Q: What action did the United States NOT take against Japan before the attack on Pearl Harbor?

Choices are:
A. cut off the sale of oil and metal to Japan
B. sent the Japanese ambassador back to Japan
C. froze all the Japanese assets in the United States
D. discontinued negotiations to resolve differences

To determine which action the United States did not take against Japan before the attack on Pearl Harbor, we can analyze each choice and eliminate the one that was not taken. Let's examine each option:

A. Cut off the sale of oil and metal to Japan: This option refers to the imposition of economic sanctions against Japan. The United States did take this action before the attack on Pearl Harbor, as part of their efforts to influence Japanese policies and actions.

B. Sent the Japanese ambassador back to Japan: This option relates to the expulsion of the Japanese ambassador from the United States. The United States did take this action before the attack on Pearl Harbor, severing diplomatic relations with Japan.

C. Froze all the Japanese assets in the United States: This option involves the freezing of Japanese financial assets in the United States. The United States did take this action before the attack on Pearl Harbor, as part of their response to the deteriorating relations with Japan.

D. Discontinued negotiations to resolve differences: This option reflects the termination of diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Japan. The United States did take this action before the attack on Pearl Harbor, after the Japanese government failed to meet certain demands.

Based on this analysis, it becomes clear that the action the United States did not take against Japan before the attack on Pearl Harbor is B. They did not send the Japanese ambassador back to Japan. Instead, they expelled the ambassador and severed diplomatic relations.