DP History Paper 1: Japanese Expansionism

Anti-Comintern Pact

In 1936 Japan signed this with Germany and it was later ratified by Italy. It was in opposition to Communism but actually proved to be the foundation for diplomatic alliance between these three powers.

Pact of Steel

May 1939 - Italy and Germany; turned the Rome-Berlin axis into a full scale military and political alliance, an aggressive agreement

Tripartite Pact

1940 alliance between Japan, Germany, and Italy.

Mukden Incident

• 18 Sept 1931 - bomb explodes on railway in Mukden

• “False flag” event - set up by Japan to use as excuse to occupy Manchuria,

• Rapid successful takeover

Rape of Nanjing

Brutal Japanese attack on Chinese capital 1937-1938

Meiji Restoration

In 1868, a Japanese state-sponsored industrialization and westernization effort that also involved the elimination of the Shogunate and power being handed over to the Japanese Emperor, who had previously existed as mere spiritual/symbolic figure.

Marco Polo Bridge Incident

A clash between Japanese and Chinese troops in the outskirts of Beijing on July 7, 1937. The Japanese government used this as an excuse to occupy Beijing. When Chiang Kai Shek refused to give way, full-scale war broke out between China and Japan.

First Sino-Japanese War

conflict between China and Japan in 1894-1895 over control of Korea.

• China loses the war due to the advanced western technology of Japan

Second Sino-Japanese War

Series of incidents between China and Japan in the summer of 1937, most were open warfare.
Causes:

• Little resistance to Japanese expansion into the North of China (civil war, focus on Mao) “Japan is the disease of the skin, communism is a disease of the heart” (said Chiang Kai Shek 1887–1975. Chinese statesman and general)

• Marco Polo Bridge Incident - trigger for war (7 July 1937) - a clash of Japanese troops with Chinese troops

Major battles:

• Shanghai

• Nanjing (including infamous Rape of Nanking - 300,000 killed)

Effects:

• War helps unemployment in Japan and increases the military influence on the government

• 14 million killed in China

Attack on Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941

Lytton Report

Evaluating fault of Mukden incident

• March 1932 blames Japan for aggression causing Japan to leave the League of Nations

Triple Intervention

the combination of Russia, France, and Germany that pressured Japan to renounce the Liaodong peninsula in Manchuria in 1895

Russo-Japanese War

(1904-1905) War between Russia and Japan over imperial possessions(Korea). Japan emerges victorious.

• Russia wanted to take Port Arthur for trade, key port/railway link

Second United Front

Alliance between the Kuomintang (KMT) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during the Second Sino-Japanese War that suspended the Chinese Civil War from 1937 to 1946.

21 demands

A list of demands that sought to make China a Japanese protectorate

Shintoism

Religion located in Japan and related to Buddhism.

East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere

Imperial Japan's propaganda advocating Asia's release from European colonialists and creation of a new economy for Asians

Treaty of Tanggu

1933 treaty signed by Chiang acceding to Japanese control of Manchuria

Manchukuo

• Japanese puppet state established in Manchuria in 1931

• Pu Yi, the last emperor of China before 1911, becomes ruler

Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

After much deliberation, the U.S. decided to drop their newly developed atomic bomb killing thousands. After Japan didn't surrender, the U.S. dropped another one a few days after

Washington Naval Conference

1921-Britain, France, Italy, Japan & US agree to limit size of navy.

• 1922 Five-Power Treaty, later Nine-Power Treaty: 

• Ratios of allowed “capital ship tonnage” set at 10:10:6 (UK/US/JP)

•  When UK/US refused to equalize ratio, treaty not renewed in 1936 by JP

Stimson Doctrine

1932, Hoover's Secretary of State said the US would not recognize territorial changes resulting from Japan's invasion of Manchuria

Annexation of Korea

War where Korea was taken over by Japan as a colony in attempt to create a stronger Japan after isolation

May 15th Incident

An attempted coup d'état in the Empire of Japan launched by reactionary elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy, aided by cadets in the Imperial Japanese Army and civilian remnants of the ultra nationalist League of Blood

Diet

A public representative body of the government (people that represent the people)

Treaty of Kanagawa

1854 - opened ports for fueling due to Commodore Perry's influence. Granted U.S. the status of "most-favored nation" (other countries i.e. Russia had access too, but not same status as U.S.)

Sun Goddess

A god in Shintoism, emperors were believed to be descendants of her.

Treaty of Shimonoseki

(1895): Disastrous treaty for China, ending the Sino‑Japanese War (1894‑1895). Under its terms Korea effectively became a Japanese protectorate. China ceded to Japan: Taiwan, the Pescadores, the Liaodong region of Manchuria, added four more treaty ports, and promised to pay Japan war indemnities.

Anglo-Japanese Alliance (1902)

1902 - the alliance between Japan and Britain, consisted of the countries agreeing to aid each other militarily if either was at war with two or more countries (if either is fighting only one country, the other may remain neutral). Ended Japan's diplomatic isolation, first time a military alliance was signed by a western and non-western country

Privy Council

a small government body composed of the élites whose approval was required for laws, major political appointees and else; controlled access to the emperor and were heavily relied on by him

Feudalism

a political system under which the peasants offered their loyalty and services (military or other) to a landlord in exchange for access to a portion of land and its harvest.

