Much of the first half of the century Japan spent expanding and radicalizing the military by upgrading their fleets and armies

They would combine their military culture with Samurai culture and the idea of fighting to the death for the emperor

Japanese will start to turn very nationalistic and start to believe that they are not regional but global leaders.

Japanese fascism is different than European fascism 

• It is a rise of militarism that led to Japanese fascism 

• In Europe, the rise of fascism has led to the rise of militarism

By 1942

• Japan has land in the French Indo-China, Thailand, Burma 

• In China (famously Manchuria)

• And in the Pacific 

New Ruler after the old emperor died in 1926 

• Rise of Emperor Hirohito 

  • Showa Era (1926-1989)

  • Grandson of the Meiji Emperor 

• Similarly to the European leaders, he allows an increase of power of the military to take over Japan 

  • Appointment of Hideki Tojo 1941

• He allows the military to take over different islands because it brings honor to the emperor.

• The military would use that Samurai Mentality and even go around their own military leaders to serve the Emperor.

Hideki Tojo (1994-1948)

• Almost the Equivalent of Hitler or Mussolini 

  • One piece in the puzzle of Japanese Foreign Policy 

  • Was influential in both his careers in the military and civilian life.

• Because of his fame, he is named General of the Imperial Japanese Army (1934)

• He also became the Prime Minister under Tojo in 1941-1944

  • Architects of the Pearl Harbor Attack 

  • Influenced by the Samurai Code where honor and serving the emperor are the most important things even if you sacrifice yourself

• He would run his fascist military party 

  • Goal- Remove all backlash domestically so they can go destroy China 

  • Imperial Rule Assistance Association (1940): Remove sectionism to improve Japan’s total war against China

  • Hate the Western Culture- Thought it was corrupting and evil 

  • After the war is executed by the Allied powers after failing a suicide attempt.

Why did the Japanese want to expand their Empire? Why was china the Natural point of expansion?

• Background 

  • Pre 1929 Japan is dependent on exporting silk for their economy 

  • During the Great Depression countries stopped buying from the Japanese because they were taking care of their own economies.

    • The Smoot-Hawley Tariff: The American Tariff Made Japanese goods 200% more expensive to make Americans buy domestically.

  • Decline of the Silk industry 

    • 1923 ⅕ of the 1923 level was left.

  • With a declining economy, Japan looked to Manchuria because unlike Japan Manchuria had abundant natural resources like 

    • Coal

    • Iron 

    • Timber

  • Manchuria was also a very good infrastructure country for trading for Example 

    • Port Arthur 

    • Railways 

  • Finally, the Japanese population had to spread out because they were getting bigger and Manchuria had both space and good farming land to further increase their economic benefits

  • There was already a very insecure political environment in China 

    • China at the time was being ruled by warlords with no plan to actually help anybody but themselves (1916-1928)

  • Jian Jieshi (Nationalist. GMD) planned to end the era of the warlords and bring together China while getting rid of foreigners. 

    • He rose in power in the 1920s (The same time the Communists were)

  • In 1921 Mao & Communists (CCP) joins with the GMD to defeat the warlords. (They hated each other though)

  • In 1927 Jiang betrayed Mao and started killing communists while starting a 3-way war. 

    • All of these actions take China’s focus on Foreign Policy

• Kwantung Army 

  • Extremely nationalistic (eventually fascist) group w/ in the Imperial Army 

  • In 1906 they protected the Southern Manchurian Railway 

  • In 1919: There was a subgroup of the Kanyung Army 

    • Hoda-ha (“Imperial Way”): more aggressive & expansionist foreign policy

    • They would start operating on their own ignoring civilian and military policies or orders 

  • The reason they never punished 

    • Ties to the very wealthy 

    • As they expand they also bring in more money for the Japanese 

• Huanggutun Incident (1928)

  • Certainly a setup 

  • Manchuria still was being ruled by the warlord Zhang Zuolin in Manchuria 

  • The Kwatung Army believed that if they killed the leader and destabilized the leaders they could swoop in and pretend to help stabilize the region 

  • They Assassinate the Warlord by blowing up his train (The incident) 

    • Before the Japanese can move in his son takes over and pledges more Chinese nationalism 

  • The Reaction in Japan was loud and the Prime Minister asked for repercussions for the army 

    • Nothing Was done 

    • Because of the culture and the fact that he was famed the PM resigned from his position (1928)

  • Kwantung now has to think about how they should strategize against the Chinese now that the Chinese are even more nationalistic.

