Early Pacific War

During the years of Japan's invasion of China but prior to the entrance of the European forces into a general World War, the American government under Franklin Roosevelt began putting pressure on the Hirohito military regime to cease all hostilities in China and southeast Asia. However, American forces did not officially enter the Asian theater of war until after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. In 1937 however, Japanese military forces attacked another American naval force, the gunboat USS Panay on the Yangtze River. In OTL the American people paid little attention to the event and the US government accepted the Japanese explanation of an accident in a warzone. However in TTL, the reaction will be far greater. The article will only focus on the Pacific theater of the World War.

Second Sino-Japanese War
In 1931, Japanese soldiers staged an event (an explosion on railroad tracks) in Manchuria and used this event as a pretext to the invasion of Manchuria. The next year, an agreement was settled that recognized the state in Manchuria and also demilitarized Shanghai. The League of Nations then started imposing economic sanctions on Japan and the United States began uselessly chastising the Japanese government for it's invasion. In 1933, Japan attacked the Great Wall and established the Tanggu Truce, adding more Chinese land to the Japanese empire and another buffer state as well. In mid-1937 Japanese forces launched a full-scale invasion of China by taking Beijing and the port city of Tianjan before deciding to fully commit to the war  Chinese forces attampted to regain Shanghai, and forced the Japanese to commit over 200,000 troops to try and retake the city. In three months the Japanese held the city once more and moved on to take the National Capital at Nanking. On December 12th 1937, Japanese aviators bombed the US Navy gunboat Panay on the Yangtze River near Nanking. The next day, the news reached the American bases in the Phillipines and then was relayed to the mainland. President Roosevelt then presented the nation and Congress with a speech, calling December 12th a "Date which will live in Infamy". The American people then called for immediate action against the Japanese government for a technical undeclared act of war.

Lead Up to War
In response to the attack on the Panay and the subsequent American reaction, the US government demands an apology and reparations be paid to all the families of the dead sailors. On December 15th, news of the atrocities being committed in Nanking reached the United States and raised an even greater uproar for the American government to repspond with greater force. Hirohito asserts that the bombing was an accident and that Japan owed nothing to America. On December 21st ,Roosevelt begins to discuss War plans with Admiral Nimitz and General MacArthur for scenarios of attacks and counterattacks against Japan. Roosevelt secures an act from Congress beginning the implementation of a trade embargo against Japan for all indutsrial resources on December 24th, known as the Christmas Eve Embargo. This cuts Japanese oil reserves by 90% and other resources are hampered as well.

SovietHistoryGuru (talk) 05:12, October 13, 2013 (UTC)SovietHistoryGuruSovietHistoryGuru (talk) 05:12, October 13, 2013 (UTC)