Japanese Expansion in East Asia (1931-1941) EA1

The Move to Global War

Causes of Expansion

Japanese nationalism

Militarism

Political Instability in China

Treaty of Kanagawa

The Impact of Japanese nationalism on foreign policy

Lead Asia

reject christianity & westernization; have a shogun

Take over Asian territories; ToK → political changes (emperor has power, modernization, feudal systems dismantled); military changes

• needed to show dominance through expansionism/gain respect, resources, land, more employment opportunities

Impact of Japanese militarism on foreign policy

The real ruler was the military general

no consulting other countries

promotion of national unity & patriotism; “rich country, strong military”

modernization of military

German military tactics adopted; Brit. helped develope new Ja. navy; expansion and conquering of foreign territories

Belief that because new territories were gained, more military meant more power and more protection for those new territories

Political instability in China

Mao Zedong vs. Jiang Kai-shek

LoN weakness → no aid to China in time of need in supplies or political stability

Opium Wars: became semi-colonial country (dependent on Br. economy)

Euro. powers gained economic, military, and legal privileges and access to ports

• China at mercy of other powers

Japan taking advantage of W. influence in China

CCW between communists & nationalists → distraction from Japan; a divided China stood no chance against Japan’s attacks

Significant events

Manchuria & Northern China Invasion (1931)

Sino-Japanese War (1937 - 1941)

Tripartite Pact (1941)

Outbreak of War; Pearl Harbor (1941)

Japanese invasion of Manchuria and N. China

Reasons for: resources, living space for population, security/buffer against Russia, expand, become the most powerful in Asia

Kwantang Army: blow up train tracks, frame China → justify invasion (Ja. controlled railway in S. Manchuria from Russo-Ja. war, blew it up)

China in Civil War

Full-blown invasion → W. relations deteriorated; LoN seen as hypocrites, Asian “monroe doctrine”; Ja. gov. forced to go along with military

the solution for the effects of Great Depression

Tojo Hideki came to power

• 21 demans

Sino-Ja. War

Rape of Nanjing → strip humanity (take the dignity and honor away from a culture centered by it), extreme violence, war of attrition

Beijing & Shanghai fronts

mass exodus of Chinese population

air raids

elderly killed

resistors killed

beheadings

burn/bury people alive

psychological warfare, fear

Chinese unite to fight against Ja. after Rape of Nanjing

wipe out nationalist regime

China doesn’t agree to Ja.’s peace terms → excuse to further invade → W. alarmed

Ja. military power and usage increases

Soviet Union Pact: N. border secure

Marco Polo Bridge

Manchuko → inland China

Western aid → China

Tripartite Axis Pact

Tripartite Pact (1941)

(Rome-Berlin axis pact)

German, Japanese, Italian alliance

Back-up for Sino-Ja. War

Similar ideals (divide & conquer world)

• against the W. (democracy for Germany & Italy), Germany and Italy control Euro. and Japan controls Asia (leave Americas alone)

International Responses

League of Nations & Lytton Report

Kellogg-Briand & Washington Pact

Second United Front in China

Tensions between US and Japan

France

Britain

League of Nations & Lytton Report

China appealed to LoN → Lytton Report (however at first LoN disregarded in the name of good Japanese relations as they were still in LoN; Ja. leaved LoN after report & sanctions)

Report: Japan’s actions unacceptable, Ja. told to free Manchuria

Several months for report to finish allowed Japan time to fully expand into Manchuria

Kellogg-Briand & Washington Pact

Promise not to use war to resolve disputes or conflict

signed by Germany, France, US, Japan, Italty, UK

criticized for its lack of significant impact on stopping Axis powers from starting WWII

was used to persecute key axis leaders in Nuremburg tribunal and Tokyo tribunal

Second United Front

Japan’s attack was supposed to demoralize China, instead created the United Front between communists and nationalists

Japan thought they were going after an easy target but instead, their attack proved China to be a more dangerous target for their ability to unite in the middle of civil war

Increased tensions between US & Ja. (and intl. response from France, Britain)

Lend-Lease Act: US lend out resources to other countries

France: didn’t want fall out w/ Ja, too much to gain from weakened China (feared communism and easier control over their economy), still suffering from Great Depression effects

Brit.: interests were not being threatened, lacked military supplies/ ability to threaten Ja., fear of communism, suffering effects of GD

US: isolationist, focusing on fixing economy, Ja. threatened US, FDR ally w/ China, sanctions onto Ja, tensions of “favoring” China over Japan (furthered with the Lend-Lease Act)