The American Legacy This reorganization did not push through because of the threat of a Japanese invasion, and the US had to make preparations against such threat. ated an oil embargo until Japan retreated from China. Considering that 80 percent of Japan’s oil requirements came from the US, this placed Japan on the brink of war. E. World War II By November of 1941, Pacific and Asiatic commanders had already been told that the prospects of an agreement with Japan was slight and soon after, the US War Department gave them a final alert.29 1. What was the cause of the war in the Asia Pacific? Japan invaded China in 1937 and seized Beijing and Shanghai and carried out a war to seize all of China. In July of 1941, it invaded French Indo-China, capitalizing on Hitler’s victory over France in 1940, to open a new strategic front to take out China. President Roosevelt froze all Japanese assets in the US on July 26, 1941. Britain and the Dutch East Indies also confiscated Japanese assets. On July 26, 1941, the U.S. organized the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), tasked with the rapid build up of US forces in the Philippines in preparation for an anticipated war with Japan. MacArthur was reactivated and promoted to Lt. General and made the head this new command. By August, US, Britain and the Netherlands East Indies initi- 2. Was the USAFFE adequately prepared to face the Japanese threat? MacArthur was confident with the US defense and offensive preparations they had set up in the Philippines. Under his command was an infantry totaling 150,000, consisting of 30,000 regulars (one-third of regulars being Filipinos in the Philippine Scout and PC units) with tank and artillery support and 120,000 Filipino mobilized reserves. In addition, he had an air force that had the 86 bombers (35 of them state-ofthe-art B-17 Flying Fortress bombers) and about 191 fighter planes which were stronger than Hawaii’s air capability. He could also rely on the Asiatic Fleet that had a flotilla of ships and a core of 36 new submarines. Though he did not command the Asiatic Fleet, it was based in the naval yard of Cavite (Sangley Point).30 77