How much was oil a motivation for Japan in the Pacific Theater? I know that Japan targeted the East Indies in part for its resources, including oil, and that a US oil embargo against Japan preceded the war. Was there anything else?
Thanks for knowledge.
You basically got it. The US embargo forced Japan into having to occupy the East Indies for its resources. More than 50% of Japan's oil relied on the US and it was calculated that after the embargo the war on China couldn't last for too much longer, so they pursued oil in the East Indies.