Japanese expansion dates

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