Events leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor

Before entering World War II, Japan had many other problems to deal with. It had begun to rely more and more for raw materials (especially oil) from outside sources because their land was so lacking in these. Despite these difficulties, Japan began to build a successful empire with a solid industrial foundation and a good army and navy. The military became highly involved in the government, and this began to get them into trouble. In …

…in the attack, (6) a strong fighter element should be included in the attack for air cover for the fleet, (7) refueling at sea would be necessary, and (8) a daylight attack promised best results, especially in the sunrise hours. Many of Japan's Navy General Staff were in opposition to Yamamoto's plan, but they continued to prepare for the attack. All of the necessary training was given to troops, and all of the fighters and submarines were prepared.