1. World War Two
Asia and the Pacific

2. Causes Japanese need for an empire The need for raw materials
They wanted the prestige of an empire and to show European countries that they were not inferior
The need for raw materials
Japan needed raw materials to fuel its industry
The need for a market
Japan wanted an empire so that they would have a permanent market for exports

3. The Sino-Japanese War Japan conquered Manchuria in 1931
They looked to exploit divisions in China by invading them in 1937 at the Marco Polo Bridge Incident
Japan gained ground quickly in China due to superior technology, tactics, and training
By the end of 1937, most of northern China was captured by Japan

4. The Rape of Nanking
In December 1937, the Japanese captured the Chinese capital of Nanking (Nanjing)
Japan figured the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek would surrender, but they did not
In an attempt to force a peace agreement, Japan allowed its soldiers to rape, mutilate and murder 100, ,000 people in Nanjing
This incident hardened Chinese resolve to fight the Japanese

6. Continuing Expansion
After getting bogged down in China, Japan started to look at the European empires in South-East Asia
Japan was awarded Indochina by Germany after France surrendered in 1940
Japan first looked to invade the Far-East USSR, but was defeated and signed a non-aggression pact
In response, the USA cut off oil supply to Japan, which was 80% of their supply
The American intention was to dissuade Japanese aggression but it made them desperate

7. Pearl Harbor
In order to get at resource rich South-East Asia, the Japanese figured they would have to disable the American navy
On December 7th 1941 Japan launched a successful attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
7/8 American battleships were destroyed or disabled and 200 planes were destroyed
Germany and Italy declared war on the USA
The USA was now officially part of the Allies

8. Taking South-East Asia
On December 8th the Japanese engaged in a series of rapid and effective strikes against:
British: Hong Kong, Burma and Malaya
Thailand
USA: Philippines
Holland: Dutch East Indies

9. The Battle of Hong Kong
Anxious about defending the small colony, Britain asked Canada to send troops to Hong Kong in 1940 to defend it in case of a war against Japan
Canada sent almost 2,000 troops
Japan invaded Hong Kong on December 8th 1941
They quickly broke the British defenses
The Island officially surrendered on December 25th 1941
The Japanese raped the nurses and bayoneted the wounded in the British hospital
Nearly half of the 555 Canadian deaths were in POW camps

10. Empire of the Rising Sun
By mid 1942, Japan controlled 6,000 square miles
Germany controlled 4,000 square miles
Their empire stretched half way across the Pacific

11. Racial Warfare
The Japanese believed they were the racial superior to other Asians and other races
They treated other races very poorly
In China, they killed civilians indiscriminately (at a cost of around 20 million lives)
They used Koreans as “comfort women”
They did not treat Jews any worse than other Europeans
They degenerated the Asian and Pacific war into a racial war

12. In Canada and the USA, racism was turned back on the Japanese
The Japanese saw surrender as worse than death and therefore they treated Allied prisoners very poorly
POWs were made to do slave labour until they died
At the end of the war, only 45 Chinese POWs remained alive
In Canada and the USA, racism was turned back on the Japanese
They were made to be “little men” or monkey-like
The Japanese were interned in camps

14. Island Hopping
Slowly, the USA and the allies retook the Islands in the Pacific after winning the Battle of Midway by sinking 4 Japanese aircraft carriers
The Japanese fought to the last man on Islands such as Okinawa and Iwo Jima, causing massive American casualties as well
Japan resorted to suicide Kamikaze tactics

15. Casualties
China: 3.8 million soldiers killed, 17+ million civilians killed United Kingdom 52,000 killed (12,000 in captivity):
Indian Empire: 86,838 killed
USA: 106,207 killed, 248,316 wounded and missing Philippines: 57,000 killed Australia: 17,501 killed Soviet Union: 12,031 killed and missing, 24,425 wounded and sick
Japan:1,740,955 military deaths 393,000 civilian deaths