Asia Causes & Practices

What happened to Japan during the Meiji period?

• Japan had a policy of relative isolationism for centuries

• In the mid 1850s, the US forced japan to open for trade based on unequal treaties that undermined japanese soviergnty

• The meiji government began to learn from American and European colonisers (1871-1873) - Iwakura mission - they learnt the importance of colonies

Expansionist japan

• Industrialised rapidly in late 19th century using Western techniques - built a modern army and navy

• The islands around japan needed resources so the government felt that they had to expand to provide

• Japanese national exceptionism, which promoted militarism and racial superiority, permeated society and further encouraged an aggressive foreign policy

Timeline for Japanese expansion pre war

1895 - Japan defeated China in the first Sino-japanese war and annexed Formosa

1905 - Japan defeated russia in the Russo-japanese war

1910 - japan annexed korea

1914 - as one of the allies in WW1, took over German naval base at Kiaochow

1919 - Post war peace treaties gave japan the South Sea Mandate, giving control to a bunch of former-german islands in the pacific

During 1930s Japan:

• Invaded Manchuria (1931)

• withdrew from the LoN (1933)

• joined Germany and Italy in the Anti-comintern pact (1936-37)

• invaded china (1937)

• attached USA (1941)

Commodore Perry & The “Four Black Ships of Evil”

• 1853 & 1854

• known for forcefully opening Japanese borders in 1854

• assessed Japanese stance on isolationist diplomatic relations - understood they would only open if faced with aggression and resoluteness

The Meiji Restoration

• 1868 - Established the Meiji Emperor as head of government in Japan, ending centuries of feudalism. Introduced an elaborate personality cult of the emperor as the divine leader of Japan

• The new government introduced a series of reforms, causing many tensions in Japan.

• Eventually an ultranationalist state developed, with increasing power and influence for the military.

• The Meiji period (1868–1912) led to major political, economic, and social change that brought about the modernisation and Westernisation of the country.

The rise of radical nationalism

• aka National Exceptionalism

• education + loyalty to the state “Rich country, strong army”

• “National unity was armed unity. National education was military education.” - Ian Burma

The First Sino-Japanese War

• 1894 - Japan aimed to establish control over Korean peninsula. Korea asked assistance from China - Japan sent troops first.

• Japan’s army proved stronger because it was more modernised

• Victory viewed in Japan as confirmation of superiority over China - “Higher civilisation”

• Meiji slogan ‘Rich country, strong army’ celebrated Japanese power.

• Japanese victory led to tensions with Russia for control over Korea and Liaodong Peninsula - Britain, France, and the US pressured Japan to relinquish the Liaodong Peninsula

The Russo-Japanese War 1904-05

• Russia secured its interests by getting permission from China to extend the Trans-Siberian Railway to Vladivostok and build the South Manchurian Railway + secured a 20-year lease on the Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur (1898)

• As conflict with Russia became more likely, Japan signed the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in 1902

• Japanese navy attacked the Russia Pacific Fleet in 8 February 1914

• Japanese sunk the Russian fleet in the Tsushima Straits

• Tsar Nicholas II wrongly predicted the war as ‘splendid little war’

• In treaty of Portsmouth, Japan acquired South Sakhalin, the leasehold over the Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur, and control over the South Manchurian Railway.