Education and loyalty to the state

• Compulsory education increased from 4 to 6 years

• Literacy rate increases - yet leads to people reading political brochures and being critical of the government

• The government began to enforce loyalty to state/emperor as a reaction

• Teachers and students forced to participate in military drills at school

• Leads to radical nationalism

nationalism

ideology that one’s country is superior and holding excessive pride for it. Nationalist ideologies usually claim that their respective nation possess special national characteristics or virtues that make them morally and intellectually superior to all other nations and should qualify their nation state for a special or privileged role in the world at large.

Japan’s special mission

 The belief in Japan’s superiority based on:

• Belief that the emperor was a descendent of the Sun Goddess 

• Only non-European power to be not defeated by a European powers or the USA

• Japan’s long history of independence/never being colonized

• Majority of Japan was populated by Japanese people with shared culture and history (provides feeling of unity, easier to create the “us vs them” narrative) 

• Only non European country to defeat a European country - Russia (Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905) 

• Was a major military and industrial power by 1920 and one of the significant states at the Paris Peace COnference of 1919 (peacemaking after the First World War) 

Consequences of Japan’s radical nationalism

• overt racism towards other asians, especially Koreans

• rise of militarism - build a large army to protect itself “and Asia” from American/European dominance

History of Korea and Japan (1876 - 1905)

• Japan invaded Korea in the late sixteenth century, but was forced out by Korean and Chinese military

• 1876 - Japan had the Western military technology and a desire to export manufactured goods, forced Korea to sign a Japan-Korea Treaty (1876) which led to three changes: Korea no longer a tributary to China, Japanese citizens couldn’t be tried in Korea, Korea could not impose any restrictions on Japanese trade, Japan had access to three ports for their exports 

• 1884 - supporters of Japan briefly overthrew the Korean government in a coup d’etat. Counter coup launched and supported by the Chinese military. Obvious that Korea can’t defend itself -> Britain used this as an opportunity to take over a port city in 1885 in Korea. 

• 1894 - major peasant revolt against the Korean government, mostly because they were upset at Japan’s involvement in the country's affairs. Korea asked China for assistance, Japan declared that Korea was going against the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1876 and occupied the capital with 8000 troops, installed a new government and assassinated the opposition leader, Empress Myeongseong. All leads to war with China.

Tributary

presents funds or manufactured goods to a stronger state for protection

Treaty of Portsmouth

(1905) Ended the Russo-Japanese War,

• affirmed the Japanese presence in south Manchuria and Korea

• Korea becomes Japan’s protectorate

• Russia gave the southern half of the island of Sakhalin to Japan.

Protectorate

a state which is controlled or protected by the other

Japan’s involvement in First World War

• Were on the Allies side, helps Britain as per their Anglo-Japanese Alliance of (1902) 

• seized the German naval base in China, but it was later returned to China as a part of - Washington Naval Conference in 1922, 

• Japan was awarded a former German island - The South Sea Mandata. 

• Japan settlers there soon outnumbered the natives, exploited their natural resources and built fortifications. 

• Withdrew from Paris Peace Conference due to “unfair treatment” 

Five Power Treaty

• Five Power Treaty (part of washington naval conference) - 5:3:5 ratio on battleships

• Continued resentment against being forced to agree to ratio - inadequate defence

• Yet wanted to maintain stance of compromise rather than antagonism

Manchuria

• low population but resource-rich, especially minerals

• potential buffer state against communist USSR

French Indochina

• Used to send Soviet war materiel to Chinese govt in central mountains

• France gets defeated by Nazi Germany, so Japan occupies northern Indochina to block supply routes (Haiphong - Kunming)

• In return, recognizes Vichy France

• Eventual occupation of all region

• USA not happy - freezes Japanese assets, bans sale of oil, sends money to Chiang Kai-Shek government

Oil Embargo

• USA largest supplier of oil to Japan - crucial to its economy

• Japan had an 18 months reserve.

• With no oil, must either withdraw from China or find closest source (Dutch East India - now vulnerable due to defeat in Europe)

• Starts planning surprise strike on Pearl Harbor hoping USA would be shocked and not respond, or would be a long response, enough time to take Dutch East Indies

• Neutrality Pact between Japan and USSR

Neutrality Pact (Japan and USSR)

• a non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan signed on April 13, 1941

• Avoid fighting on too many fronts

Hull Note

• American ultimatum to Japan written by US Secretary of State Hull

• Demands removal of all troops from China, French Indochina

• No effect / response from Japan

• US thought Japan was preparing to invade Thailand

• Instead, Japan’s naval fleet set sail for Hawaii the same day of the note

Pearl Harbor

• 7 / 8 December 1941

• Two waves of attacks involving 353 aircraft

• Significant US losses (4 battleships, 2400 people)

• Minimal Japanese losses

• FDR declares “day of infamy” and war on Japan

• Concurrent attacks on Philippines, Guam, Wake Island (US territories gained from Spain in Spanish-American war)

• Later attacks on Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, (Thailand), (Burma)

Seven Key Events

• Sept 1931 - Mukden Incident (Manchurian Crisis)

• March 1933 - Japan leaves League of Nations

• Dec 1934 - Japan leaves Washington naval treaties

• July 1937 - Marco Polo Bridge Incident

• November 1938 - East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere proposed

• September 1940 - Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy

• July 1941 - US places oil embargo and asset freeze on Japan