coldwar-US containment in action in Asia

general douglas macarthur

• 1880-1964

• was a career soldier

• was supreme commander of US forces from 1942

• accepted japans surrender in september 1945 aboard the USS missouri

• became the governor of japan during the period of occupation

hirohito

• 1901-89

• titular head of japan during its phase of aggressive nationalism and imperial expansion in the far east and pacific during 1930s & WW2

• emperor of japan during this time

US policy towards japan before 1947

• after japan surrendered after WW2 the US began sole occupation of japan according to an agreement among the USA UK USSR and china - agreement lasted till 1952

who was given decision making powers to help rebuild japan

General Douglas MacArthur

what did rebuilding japan include

re-education democratisation economic reform and demilitarisation

when was the reverse course policy towards japan introduced

1947

what was the reverse course policy

the USA was not focussed on the punishment of japan but instead it wanted the development of firm democratic institutions and practises towards an emphasis on economic reconstruction which will ensure political stability would be achieved

what was japans recovery viewed as by USA

essential element of its power base in eastern asia

who did the USA target instead of suspected war criminals in japan

communists

how did USA ensure that japan remained aligned to USA and became less vulnerable to communist influences

the restoration of key right wing conservatives in japans political, administrative and economic structure

what was a central element of the USA’s planning for post-war japan

economic stabilisation

how would USA achieve economic stabilisation for japan

• increased regulation of trade

• price controls

• a more efficient taxation system

• wage controls

• stricter lending criteria

• a balanced budget

• increased regulation of foreign exchange

why did USA ensure economic stabilisation in japan

• for control and austerity

• for accelerated economic recovery in order to align japan with the USA and its capitalist economic system

who was appointed as economic advisor to SCAP and given the responsibility of implementing the plan for economic stabilisation

joseph dodge

dodge and hayato ikeda (japans finance minister) agreed and produced ..

a super balanced budget - this set a target of a surplus of nearly 157 million yen($4 million)

what was the super balanced budget

all government income and expenditure was very closely monitored and conformed to strict guidelines

joseph dodge

• 1890-1964

• economic advisor for US policy in both germany & japan after WW2

• specialised in drafting plans for economic stabilisation

• succeeded in brining japans rising post war inflation under control

what was GATT

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (october 1947)

formed through a multinational agreement to manage international trade and attempted to minimise tariffs and duties in order to maximise international trade

what did USA demand as a result of japan wanting to become an active member of world institutions and particularly those linked to the west

USA demanded that japan join the GATT

what was the outcome of japan joining GATT

strengthened japans access to western trade but it also prevented trade with communist china from 1950

mao zedong

• 1893-1976

• founding member of the chinese communist party

• established the peoples republic of china october 1949

• marxist-leninist and hard-line communist

what impacted japans geopolitical significance to the USA

february 1950-communist chinas leader Mao formed a military alliance with the USSR

november 1950- chian joined north korea in the war against south korea

what was the impact of china joining the korean war

• led to the globalisation of containment and an increasing commitment on the USA’s part to see its role as a global policeman

• suddenly japan became a crucial component in the USA’s quest to contain communism in the far east

why was the san francisco peace treaty created

• it would restore japans sovereignty and provide security for japan

• in return for japans acceptance of US troops on japanese territory

who negotiated the san francisco treaty

japan prime minister Yoshida and USA’s chief negotiator Dulles

Shigeru Yoshida

• 1878-1967

• japanese prime minister

• supporter of japanese imperialism during 1930s - but was rehabilitated after WW2

• focussed on japans economic recovery

• his acceptance of US protection was known as the yoshida doctrine

john foster dulles

• 1888-1959

• American Secretary of State

• saw USSR as both strategically and ideologically expansionist

• developed the strategy of rollback

when was the san francisco peace treaty signed

september 1951

which allied powers did NOT sign the san francisco treaty

USSR and peoples republic of china

what did the san francisco treaty not do..

• place significant restrictions on japans economy

• place significant restrictions on its future political model

• identify japans responsibility for the war

• restrict japans future rearmament

• impose reparation payments for those southeast asian states occupied by japan during the war

what did the san francisco treaty do…

• recognise the full sovereignty of the japanese people

• force japan to renounce any claims to a wide range of neighbouring territories including korea , formosa(taiwan) the kurile islands the spratly islands and the paracel islands

what did USA require japan to sign in return for this treaty

bilateral security agreement - known as the US-japan security treaty (1951)

what did the US-japan security treaty give the USA

• unrestricted use of military bases in japan

• administrative control of Owkinawa

• the right to use military force to intervene in any international disorder in japan

• the right to veto japan offering military bases to other states

how many people did Macarthur order japan to establish a national police reserve (NPR) to be trained by a US military advisory team

75,000

when did the japanese government establish a force of 110,000 ground troops and 7600 maritime personnel - known as the National safety agency

august 1951

when did the US joint chiefs of staff announce plans for a japanese airforce

november 1952

what was agreed by july 1954

• a new 140,000 strong self defence force should be created

• supported by US funding of $240million and the sale of US agricultural surplus to japan

what was US policy towards japan driven by till 1954

threat of communism in korea

what led to USA’s change in attitude towards japan about now managing rearmament

rearmament had been an economic asset to japan but it also created some internal instability due to pro and anti rearmament attitudes

jiang jeshi

• 1887-1975

• chinas nationalist anti-communist leader

• after defeat in the chinese civil war(1949) he was exiled to become leader of the republic of china based on the island of taiwan

which two parties were involved in the chinese civil war

• nationalists led by jiang jeshi

• communists led by Mao

who was seen as inevitable of being victorious in chinese civil war

The Chinese Communist Party led by Mao

who won chinese civil war

The Chinese Communist Party under Mao- leading to the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

what was Mao’s concern about the USA due to his victory

USA would support an exiled jiang jeshi from taiwan - which would undermine maos aim of ensuring a united and intact communist china

when was the sino-soviet treaty signed

february 1950

when was the defensive perimeter strategy created

january 1950

what was the defensive perimeter strategy

A military strategy outlining the USA’s plan to protect key areas in Asia from communist expansion - particularly the USSR and china

what countries were apart of the defensive military strategy

• Japan

• Philippines

• Taiwan

• Thailand

• Australia

• New Zealand

• Okinawa

• Guam

• Pacific islands and Micronesia

what triggered a fundamental review of the USA’s strategic objectives and priorities

• september 1949 the USSR tested its own atomic bomb

• truman ‘lost china’ to communism

what was the review emerged as..

NSC-68

when was NSC-68 launched

April 1950

what was NSC-68

• stressed the urgency of building the USA’s political, economic and military power

• focussed on the globalisation of the cold war

• there was a powerful military emphasis on the application of containment