WWII: Military History Japan, Germany, the Soviet Union, England & the U.S.A.

The Rise of Japan Late 19th Cent.: Japan modernizes 1895: Wins Sino-Japanese War – Conquers Korea 1905: Wins Russo-Japanese War WWI: Japan joins Allies 1931: Generals seize Manchuria w/out govt. permission 1939: Japanese occupy ¼ of China – 9/39 Nazis and Soviets invade Poland Dec. 1941: Japanese attack Pearl Harbor

The Militarization of Japan “Keep Up or Fall Behind” – Late 19 th Cent. Japan realized it had to modernize or be dominated by Western powers – Japan lacked natural resources Post WWI – 1920s-30s saw Japan become increasingly militaristic – Moderate govt. became ruled by military – Emperor as “divine” figurehead

Key Figures Emperor Hirohito – Emperor of Japan during WWII Hideki Tojo – Prime Minister who pushed for war vs. the west Isoroku Yamamoto – Admiral who planned attack on Pearl Harbor Hajime Sugiyama – Army Chief of Staff

The Japanese Military in WWII Start of War: 1,700,000 men strong – Well motivated and supplied – Endured extreme hardship during war Allied blockades effective – Conscript army Militarized society prepared people for war Encouraged blind loyalty “BUSHIDO” Hand-to-hand considered the highest form of combat

Chinese Civil War ( ) – Nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-Shek – Communists, led by Mao Zedong – Stopped fighting and focused on Japanese in 1937 – Communists win after WWII, Nationalists fled to Taiwan

2 nd Sino-Japanese War Japanese army fights Chinese Nationalists and communists – US supports Nationalist army w/advisors and war material Chinese theater occupied large amounts of Japanese resources Considered key theater of war for Japan Japanese atrocities were rampant – Still sore point today

Japanese Advances in WWII Causes of Japanese Successes from – Allied unpreparedness – Technology Japanese Zero – Well-trained military Navy

Japanese Brutality Japan justified conquests with claims of “liberating” Asia from Western exploitation Reality: Japanese govt. indoctrinated its citizens with belief that Japanese were racially superior to other Asians – Koreans, Chinese regarded as “sub human” – Execution of prisoners/civilians, human experiments, rape, common throughout territory occupied by Japanese

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (Japanese Propaganda Poster) “With the help of Japan, China, and Manchukuo, the world can be in peace."

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (REALITY)

Germany