Pearl Harbor and the End of U.S.–Japan Negotiations

The Washington talks concerned a conflict already under way across East Asia. Japan's war in China had widened in 1937, and its subsequent advance into Indochina increased American fears about further expansion. Washington combined aid to China with economic restrictions on Japan. A settlement required movement on the military occupation of China and the restrictions on trade, issues on which the two governments' positions remained far apart. [1]

Japanese aircraft had already attacked Pearl Harbor when Ambassador Kichisaburo Nomura and special envoy Saburo Kurusu entered Secretary of State Cordell Hull’s office at 2.20 p.m. on 7 December 1941. Their task was to formally end the negotiations between both governments. [2] [3]

The envoys had asked for an earlier appointment, but delivered Tokyo’s memorandum late. Tokyo accused the United States of obstructing a settlement and declared further talks useless. After reading the memorandum, Hull rejected Tokyo’s account of the negotiations in an angry reply to the two men across his desk. [2]

Both countries declared war on 8 December, and diplomatic relations were severed. Getting the diplomats home took months: American ambassador Joseph Grew and other staff remained interned in Japan until 25 June 1942. [4]

Related Diplomats

1. Kichisaburō Nomura [2] [3]

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