AND FIGHTER AIRCRAFT (THE FLYING TIGERS) to China. Facing all around embargoes, running out of necessary raw materials, and facing a fighting force, THE FLYING TIGERS, Japan had the choice of withdrawing from China, negotiating a compromise, or developing new resources. or going to war, Believing that the French and British were too occupied with Nazi Germany and that the USA could not organize a military machine in time the Japanese decided to go ahead with the Greater East Asia War in the Pacific. They made a mistake though on that December 7, 1941. They attacked PEARL HARBOR. In the video you'll see Bob Dole, Captain Charlie Weaver, Lt. James Lantz and his wife, Eileen, and Eileen's mother, Maude Irene Weaver. Gen. Patton, Bogart and Bocall, Joltin Joe DiMaggio, and the last picture is my Judy hoping that some day the bombs will stop dropping.