Was World War 2 fought over oil?

Answer 1

Multiple past and current conflicts exist over geopolitical interests and objectives, specifically oil and natural gas resources. In the context of World War II Germany held the strategic and existential military objective of seizing Caucasus and Kazakh oil fields to fuel and cement their war machine. Vice versa the United States strategically bombed German held fields and refining capacity in Romania as another dimension to oil and warfare. Modern conflicts over oil as national interest have included the First and Second Gulf War in addition to Chinese territorial claims over the South China Sea.

Answer 2

Albeit partially; the greatest naval war in the history of man---World War II in the Pacific was actually fought over oil; specifically the DUTCH EAST INDIES, today called Indonesia/Malaysia areas. Warships, especially Imperial Japanese Warships, since they were on the offensive, consumed oil by the thousands of tons worth DAILY! It was said that the oil in the Dutch East Indies was so pure that Imperial warships could pump the fuel directly into their men 'o war without processing it.

On the other side of the coin, US Navy submarines went after OIL carrying Japanese transports (tankers) with a vengeance. Japanese oil tankers were always a number 1 submarine target.

Answer 3

World War 2 WAS fought over OIL as many wars have been fought over oil but it is not the SOLE reason the war existed. Japan and Germany wanted and needed oil and many Natural Resources because those countries lack oil and natural resources. Japan's main motivation was Imperialism and securing oil fields and places that had the natural resources they so desperately needed. Adolf Hitler needed enough oil to run Europe under the Third Reich and too conduct war until he had victory over all of Europe.

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor for two primary reasons: The US oil embargo placed on Japan and to keep the US Navy from coming after them as they continued their imperialistic invasions and killings of innocent people. The US had been negotiating over the oil embargo with Japanese officials but the Japanese chose to declare war on the US instead (55 minutes after they attacked Pearl Harbor).