What motivated the savage surprise attack on navel forces in pearl harbor by the Japanese? 1941 Bombing of pearl harbor brought united states into world war 2 against Japan and alliance with china. In 1940 Japan advanced into French Indochina and Dutch East Indies. To stop Japanese aggression the United States banned the sale of war materials to Japan, such as iron, steel, and oil for airplanes. This move angered the Japanese. General Tojo ordered a surprise attack …showed first 75 words of 367 total…

…showed last 75 words of 367 total…less merciful enemies. The motivation that the Japanese had to bomb pearl harbor was the selfishness of its own country. Before Japan bombed America, Japan was buying supplies needed to make planes, battleships, and bombs from the U.S, but the land of the free didn't like the product they sold to be turned into killing devices to kill innocent people. So America stopped sales to Japan. Japan got very angry and bombed pearl harbor.