Final answer:
The 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor was mainly to preemptively weaken U.S. military response to Japanese expansion in Asia. U.S. embargoes were seen as aggressive, Japan desired Southeast Asia's resources, and with European powers distracted, Japan attempted to secure trade routes and materials, catalyzing the U.S. entry into WWII.
Step-by-step explanation:
The attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan in 1941 was motivated by a combination of geopolitical strategy and resource needs. Japanese military planners sought to neutralize the United States naval power to prevent interference with their expansion in Asia. The background of this event includes Japan viewing the US embargoes as acts of aggression during a time when they were looking to control Southeast Asia and its resources.
The immediate cause of the attack was the United States' demand that Japan stop its expansionist campaigns and withdraw from China, which stalled trade negotiations. With the European powers occupied with their own survival, Japan saw an opportunity to attack their colonies for raw materials and trade routes.