Depth 3: The Japanese Threat 1931-41

Causes of the Manchurian Crisis (4)

Japan’s increased population

Japan already had influence in Manchuria

Murkden Incident

Jiang Jieshi/political situation in China

Example of Japanese influence in Manchuria before 1931 (2)

Southern Manchurian Railway

Military presence of Kwantung Army (also Manchuria bordered Japanese protectorate of Korea)

Why did Japan’s increased population lead to Manchurian invasion (3)

Needed more space, arable land and raw materials (which Manchuria had)

Murkden incident (date and events) (3)

September 1931

Kwantung army blew up segment of Southern Manchurian railway and blamed Chinese saboteurs

Kwantung army then overwhelmed the city

What was the Kwantung army

Japanese radical militarists who favoured overthrowing the civilian government in favour of military dictatorship

How did Jiang Jieshi/political situation in China lead to Manchurian Crisis (2)

By 1928 China united under GMD rule (Jiang Jieshi)

Threatened Japanese dominance in Manchuria as the warlord was supportive of China

Consequences of Murkden incident (4)

Jiang Jieshi’s lack of action

Chinese boycott Japanese goods

League of Nations

Shanghai conflict 1932

What was Jiang Jieshi’s response to Murkden incident (2)

Acquiese Japan until communists eliminated so united China could fight Japan (Japan were disease of the skin but communists were disease of the heart) (land for time)

Commanded war commander of China (Zhang Xueliang) to withdraw his troops from Manchuria

Result of Chinese boycotts of Japanese goods

Japanese sales in China cut by 2/3

League of Nations response (and date) (3)

Set up Lytton Commission 1931-32

found Japan guilty of aggression and compromising China’s sovereignty

Did not enforce decision with military force

By what date was Manchuria mostly under Japanese control

1932

Situation in Manchuria after Japan took over (4)

Last Qing Emperor Puyi put in charge

Renamed Manchuko

Infrastructure: roads built and Japanese stores opened

Chinese launched guerilla campaigns and attacked isolated Japanese garrisons/railway interests but largely quelled by 1937 with Japanese anti-bandit campaigns

When was first conflict in Shanghai

1932

Causes of conflict in Shanghai 1932 (2)

Ending Chinese boycott of Japanese goods

Japanese organised beat up of Japanese monks to justify

How long was Shanghai 1932 conflict

5 weeks

How many dollars in damages in conflict in Shanghai 1932

$1.5 billion

Activities undertaken by Japanese forces in conflict in Shanghai 1932 (3)

rape, loot, murder

How many Japanese troops in conflict in Shanghai 1932

more than 70,000

How many Chinese fled the conflict in Shanghai 1932

More than 200,000

Year of Treaty of Tangu

1933

Consequences of Treaty of Tangu (5)

Embarrassing as sacrificed Chinese sovereignty

Jiang weaker

Japanese set on course of territorial expansion (emboldened)(e.g. pearl Harbour 1941)

Indignities

Greater support for Kwantung army in Japan and by Japanese government - had more control over civilian government in Tokyo

Indignities suffered by China in Treaty of Tangu (3 areas)

Manchuria, Rehe and Shanghai became demilitarised zones and recognition Manchuria under control of Japanese

Causes of Sino-Japanese war 1937-39 (3)

Japan territorial ambitions

Jiang couldn’t defeat CCP

Marco Polo Bridge Incident

Examples of Japanese territorial ambitions before 1937 (2)

Chahar province annexed

He-Umezu Agreement = all GMD activities in Hopei province must cease

Why did Jiang eventually unite with CCP (3)

Jiang’s stance against communists was unpopular (why must chinese fight chinese?)

Communists irrepressible e.g. Long March

Xi’an incident forced Jiang to agree to united front

Date of Marco Polo Bridge incident

7th July 1937

What happened at Marco Polo Bridge Incident 1937 (4)

Skirmish at bridge escalated (10 miles outside Peiping)

Peiping garrison under Japanese control by 8th August

Chinese given ultimatum to withdraw from Peiping

Jiang didn’t give in

Date of second fight for Shanghai

August - November 1937

Casualties (Chinese and Japanese) in fight for Shanghai 1937

300,000 Chinese, 70,000 Japanese

Consequences of fight for Shanghai 1937 (4)

¼ of a million Chinese fled

Showed Chinese perseverance (anything other than an immediate retreat = success for China)

Opened second front in conflict (with eventually 40% of Japan’s troops stationed in China - more than they initially intended)

Catastrophe for Jiang

Why was fight for Shanghai 1937 a catastrophe for Jiang (3)

Extreme loss of life and property

Blind panic retreat to Nanjing

Chinese air force bombing of Japanese fleet missed targets and hit civilian areas

Which ports did Japan capture in their seizure of the coast 1937 (and when did they capture the GMD’s last port?) (4)

Tianjin, Xiamen, Shantou, Guangzhou October 1938 (giving them complete naval supremacy)

Causes of Rape of Nanjing (3)

Send strong psychological message (fall of capital)

Consistent with terror tactics

Revenge for Shanghai

How long was Rape of Nanjing

7 weeks

When was rape of Nanjing

Began 13th December 1937

How many died in rape of Nanjing on first day

24,000 (overall death toll surpassed Shanghai’s)

Where did Jiang retreat to after the rape of Nanjing

Chongqing

Key info about retreat to Chongqing (5)

Industries relocated out of captured areas e.g. Shanghai Machine works, steel mill from Wuhan and 150 factories

Stretched food and supplies

Mass corruption, inefficient

Nationalist taxation programme unpopular

Military rundown - by 1938 = conscription

Role of US in helping war effort (3)

war credits/loans to stabilise Chinese economy

Economic sanctions on Japan e.g. froze Japanese assets in US banks and stopped exporting tech to Japan

US pilots trained Chinese and volunteer service of pilots known as “Flying tigers”

Date of Pearl Harbour

7th Dec 1941

Significance of Peal Harbour for China (3)

US declare war on Japan (= allies with China) (significant ally as USA outproduced Japan 9:1 and useful as China had been facing Japan alone for 2 yrs)

Provide financial loan e.g. $500 million and $630 million ‘Lend-Lease’ package to provide China with military supplies

Flying tigers increased and reorganised

When did Soviets withdraw assistance to China

Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939