Japanese Expansion: Key Terms & Concepts

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to Japanese expansion and related WWII events.

Emperor Hirohito

The Emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989 who served as the symbolic figurehead of the state during WWII; his involvement in wartime decision-making is a subject of historical debate.

Kwantung Army

The Imperial Japanese Army’s dominant regional force in Manchuria that operated with substantial autonomy and played a key role in Japan’s 1931 aggression in the region.

Kuomintang

Chinese Nationalist Party founded by Sun Yat-sen; led by Chiang Kai-shek and ruled the Republic of China, opposing the Communists.

Chiang Kai-Shek

Leader of the Kuomintang after Sun Yat-sen; commanded Nationalist forces in China and led resistance during WWII, later retreating to Taiwan in 1949.

Manchuria

Northeast China region rich in resources; invaded by Japan in 1931, leading to the establishment of the puppet state Manchukuo.

Manchurian Crisis

1931–1932 crisis in which Japan invaded Manchuria following the Mukden Incident, resulting in the creation of Manchukuo and international condemnation.

Semi-Isolation

A policy of limited engagement with foreign powers, maintaining some traditional borders while avoiding full-scale alliances or entanglements.

Open Door Policy

U.S. policy advocating equal trading rights for all powers in China and the preservation of China’s territorial and administrative integrity.

Stimson Doctrine

U.S. policy declared in 1932 stating that the United States would not recognize territorial gains achieved by force, notably in Manchuria.

Collectivization

Agricultural policy of combining individual farms into collectively owned and operated units under state supervision.

Mengiang

Mengjiang, a Japanese puppet state established in Inner Mongolia to administer occupied territories during WWII.

Second United Front

Broad alliance formed in 1937 between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party to resist Japanese aggression.

Second Sino-Japanese War

Conflict between China and Japan from 1937 to 1945 that merged into World War II in Asia; marked by harsh warfare and atrocities.

International Settlement (Shanghai)

Foreign-controlled district in Shanghai governed by international law, with extraterritorial rights for foreign nationals.

Nanjing Massacre

1937 atrocity in which Japanese forces killed hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed soldiers after capturing Nanjing.

Tripartite Pact

1940 alliance forming the Axis between Germany, Italy, and Japan.

French Indochina

French colonial territories in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) that came under Japanese influence and occupation during WWII.

Oil Embargo (1941)

U.S. embargo on oil and strategic materials to Japan in 1941, contributing to Japan’s decision to expand aggression in Asia.

The Hull Note

The 1940 U.S. State Department note by Cordell Hull demanding Japan withdraw from China and Southeast Asia as a condition for continued relations.

Pearl Harbor

Japanese surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941 (local time), leading to the U.S. entry into WWII.

Philippines, Dec 8 1941

Japan’s invasion of the Philippines began on December 8, 1941 (local time) as part of the broadened Pacific War.

Guam, Dec 8 1941

Japanese assault on Guam on December 8, 1941; the island soon fell under Japanese control.

Wake Island, Dec 8 1941

Early Japanese attack on Wake Island as part of the initial Pacific campaign during WWII.

Vichy France

The collaborationist French government (1940–1944) aligned with Nazi Germany, governing unoccupied zones and colonies.

Tosei-ha

The Control Faction within the Imperial Japanese Army that supported centralized governance and steady expansionism.

Koda-ha

The Imperial Way Faction (Kōdō-ha) within the Imperial Japanese Army, favored more radical action and was often at odds with civilian government.

General Tojo

Hideki Tojo, a senior Japanese general who served as Prime Minister (1941–1944) and guided wartime military policy.

Neutrality Pact

Treaty pledging neutrality in the event of war with a third power; notably the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact signed in 1941.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

A 1928 international treaty that outlawed war as a national policy; widely signed but lacked enforcement mechanisms.

Mukden Incident

1931 false-flag sabotage of a Manchurian railway that provided Japan with a pretext to invade Manchuria.

Marco Polo Bridge Incident

1937 clash near Beijing that escalated into full-scale war between China and Japan, marking the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Fireside Chat

Series of radio broadcasts by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to communicate directly with Americans during the Great Depression and WWII.