Chronicle archives
Dear Editor,
Why remember if we do not learn and change behavior? The Pacific Naval Fleet at Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese to prevent enforcement of oil, metal and other sanctions which would cripple the Japanese economy. The sanctions were in response to Japanese invasion of Manchuria, China, and Indo-Chinese territory.
Japan believed they were entitled to colonies as much as England, France, Belgium, Holland, the U.S., etc. One can question why sanctions were declared against Japan for abusing people in their territories but not against the other colonial powers for the horrible abuses in their colonies and territories.
An economic sanction is legal, while a blockade is considered an act of war. But what if an economic sanction has the same effect as a blockade? Apparently, Japan saw it as an act worthy of starting a war.
At this time we have economic sanctions against Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and others. What are we gaining from sanctions, and what are we risking – another sneak attack?
Ed Gunderson
Creswell
