Japanese expansion into East Asia

Racial Equality Clause (1919)

Japanese proposal at the Paris Peace Conference demanding recognition of racial equality; its rejection deepened Japanese resentment toward Western powers.

impact of rejection of racial equality clause

led to increased Japanese nationalism and militarism, contributing to their expansionist policies in East Asia.

impact of great depression on foreign policy

Global economic collapse that intensified unemployment and shortages in Japan, motivating leaders to seek resources abroad through territorial expansion. seen in 1931 invasion of Manchuria for resources

Mukden Incident (18 Sept 1931)

Staged explosion on the South Manchurian Railway by Japanese officers, used as a pretext to invade and occupy Manchuria.

impact of Mukden incident of foreign policy

led to a more aggressive Japanese stance in foreign relations, justifying territorial expansion and military actions in Asia.

May 15 incident

A political incident in 1932 where Japanese military officers assassinated Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi, leading to increased military influence in government and national policies.

February 26 incident

An attempted coup d'état in 1936 by a faction of the Imperial Japanese Army aimed at destabilizing the government and promoting military control over Japanese politics.

coups

they contributed to the political instability and empowered nationalist and militarist factions that were pushing for expansion. eg February 26 incident

assassination attempts

on political leaders that aimed to destabilize the government and shift power towards military factions in Japan. eg the may 15 incident

Kwantung Army

Japanese military force stationed in Manchuria; acted independently to seize territory and create the puppet state of Manchukuo.

Manchukuo

Japanese-controlled puppet state proclaimed in 1932 in Manchuria under former Chinese emperor Pu Yi.

china’s division of geography

china was fragmented and divided by areas controlled by warlords. this hindered the development of a centralised government and weakened China’s ability to resist Japan’s invasion

Warlord Era (1916-late 1930s)

Period of fragmented rule in China when regional warlords controlled large areas, weakening Chinese resistance to foreign invasion.

The chinese nationalist government

ran by Jiang Jieshi/ Ching Kai Shek. It experience widespread corruption which limited their effectiveness. they also faced threats from the CCP which they had a civil war with. this led to political instability and eventual loss of support among the populace, contributing to Japan's opportunistic expansion.

Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek)

Leader of the KMT (1928-1949) who prioritized suppressing communists over confronting Japan until 1937.

Long March (1934-1935)

6,000-mile retreat of the Chinese Communist Party that saved its core forces and won peasant support, strengthening Mao Zedong’s leadership. It weakened the support for the nationalist government.

Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

Marxist-Leninist party led by Mao Zedong; rival to the KMT and later co-operated in the Second United Front against Japan. It gained support from the Long March

Japanese Invasion of Manchuria (1931)

Seizure of Manchuria by the Kwantung Army for resources and strategic depth, marking the start of Japan’s continental expansion.

the causes of the invasion of Manchuria and Northern China

• Japan desired economic resources and the countries acted as a market for their product

• Manchuria had natural resources such as coal and iron that Japan lacked. Japan need these to achieve autarky, to support their growing population, and to strengthen the military

• Japanese nationalism desired Japan to rule as an empire and dominate Asia

• weaknesses in China’s political system created an opportunity to invade

how the invasion of Manchuria and Northern China unfolded

After staging the Mukden Incident in 1931, Japan swiftly invaded Manchuria, establishing a puppet state known as Manchukuo by early 1932. The invasion was met with limited international response, allowing Japan to consolidate its control over the region.

consequences of the invasion of Manchuria and Northern China

short term:

• the establishment of Manchukuo

• Japan’s withdrawal from the LON → the undermining of collective security

• caused anti-Japanese sentiment in China

long term:

• encouraged further expansion into northern china

• the second sino-japanese war in 1937

Lytton Report (1932)

League of Nations investigation that declared Japan’s occupation of Manchuria illegitimate and called for withdrawal.

League of Nations Withdrawal (1933)

Japan’s exit from the League after condemnation over Manchuria, illustrating the failure of collective security.

Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)

Prolonged conflict between China and Japan involving massive civilian casualties and setting the stage for the Pacific War.

causes of the second Sino-Japanese war

• part of Japanese expansionist ambitions to dominate and rule east Asia

• Japan’s invasion of Manchuria which caused border issues with China

• Japan’s desire to remove China’s resistance

how the second sino-japanese war unfolded

it began with the Marco polo bridge incident. Japan then captured several major Chinese cities including Nanjing where they committed the Nanjing Massacre. Japan failed to secure control over China due to the large territory and the second united front which caused them to surrender in September 1945.

Marco Polo Bridge Incident (7 July 1937)

Clash between Japanese and Chinese troops near Beijing that escalated into the full-scale Second Sino-Japanese War.

Nanjing Massacre (Dec 1937)

Six-week atrocity in which Japanese troops murdered and raped tens of thousands of Chinese civilians after capturing Nanjing.

Great Wall Incident (1933)

Japanese military action that captured Rehe province south of the Great Wall, expanding Manchukuo’s borders.

aim of the Lytton report (1932)

• to investigate the Mukden incident

• to investigate the occupation of Manchuria

• to offer recommendations to resolve the conflict between Japan and China

wording of the Lytton report

the Lytton report recommended that Japan retreat from Manchuria as they recognised China’s sovereignty over Manchuria. The report found that japan’s invasion was not justified

consequences of the Lytton report

• Japan walked out of the LON

• showed the LON’s ineffectiveness in maintaining collective security

Pan-Asianism

Ideology promoting Japanese leadership of a united Asian bloc, used to justify imperial expansion.

