Episode 16: Japan Prepares for War

As summer gave way to fall in the latter half of 1941 the Empire of Japan was in a precarious position. Newly imposed sanctions by the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands were starving the home islands of desperately needed materials and resources. The newly appointed Prime Minister, Hideki Tojo, had promised to continue  negotiations with the United States in order to end the embargo but he did not feel compelled to restrict those negotiations to diplomatic means. What could not be gained at the bargaining table would be taken by force.