December 7, 1941 was a date lived in infamy; it was a date when 2,400 Americans needlessly lost their lives. Several naval vessels were destroyed and millions of dollars in military equipment were lost. It was a date that this great nation has not forgotten to this day. No one could have imagined something so horrible happening on American soil that day. The United States of America at that time was a neutral party in the war at that time. This attack caused a turning point in the war. The decisions President Franklin D. Roosevelt made that day could go down as one of the most critical moments in presidential history. The first 24 hours after that day's attack were crucial, and President Roosevelt responded with calm, thoughtful, and decisive decisions that day. The United States declared war on the Empire of Japan and joined the fight in Europe against Nazi Germany and the Axis Alliance. The American people rallied with a vengeance and united to defend themselves. Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the road to war with Japan began in the 1930s. The Empire of Japan was trying to expand its empire across the Pacific and into China. In 1931 Japan conquered Manchuria, which was part of China, and began an unsuccessful campaign to conquer the rest of China. Japan allied with Nazi Germany in 1940. At that time the United States had economic and political interests in East Asia. The United States has added financial and military aid to China in addition to strengthening its military presence in the Pacific. They stopped shipments of raw materials and oil to Japan. Japan was very limited in its natural resources and perceived the American embargo on oil and aid to China as a threat. Japan's response was to seize resources...... middle of paper ......r Clash", 2014) Works Cited Naval History and Heritage. (1991). Retrieved from http://www. history.navy.mil/faqs/faq66-1.htmWeather Played a Role in the Pearl Harbor Attack (2011, December 07). Retrieved from http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/. partly-cloudy-skies-dur-pea/58654Pearl Harbor Clash, the history channel documentary of the untold story [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAVzHtKSK4o&noredirect=. 1Eleanor Roosevelt and Pearl Harbor. (2013, December 06). Retrieved from http://assolutatranquillita.blogspot.com/2012/12/eleanor-roosevelt-and-pearl-harbour.htmlRemembering the history of Pearl Harbor (2001). Retrieved from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/history/pearlharbor_timeline.htmlThis reporter. (2007, February 02). murrow/this-reporter/513/