  • In the aftermath of the Huanggutun Incident in 1928, where the Kwantung Army assassinated a warlord in Manchuria, there were calls for repercussions from the Japanese government.

  • The Prime Minister at the time, faced with public outrage and demands for accountability, called for measures to be taken against the Kwantung Army.

  • However, despite the Prime Minister's stance, no action was ultimately taken against the military faction responsible.

  • Faced with the inability to enforce consequences for the actions of the Kwantung Army and the prevailing militaristic culture that revered its leaders, the Prime Minister felt his position untenable.

  • Consequently, due to the lack of support for his stance and the failure to hold the military accountable, the Prime Minister resigned from his position, signaling a significant capitulation to militaristic influences within Japanese politics.

  • This resignation underscored the growing power and autonomy of militaristic factions like the Kwantung Army, which operated with impunity and often disregarded civilian authority, thus further entrenching Japan's militaristic trajectory and expansionist ambitions.

  • Manchurian (Mukden) Incident (18 Sept 1931)

    • Explosion on a section of Japanese-owned South Manchurian Railway 

      • The Kwantung Army probably (definitely) did it 

      • They blamed the Chinese though and started moving north through China

    • Japanese Government response 

      • PM Wakatsuki directly calls for “ Non-expansion of hostilities,” which KA ignores

        • Sept. 24- The government announces KA will return to the railway zone, which they ignore & move further into the countryside.

        • Wakatsuki resigns because of damaged honor and embarrassment.

      • Feb. 1932 Japanese Government accepted the army and created  a new puppet state

        • Manchukuo

        • Installed Pu-Yi as the emperor

    • Aftermath of Manchurian Incident 

      • Jiang & Nationalists refuse to negotiate with Tokyo

        • Do not fully commit troops to Manchuria (concerned more with Mao & CCP)

      • CHinese people decided to boycott japan and actually do well 

        • Not enough to stop japan from continuing the invasion. 

      • GMD cedes more territory to japan to buy time, waiting for Japan to exhaust itself

      • Finally brings this situation to the League of Nations.

  • The League of Nations & Japan 

    • The purpose of the League was to establish collective security 

    • Japan was an active member of the League of Nations.

    • Other International agreements signed by Japan 

      • Washington Conference System: Naval disarmament + UK, US, FR, & Japan would confer if the conflict in the Pacific (1921-1922)

    • Nine-Power Treaty: “Open Door” policy in China + respecting China’s independence (1922)

    • Kellogg-Briand Pact: Renounced war, called for peaceful settlement of conflict (1928) 

      • Signed by the United States, the British, the Soviets, the Italians, the Germans, the Japanese, and more.

    • League of Nations: Lytton Report (1931-1932)

      • League se4nd Earl Lytton to investigate events in Manchuria 

        • Took Months 

      • Took a year after the initial incident for the Lytton Report to be released

      • Lytton Report

        • Condemned Japan 

        • Called for a withdrawal back to the Railway

        • Manchukwo is not a real state 

        • Manchuria should be given independence 

          • Recommended China and Japan sign a non-aggression pact.

        • LYTTON REPORT WAS WEAK 

          • France wanted a weak China to protect its interest 

          • UK: Conservatives not willing to get involved 

          • European states didn’t want to agitate the Japanese 

            • They could ally with the USSR 

            • Right now they are Against the USSR

          • All countries are still working on their Great Depression.