Autarky

Policy of economic self-sufficiency; Japan sought conquered territories for raw materials to achieve this goal.

Collective Security

Principle that aggression against one state is a concern for all; undermined by League inaction against Japan.

Second United Front (1937-1941)

Temporary alliance between the KMT and CCP formed to resist Japanese invasion; collapsed after the New Fourth Army Incident.

Tripartite Pact (Sept 1940)

Alliance between Japan, Germany, and Italy pledging mutual assistance and deterring U.S. intervention.

South Manchurian Railway

Strategic Japanese-controlled rail line in Manchuria; sabotage of its track was used to justify the 1931 invasion.

what impacted japanese foreign policy

nationalism, militarism, and domestic issues

causes of the Second United Front

the CCP and the KMT realised Japan’s threat to their sovereignty. They decided to suspend fighting in 1937. It happened after Jiang Jieshi was kidnapped by his generals and forced to negotiate with the CCP

consequences of the second united front

the alliance was temporary and short lived but allowed them to fight to Japanese in a coordinated way. The unity ended in 1941, before they defeated the Japanese. The alliance was beneficial for the CCP because they could develop the Red Army during the break from civil war

agreements that invasion of Manchuria violated

1. covenant of the league of nations (1919)

2. nine-power treaty/ Washington naval conference (1922)

3. kellogg-Briand pact/ paris pact (1928)

impact of LON (1919)

japan was bound by article 10 which required members to respect the territorial and political integrity and political independence of all member state, including China

impact of nine-power treaty (1922)

obligated signatories, including japan, to uphold China’s sovereignty and to maintain open-door policy

impact of kellog-briand pact (1928)

renounced war as an instrument of national policy

what event marked a shift towards militarism and nationalism in japan

the assassination of PM Inukai on the 15th of may 1932

who assassinated PM Inukai

ultranationalist naval officers and members of the league of blood brother who wanted to restore direct imperial rule and dismantle democracy

why was PM Inukai assassinated

his attempts to negotiate with the LON and limit the Kwantang army’s actions in Manchuria clashed with militarist ambitions

what PM succeeded Inukai

Admiral Saito

what did admiral saito do in 1933

withdraw from the LON

why did saito withdraw from the LON

he gave in to military pressure and the Lytton report condemned their invasion of manchuria

what did the withdrawl from the LON signal

japans rejection of international cooperation and their emboldened expansionist policies

when did a violent coup trying to overthrow the government and establish imperial rule happen

26th of February 1936

who enacted the violent coup in 1936

the imperial way faction

impact of coup

killed high-ranking officials and increased the influence of the military over politics as the control faction consolidated power

what was the control faction

a military faction that believed in militarism and aggressive foreign policies

who supported the control faction

the emperor, privy council, zaibatsu

what did the control faction do

reorganised the economy for war and suppressed political groups

1933 report calling for japan to withdraw from manchuria

Lytton report

incident in 1931 that was used by the japanese to invade manchuria

mukden- the explosion of the south manchuria railway by japanese soldiers

the genro leader that appointed PM and approved treaties but slowly lost influence in the 1930s

saionji

emperor showa’s name before he became emperor

prince hirohito

japanese political party that was reluctant in their support of male suffrage

seiyukai

where were the japanese imperial army troops sent excessively

manchuria

impact of rice riots (1918)

PM terauchi resigned

number of successful attempts at assassinated the japanese PM

four

elite japanese army unit in manchuria

kwantung

leader of teh japanese communist party during the long march

mao

london naval conference

1930, Japan was granted the 10:10:7 ratio that it wanted

privy council

the advisory council of military and genro leaders that advised the emperor

name of manchuria after 1932

manchukuo

number of attempted coups in 1930s japan

six

Preservation of Peace act

1925 act to suppress leftist ideology

period after taisho that is marked by militarism

showa period

the first commoner and party politician to become PM

hara in 1918

the showa period lasted…

1926-1989

who had power in the taisho period

parliament and democratic parties

who had power in the showa period

military

what was the showa period marked by

censorship, propaganda, expansion

reason for 1930s economic issues in japan

rapid growth of population which required food imports

what was seen as the solution to japan’s economic problems

expansion through military

when did japan go to war with china

1937

when were the political parties in japan resolved

1940s

what party gained control in china’s rural areas

chinese communist party (ccp)

why did the london naval conference happen

to review earlier naval agreements as they did not want an arms race during the great depression

what prominent leader of the genro ordered the removal of ministers that objected to the signing of the london naval agreement

saionji

what happened to saionji for signing the agreement

he was shot by an ultranationalist assassin

why was expansion into manchuria deemed as necessary

• to achieve self sufficency

• solve over population

• clear out parlimentary government in favour for military under emperor

• source of cheap labour

• consumers of japanese goods

why were the ziabatsu labelled as traitors

for investing overseas and not in the japanese economy

what did the cherry blossom society and the imperial way faction want

to destroy all political parties and restore the power of the emperor

how did japanese political violence impact japanese foreign policy in the 1930s

leaders that advocated for peaceful policies and were against expansion were targeted