Problems in the Pacific The most Modern nation in the Pacific at the turn of the century was Japan Japan had a powerful military, a strong western style government, and played a leading role in the formation of the League of Nations But the world wide depression which allowed the fascist to take control of Germany and Italy will hit Japan as well

As the economy of Japan began to decline there was a rise in radical groups who thought that democracy was to blame Several radical groups began to call for an end to the new government and a return to traditional ways These radical groups were especially popular with the military who had been cut back severely by the Japanese government and its adherence to treaties like the Kellogg-Briand treaty

In 1931 the Japanese military will take matter in its own hands The Japanese army attacked Chinese military units in Manchuria claiming and attack by China launched and offensive aimed at taking all of Manchuria for Japan The Japanese civilian government attempted to stop the attack but the military would not listen This became know as the Manchurian Incident and was the beginning of the end for democracy in Japan

After the Manchurian Incident the military will exert more an more control over the government, politician who opposed this control were assassinated Even though the military never officially took control of Japans government by 1936 the military had effectively if not officially taken over Japan The new military rulers of Japan restored the emperor as the “ puppet” leader of Japan who was being guided by the military

The success of Manchuria despite international protest encouraged Japan In 1937 Japan began its invasion of China, the Japanese army crushed the poorly equipped and organized Chinese Armies In one of the most notorious incidents of the war Japanese troops capture the city of Nanjing and brutally murdered at least 100,000 civilians Japans brutal war in China will attack international attention as not only the West but also the USSR will protest Japans actions

Chinese resistance to Japans invasion came from two groups the Chinese leader Jaing Jieshi or Chaing Kai-shek, and the leader of the communist rebels in China Mao Zedong While Japan controlled the major cities these two groups control the country side of China In 1940 Japan announced a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere extending throughout the Pacific and East Asia

Japan announced that it intended to liberate all countries within its Prosperity sphere of European control Also in September of 1940 Japan entered into the Axis alliance with Germany and Italy Japan quickly took control of former French and Dutch holdings in the region and began to also move on British holdings in Asia These newly captured areas gave Japan vast mineral and oil resources as well as control over the world rubber supply

The world would become increasingly alarmed at the aggressive military nature of the Japanese government The Soviet Union will begin to move troops to the Soviet Chinese border Britain will begin to send supplies to aid in the defense of China to the Chinese military via the Burma road In the summer of 1940 a retired army air corps major name Claire Chennault formed an American volunteer air force to defend the Burma Road nicknamed “The Flying Tigers” The Tigers and their P-40s were especially feared by the Japanese air force in China