    • Shanghai Incident (28 January 1932)

      • Desire to expand further into China targeting Shanghai

      • Japanese instigated the fight by conducting Japanese incidents 

        • Five Japanese Buddhist monks were beaten near a Facfory by “Chinese civilians” (Most likely Japanese undercover)

      • Factory Burnt Down & anti- Japanese riots break out 

      • Battle erupts & Chinese are eventually forced to withdraw

      • Shanghai is demilitarized but the Japanese Troops remained

    • Japan Leaves the League of Nations (March 1933)

      • Withdraws in response to Lytton Report 

      • Wildly popular decision among Japanese people 

        • A combination of nationalism, belief in Western racism against the Japanese, & hypocrisy of Western powers 

        • Many believed that the League of Nations was restraining the Japanese 

    • Results for Japan After Manchuria 

      • Economic benefits of expansion through China (resources)

      • Need a sizeable army to occupy Manchuria

        • Costly (Taxing people at home )

        • Aimred to keep foreign powers out of Asia 

      • Japan isolated diplomatically 

        • Potential Soviet & US  naval threat (other Pacific powers)

      • Army now decision-makers, not government or emperor 

        • Increased popular support for the Kwantung army & the “heroes” of Manchuria, forced the government to accept army actions.

    • China’s Second United Front 

      • Since the end of the Ching dynasty there has been many social,economic , and military issues ‘

      • Jiang isn’t focused on any of them he is focused on the CCP and Mao.

        • This is a long running (1927-1949)

        • He doesn’t care about the Manchurian Crisis

      • Jiang strategy for Manchuria 

        • Let Japan Expand and tire themselves out 

          • Its NOt working 

      • In late 1936 he is kidnapped/captured by a warlord 

        • This is the same one whos father got killed by the japanese on their first attempt to take over Manchuria

        • They want him to join an Alliance with the CCP and Fight the Japanese or Die 

        • He agrees to take the idea and forms the “China’s Second United Front”(1936)

      • The War was suspended and the people were reluctantly united 

    • Start of the Second Sino-Japanese War (July 7,1937)

      • The Chinese military is outside Beijing and guarding the Marco Polo Bridge 

      • The Japanese are coming from Korea and expanding 

      • They fight for the first time at the Marko Polo Bridge

        • Just a military battle 

        • Gives the Japanese enough motivation to go to war with China 

      • In Weeks the Japanese seize the Capitol of Beijing

        • The Politicians in the Capital flee the city 

      • The Brutal Japanese raids caused one of the largest human exoduses in History to get away from the brutal tactics.

        • The Nationalists fled the city in the summer of 1937 and went to Nanjing 

        • Nanjing would fall Winter of 1937 and they would flee again.

      • As the military drove Japanese policy, the civilian government told the military to annihilate the Nationalists 

        • The Civilian and the Military government were aligned

      • China kept appealing to the League of Nationals but there was nobody who wanted to help

        • Japan had left 

        • Germany had left 

        • Italy had left 

        • The United States was never there 

        • Other countries just didn’t have interests to care of

    • Rape of Nanjing (Nanjing Massacre)

      • December - January 1937 

        • Seven weeks of Brutal rape, torture, robbery, and murder by Japanese soldiers upon innocent Ninking Civilians all abandoned by the nationalist government

          • 30,000 women raped

          • 12,000 murdered civilians

          • 30,000 fugitive soldiers killed 

          • The city was left in ruins 

      • All of these actions destroyed the Japanese international credibility 

      • Japanese nationalists today still deny the extent of the atrocities 

        • Severely hurts Sino-Japanese relations even today

    • Course of the SEcond SIno-Japanese War 

      • The Japanese never planned to fight a full-scale war with China

        • Just wanted regions of them 

      • They had undersestimated Chinese Nationalism and anger after the Rape of Nanjing 

        • They believed that would be a killing blow.

      • China lacked modern weapons and the industry to support that 

        • Most people were still farmers 

      • Japan believed they could talk China to stop the war 

        • The Chinese knew though that they would become 2nd class citizens in a Jpanese world 

          • Refused multiple offers to “join” Japan in 1938, and continued to fight 

        • 1940: Japan sets up the “Reorganized National Government of the Republic of china” under Wang Jingwei (an enemy of Jiang but a Chinese Nationalist) 

          • The State was a puppet state for the Japanese 

      • Japan had to keep pushing further into the interior, fighting a two-front war 

        • By 1938 Japan has captured 

          • Korea 

          • Manchurian ( Manchukwo)

          • Northeast region (southwest of Manchuria)

      • Things are looking for Japan in China 

        • A lot of Land captured 

        • Chinese Government on there last legs 

        • There getting a lot of money from China