MGW Japan Unit 2: Move to Global War — Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms and concepts from MGW Japan Unit 2 lecture notes.

unequal treaties

19th-century treaties forcing concessions on Asian powers, undermining sovereignty and opening ports to foreign nations.

Treaty of Kanagawa

1854 agreement between the U.S. and Japan opening ports and establishing diplomatic relations.

spheres of influence

regions in China or elsewhere where foreign powers exert economic and political control.

bushido

samurai code emphasizing loyalty, honor, and discipline.

Meiji Restoration

1868 return of imperial rule in Japan and rapid modernization of politics, economy, and military.

Shinto

indigenous Japanese religion, with emperor worship and state influence during modernization.

Zaibatsu

large family-controlled industrial and financial conglomerates shaping Japan’s economy.

First Sino-Japanese War

1894–1895 conflict where Japan defeated China, gaining Formosa and influence in Korea.

Triple Intervention

Russia, Germany, and France pressure Japan in 1895 to cede land after early victories.

Boxer Rebellion

1900 anti-foreign uprising in China; international coalition suppressed it and increased foreign influence.

Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902

Military alliance between Britain and Japan, signaling great power collaboration in Asia.

Russo-Japanese War

1904–1905 war won by Japan; expanded Japan’s influence in Manchuria and Korea; Portsmouth Peace Conference followed.

Kwantung Army

Japanese military force in Manchuria with significant political power.

Treaty of Portsmouth

1905 peace treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War; Japan gained Korea and influence in Manchuria.

Formosa

Taiwan; ceded to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War and ruled as a Japanese colony.

Southern Manchurian Railroad

Strategic railway in Manchuria used by Japan to project power and control resources.

Republic of China

Established 1912 after the fall of the Qing; led by the Kuomintang; later Civil War with the CCP.

May Fourth Movement

1919 Chinese nationalist and anti-imperialist movement sparked by protests in Beijing.

Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jie-shi)

Leader of the Kuomintang and ROC, opposed the CCP and resisted Japan during WWII.

Mao Zedong

Founding leader of the Chinese Communist Party and later the People's Republic of China.

Mutilated victory

Japanese term for Versailles outcomes that denied all hoped-for German Pacific colonies and racial equality.

Shantung peninsula

Shandong region; German colony returned to China under international pressure; contested by Japan.

Washington Naval Conference

1921–1922 conference limiting naval powers and outlining open-door policy in China.

5-5-3-1-1

Naval tonnage ratio from the Five-Power Treaty: US 5, UK 5, Japan 3, France 1, Italy 1.

Emperor Hirohito

Japanese emperor (Showa era) during WWII; symbol of national unity and expansionist policy.

Manchuria

Northeast China region invaded by Japan in 1931, leading to the creation of Manchukuo.

Mukden Incident

1931 staged explosion on the South Manchurian Railway used to justify invasion.

Manchukuo

Japanese puppet state established in Manchuria (1932), with Pu Yi as figurehead.

Shanghai Ceasefire Agreement

May 5, 1932 agreement that demilitarized Shanghai but left other areas under occupation.

Lytton Inquiry

League of Nations investigation that concluded Japan’s actions in Manchuria were unjustified.

Stimson Doctrine

U.S. policy of not recognizing territorial gains achieved by aggression.

French Indochina/Vietnam

French colonial holdings in Southeast Asia; Japan invaded Indochina to secure resources.

General Tojo

Hideki Tojo, military leader and Prime Minister who directed wartime policy.

Anti-COMINTERN Pact

1936 pact between Germany and Japan (later joined by Italy) opposing communism.

Marco Polo Bridge incident

July 1937 clash that escalated into full-scale Second Sino-Japanese War.

Second Sino-Japanese War

1937–1945 conflict between China and Japan that merged into WWII’s Asia theater.

Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

1937 agreement between China and the Soviet Union pledging non-aggression.

Quarantine Speech

FDR’s 1937 call urging economic measures against aggressor nations.

Rape of Nanking

Dec 1937–Jan 1938 mass killings and atrocities by Japanese forces in Nanjing.

Control Faction

Hardline military faction within Japan that sought to dominate government policy.

Strike North

Japanese strategy to move north into Siberia and confront the USSR.

Imperial Way Faction

Hardline faction within the Japanese Army advocating rapid expansion; later purged.

Strike South

Policy to expand into Southeast Asia and secure resources.

Khalkhin Gol

1939 border clash with the USSR in Mongolia; Japan was defeated, impacting strategy.

Tripartite Pact

1940 alliance among Germany, Italy, and Japan forming the Axis.

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

Japanese propaganda term for a bloc of Asian nations under Japanese leadership.

Invasion of Indochina

1940–1941 Japanese invasion of French Indochina to secure resources and test responses.

Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact

1941 pact ensuring neutrality between the USSR and Japan to focus on the south.

US oil embargo

U.S. embargo on oil and strategic materials to Japan, pressuring wartime decisions.

Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet; led to U.S. entry into WWII.