📘 SECTION 4 — War Comes to Asia

What dynasty ruled China before the twentieth century?

The Qing Dynasty.

Why were Beijing and Guangzhou significant to imperial China?

They were major political, cultural, and trade centers.

What role did opium play in China’s weakening during the 19th century?

Opium trade undermined Chinese society and sovereignty, leading to foreign intervention.

What was the First Opium War?

A conflict from 1839–1842 between Britain and China over trade and opium.

What did Britain gain from the First Opium War?

Hong Kong and access to five treaty ports.

What were “spheres of influence” in China?

Regions where foreign powers exercised economic and political control.

What was the Sakoku Edict of 1636?

Japan’s policy of isolating itself from most foreign contact.

Which port remained open to limited foreign trade during Japanese isolation?

Nagasaki.

Who forced Japan to open to Western trade in 1854?

Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States.

What was the Meiji Restoration?

The 1868 restoration of imperial rule and rapid modernization of Japan.

How did the Meiji Restoration change Japanese society?

It dismantled the shogunate, ended samurai privileges, and centralized power.

What happened to the samurai under the Meiji system?

They lost land and status but became part of a new military elite.

What was Bushido?

A warrior code emphasizing loyalty, discipline, and sacrifice.

How did Japan industrialize rapidly?

Through state-supported industry and powerful business conglomerates known as zaibatsu.

How did Japan’s military change during modernization?

The army and navy were reorganized along Western lines.

What was the First Sino-Japanese War?

A war from 1894–1895 in which Japan defeated China.

What were the results of the First Sino-Japanese War?

Japan gained Taiwan and ended Chinese control over Korea.

What was the Russo-Japanese War?

A conflict from 1904–1905 between Japan and Russia.

Why was Japan’s victory over Russia significant?

It marked the first time an Asian power defeated a European great power.

What did Japan gain after the Russo-Japanese War?

Dominance in Korea, leading to its annexation.

What was the Xinhai Revolution?

The 1911–1912 revolution that ended the Qing Dynasty.

Who led the Chinese nationalist movement after the Qing fell?

Sun Yat-sen.

Why was the new Chinese republic weak?

It lacked strong central authority and faced internal divisions.

What was the Shandong controversy?

A dispute over former German territory in China transferred to Japan after World War I.

What was the Chinese Civil War?

A conflict between Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek and Communists led by Mao Zedong.

Why did the Chinese Civil War pause temporarily in the 1930s?

Both sides faced the greater threat of Japanese invasion.

What changes occurred in Japan during the 1920s?

Political reform, social unrest, and continued militarization.

What were the Rice Riots of 1918?

Protests caused by rising food prices and economic hardship.

What major disaster struck Japan in 1923?

The Great Kantō Earthquake.

What reform expanded political participation in Japan in 1925?

Universal male suffrage.

Who became emperor of Japan in 1926?

Emperor Hirohito.

What was the Manchurian Crisis of 1931?

A Japanese invasion of Manchuria following a staged railroad explosion.

Why was the railroad explosion important?

It served as a pretext for Japanese expansion.

What was Manchukuo?

A Japanese-controlled puppet state in Manchuria.

How did the Manchurian Crisis affect China economically?

China lost major percentages of its oil, iron, and gold resources.

How did the League of Nations respond to the Manchurian Crisis?

It conducted an investigation but failed to stop Japan.

How did Japanese politics change after Manchuria?

The military gained dominant control over the government.

What was the China Incident of July 7, 1937?

A skirmish near Beijing that escalated into full-scale war.

What war began after the China Incident?

The Second Sino-Japanese War.

What was the Rape of Nanjing?

A mass atrocity committed by Japanese forces in December 1937.

What was the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere?

Japan’s claim of uniting Asia under Japanese leadership.

Why was the Co-Prosperity Sphere contradictory?

Japan conquered and exploited other Asian peoples.

Which colonial powers controlled much of Asia before Japan’s expansion?

Britain, France, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Why is 1937–1941 considered a preview of World War II?

It showed total war, civilian suffering, and international failure to stop aggression.

How did Japanese actions affect U.S. attitudes?

American opposition to Japan increased due to concern for China.

Why did Japan ally with Germany and Italy?

All three felt mistreated by the post–World War I order.