the shogun isolated Japan from the outside world to protect its uniqueness
From 1122
Treaty of Kanagawa between Japan and the US
1854
Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Japan from the US
1853
Meiji emperor rule began after shogun power ended
1867
All children had to attend school for 6 years instead of 3
From 1903
Japan-Korea Treaty signed
1876
Japanese government established in Korea
1894
First Sino-Japanese War
1894-1895
Treaty of Shimonoseki
1895
Anglo-Japanese alliance
1902
Russo-Japanese War
1904-1905
Treaty of Portsmouth
1905
Japan declared war on Germany
23 August 1914
Japan issued the Twenty-one Demands to China
7 May 1915
series of Sino-Japanese agreements signed
25 May 1915
Four Power Pact
13 December 1921
Second Anglo-Japanese alliance
1911
Fiver Power Treaty
6 February 1922
Japan withdrew from second London Naval Conference
December 1935
Cotton textile production rose by 185%
1914-1918
Economy severely shrank
1920
Earthquake and fire in Tokyo encourage bank lending
1923
Economic boom following increased lending
By 1927
Economic collapse due to low interest rates
1927
Industrial output increased by 250%
1895-1915
Railways covered 5400km
by 1900
the 8 largest Zaibatsu controlled 20% of manufacturing, mining and trade
By 1918
Japanese GDP decreased by about 20%
1929-1931
Exports fell by over 40%
During the Great Depression
Agricultural prices declined by 45%
1929-1931
Government controlled by the military
1932-1945
March Incident
1931
October Incident
1931
League of Blood Incident
1932
15 May Incident
1932
Aizawa Incident
1935
26 February Incident
1936
Six of the nine PMs Japan had were admirals of generals from the military
1932-1941
China ruled by dynasties
2100BCE to 1912CE
Qing family ruled China
1644 to 1912
Emperor Puyi dethroned, ending imperial rule in China
1912
China led by its military leader, who was in the role during Puyi’s reign
1912 to 1916
China controlled by warlords
1916 to 1928
Manchuria declared independence under the rule of Zhang Zoulin
1922
Zhang Zoulin assassinated by members of the Kodoha faction under instruction from the Toesiha
1928
the CCP and GMD formed
1921
GMD Northern Expedition against the CCP and warlords, initiated by Jiang Jieshi
1927
Nationalist party had acquired sufficient territory to control most of China
1928
GMD sent troops to occupy the Shantung Peninsula where Japan had long term interests
1927
Japanese PM Tanaka forced to resign, showing that power really lay with the military
1929
Japanese government adopted the ‘Positive Policy’
1927
Members of the Kwantung Army developed plans to take over Manchuria, against the government’s wishes
1928
Mukden Incident, part of the Japanese owned railway was deliberately damaged by the Japanese
18 September 1931
Japanese gouvernement declared its army would fall back to the railway after the Mukden Incident, ignored by the Kwantung Army
24 September 1931
All of Manchuria under Japanese control, renamed Manchukuo
By February 1932
Emperor Puyi ruled China
1908 to 1912
Resolutions by the League to Japan’s invasion of Manchuria
September and December 1931
Lytton Commission established
December 1931
Lytton Commission began operations
January 1932
Lytton Report stating Japan should pull its forces back to the South Manchurian Railway
October 1932
Special Assembly of the League of Nations where 42 nations voted to condemn Japan’s invasion of Manchuria
February 1933
Japan left the League of Nations facing no consequences
March 1933
Jehol conquered by Japan
March 1933
Skirmish at the Marco Polo Bridge
7 July 1937
Japan formed the Shanghai Expeditionary Army
15 August 1937
Japan took control of Shanghai
By October 1937
Japan captured Wuhan
By 1938
Japanese siege on Nanjing
9 December 1937
Anti-Comintern Pact signed between Germany and Japan
November 1936
Japan occupied Beijing
July 1937
Japan had taken key centres of trade in the east of China (directly attacked western trade interests)
By 1939
Japanese governement declared a New Order in East Asia (union between Japan, Manchukuo and China)
November 1938
Japan occupied French Indochina; US imposed economic sanctions
July 1941
US gave $1 billion in aid to Soviet ports in the Pacific after Germany invaded the USSR
1941
Japan and the USSR signed a neutrality pact
April 1941
Hull note issued by the US to Japan
26 November 1941
Tripartite Pact signed between Japan, Germany and Italy
September 1940
Japanese forces moved into Southern Indochina from which they could threaten Siam, Malaya and the Dutch East Indies
24 July 1940
Japan expressed ambitions for the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere which would include South East Asia
1941
Japanese Premier General Tojo planned to defeat US forces in Hawaii so South East Asia could be seized
October 1941
A Japanese fleet travelled to Hawaii
2 December 1941
Attack on Pearl Harbour
Sunday 7 December 1941
US declared war on Japan
8 December 1941
Axis powers declared war on the US
11 December 1941
Japan attacked the Phillipines, US territories on the Island of Guam and Wake Island
8 December 1941
Malaya and Singapore captured by Japan (British territories)
By mid February 1942
Japan conquered Hong Kong (British territory)
December 1941
Thailand invaded by Japan, surrendered immediately and joined Japan to invade Burma
December 8 1941
Jiang forced to resign as premier of China’s government but still head of the military
1931
Jiang returned to the role of premier of China
1935
Tanggu Truce signed by China recognising Jehol and Manchuria as under Japan’s control
31 March 1933
Japan had committed over 750,000 ground troops to the Second Sino-Japanese War
By 1940
Wang Jingwei agreed to become head of the ‘New Government of China’ which was recognised by Japan
1940
China divided into three areas - GMD, CCP and Japanese occupation
By 1938
non-recognition/ Stimson Doctrine declared the US would not violate China’s territorial integrity
7 January 1932
US rejected 10 offers by Britain to offer joint mediation in the Sino-Japanese War
Between July and November 1937
US passed Neutrality Acts
1935, 1936, 1937
US navy ship the Panay sunk by Japanese aircraft
December 1937
US public opinion in favour of isolation; 7 out of 10 wanted to avoid conflict with Japan
1937
US continued trade with Japan so supported its war effort against China
Up to 1939