Japan sought to gain access to resources and markets in Asia during WWII, launching an invasion of Manchuria and expanding into Southeast Asia. This eventually led them into conflict with the Western powers and prompted the United States' entry into WWII against them. Despite their ambitions, Japan was unable to match Allied forces due to limited resources and were eventually forced to surrender following atomic bombings on Hiroshima & Nagasaki. The legacy of Japan's participation in WWII can still be seen today through their influence in East Asian politics and technological advancements made prior to their defeat.