By Sidney Wadsworth and Lilia Hall

Born December 30, 1884 in Tokyo Attended the Army Cadet School in 1899 Attended the Japanese Military Academy in 1904 He attended the Japanese military academy He rose quickly threw the officer ranks He became active in militarist politics He became Vice War Minister 1938 and chief of army aviation

under war minister Seishiro Itagaki On July 22, 1940 he was appointed War minister by Prime

minister Konoe On October 18, 1941, Tojo was appointed Prime Minister of

Japan He authorized the attack on Pearl harbor that took place on

December 7, 1941.

Tojo believed that war with America was inevitable. He thought that by wiping out America’s Pacific fleet, Japan would be able to launch their attack on the Philippines.

Japan wanted to wipe out America’s pacific because he believed it would stand in the way of Japan controlling all of the Pacific.

America cut off the oil and supplies that was being shipped to Japan because Japan was making aggressive military actions that threatened the America and its allies.

PEARL HARBOR And while America and Japan were talking peace, Tojo was planning the attack on

Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941 at 7:55 AM the first wave of Japanese planes flew over Pearl

Harbor and focused their firepower on the battleships and the air fields. The second wave arrived at 8:40 AM but met much more resistance than the first.

5 Japanese midget submarines were also sent to assist the air planes in destroying the battleships. 3 were sunk by the Americans, 1 was scuttled and 1 was captured.

All 8 battleships in port were either were either sunk or damaged. A total of 2,335 service men were lost in the Japanese attack. On the USS Arizona

alone 1,100 service men were killed. The Japanese lost 65 men and 1 was captured.

USS Arizona

USS Shaw

On December 8, 1941 America declared war on Japan. And, as

Japan’s allies, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S.

Tojo had thoroughly dragged America in to the war.

Tojo believed that by doing this America would be set back and

not stand in Japan’s way.

However, although the Pearl Harbor was disastrous for the U.S.

naval fleet, the most important target for the Japanese, U.S.

aircraft carriers, were not in port. This meant that the U.S. naval

fleet was not as crippled as it could have been and as Tojo had

wanted it to be.

December 7, 1941 Japan attacks Pearl Harbor

December 10, 1941 Japan invades the Philippines and also seized Guam

December 11, 1941 Japan invades Burma

December 16, 1941 Japan invades British Borneo

December 18, 1941 Japan invades Hong Kong

December 22, 1941 Japan invades Luzon in the Philippines

December 23, 1941 Japan takes Wake Island

December 27, 1941 Japan bombs ManilaJapanese Zero fighter planes were crucial in pearl harbor

attack

Tojo was accused of these war crimes:

As “leaders, organizers, instigators, or accomplices in the formulation or

execution of a common plan or conspiracy..to wage wars of aggression

and wars in violation of international law.”

Waging unprovoked war against China.

Waging aggressive war against the United States.

Waging aggressive war against the British commonwealth.

Waging was against the Netherlands.

Waging aggressive war against France.

“order, authorized, and permitted” inhuman treatment of Prisoners of

War (POWs) and others.

Tojo was put on trial as a war criminal in 1948. He was found

guilty and hanged

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FOR PICTURE ONLY: Conspire.com, "The Government Allowed the Bombing of Pearl Harbor." Last

modified June 26,2011. Accessed April 25, 2012. http://www.conspire.com/the-government-allowed-the-bombing-of-pearl-harbor/.

Roberts , Monica. TransGriot, "70th Anniversary Of The Pearl Harbor Attack ." Last modified December 7,2011. Accessed April 25, 2012. http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2011/12/70th-anniversary-of-pearl-harbor-attack.html.

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Britannica Mobile Edition, Accessed April 26, 2012. http://m.eb.com/assembly/50981.