Hull note facts for kids

The Hull Note, also known as the Outline of Proposed Basis for Agreement Between the United States and Japan, was a very important message. It was the last offer of peace from the United States to Japan. This happened just before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The note was given on November 26, 1941. It is named after Cordell Hull, who was the US Secretary of State. The Hull Note asked Japan to pull its troops out of China and French Indochina. No more peace talks happened after this note. The US government knew Japan was getting ready to invade Thailand.

Why the Hull Note Was Needed

The United States did not like that Japan was fighting the Second Sino-Japanese War. Japan had taken over parts of China. Because of this, the United States sent help to the Chinese government led by Chiang Kai-shek.

In July 1941, Japanese soldiers moved into southern French Indochina. This broke an earlier agreement. Japanese planes quickly set up bases in Saigon and Cambodia. From these bases, they could attack British Malaya.

Right after Japan moved into Indochina, the US government took action. They stopped trade with Japan. They also froze Japanese money in US banks. Most importantly, they stopped selling oil to Japan. This was a big problem for Japan because they needed oil for their military.

Last Tries for Peace

On November 5, 1941, Emperor Hirohito of Japan approved a plan to attack Pearl Harbor. But at the same time, his government tried one last time to find a peaceful solution with the United States.

Japan's Ambassador, Kichisaburō Nomura, gave two proposals to the American government.

Japan's First Offer

The first offer, called Proposal A, was given on November 6, 1941. It suggested ending the war in China with Japan pulling out some troops. The United States had secretly broken some of Japan's diplomatic codes. This meant they knew Japan had a second offer ready if the first one failed. The US government waited and then said no to Proposal A on November 14, 1941.

Japan's Second Offer

On November 20, 1941, Ambassador Nomura gave Proposal B. This offer said Japan would leave southern Indochina. In return, the United States had to stop helping China. Japan also wanted the US to stop sending military forces to Southeast Asia. They also asked for "a required quantity of oil" and help getting materials from the Dutch East Indies.

The United States was going to make a counter-offer. It would have included a monthly supply of fuel for civilian use. However, President Franklin D. Roosevelt found out about Japan's war plans. He also learned that Japanese ships carrying troops were heading to Indochina. Because of this, he decided Japan was not serious about peace. He told Secretary Hull to drop the counter-offer.

By November 26, top American officials believed Japan was moving forces toward Thailand. They also thought Japan had a deadline of November 29 for talks. After that, they believed war would start very soon, probably with a surprise Japanese attack.

What the Hull Note Said

The Hull Note had two main parts. The first part was about general rules for countries to follow. It was called a "Draft mutual declaration of policy." These rules included:

• Respecting each country's land and independence.
• Not getting involved in other countries' internal problems.
• Treating all countries equally, especially in trade.
• Solving problems peacefully through talking and working together.
• Fair trade for everyone.
• Working together on money matters and getting rid of extreme trade limits.
• Allowing all countries to get raw materials fairly.

The second part of the Hull Note had 10 specific steps for the US and Japan to take. It was called "Steps to be taken by the Government of the United States and by the Government of Japan." These steps included:

• A peace agreement among many countries, including China, Japan, and the US.
• Both countries promising to respect French Indochina's land.
• Japan pulling all its military forces out of China and Indochina.
• The US and Japan only supporting the official government of China.
• Both governments giving up special rights in China.
• Starting talks for a trade agreement between the US and Japan.
• Unfreezing Japanese money in the US and American money in Japan.
• Agreeing on a plan to make the dollar-yen exchange rate stable.
• Not making agreements with other countries that would go against this peace plan.
• Influencing other governments to agree to these rules.

Final Decision to Attack

The Japanese naval force that attacked Pearl Harbor had already set sail on November 26, 1941, Japan time. This was November 25 in Washington. It could have been called back, but no more peace talks happened.

At a meeting on December 1, Emperor Hirohito approved attacks against the United States, the British Empire, and the Dutch colonial empire. On December 4, President Roosevelt was warned that Japan was very interested in the US West Coast, the Panama Canal, and Hawaii. On December 7 and 8, Japan began attacks against the Philippines, Guam, Wake Island, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Hawaii.

Images for kids

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  A friendly robot.

See also

In Spanish: Nota Hull para niños