Japan's southern offensive aims in large part at the Dutch East Indies oil fields. The United States had been restricting Japanese access to oil and using the shortage as economic leverage. A successful conquest would give Japan another source and reduce its dependence on American trade. Washington would then face a stronger Japanese position with one of its main coercive tools weakened.
Notable Point · 25:12-25:40
How conquered oil would weaken American leverage
Capturing the Dutch East Indies oil fields would reduce Japan's dependence on supplies that the United States had restricted.