1. Japanese Expansionism

2. 1.1 The impact of nationalism and militarism on Japan’s foreign policy: the origins, 1853-1930

3. Origins of Japanese nationalism and militarism
Several factors contributed to the growth of Japanese nationalism
Determination to transform Japan into a “western-style” power & compete with Western powers
Japan’s Destiny: Leader of Asia
Need for raw materials
Security
Actions of Western Powers
Growing support within Japan for militarism and expansionism
Origins of Japanese nationalism and militarism

4. Why was Manchuria so important?
Area of China closest to Japan
Four times larger than the Japanese islands, it was agriculturally rich with mineral resources
Provided important opportunities for the supply of resources Japan desperately needed
Could act as a buffer between Japan and Russia

5. The Pacific Ocean.

6. Russo-Japanese War Clashed over their interests in Korea and Manchuria
Japan attacked in 1904
Japan was successful in land battles but with great loss of life
Russian fleet was destroyed by the Japanese Admiral Togo and the new Japanese fleet
Treaty of Portsmouth
Japan gained control of Korea and South Manchuria
Gained railway rights in Manchuria
Earned the respect of the West– the first time an Asian nation had defeated a western power
Affirmed Japanese belief in their destiny as leader of Asia

7. The Japanese army conquer German Tsingtao 1914
Japan astutely joined Britain and France for WW1 and took over German Chinese possessions as soon as she could.
In 1915 Japan presented China with the 21 Demands, taking even more power from China, and indirectly depriving China of her best leader Yuan Shikai.
After WW1 Japan was not asked to return any Chinese land, despite China supporting the British and French in the war. This caused the May 4 riots in China 1919.

8. Japan in the 1920’s
Several key agreements centered around internationalism
Washington Conference of 1921, Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902 was replaced with the Four-Power Treaty
February 1922 – Nine Power Treaty
Five Power Naval Treaty
Together these treaties formed the Washington Treaty System
Problems
A fragile democracy
Opposition to internationalism and the growing influence of the military on foreign policy
A growing economic crisis

9. Manchurian Crisis

10. 1.2 Japanese expansion in South-east Asia 1931-1941

11. Causes of Expansion
Japanese successes in wars against China & Russia had established Japan’s position in mainland China
Nationalism and Militarism had taken hold and were popular with the Japanese people
Chinese political instability
Nationalist Party in China (Guomindang) began a campaign of national unification
Communist Party led by Mao Zedong
Ultimately led to Civil War
Political crises and growing influence of the military
Kwantung Army assassins assassinated the warlord in charge of Manchuria
Lack of discipline on the army showed they could ignore the government with impunity
Japanese economic crisis

12. Timeline of Events in Manchurian Crisis
Sep. 1931
Explosion at Mukden on Japanese-controlled South-Manchurian Railway.
Japanese army takes control of Manchuria.
Chinese take the case of Manchuria to the League of Nations.
Feb. 1932
The Japanese declare that Manchuria is now an independent republic named Manchukuo.
Mar. 1932
The League of Nations sends a commission, led by Lord Lytton (the Lytton Report) to Manchuria to investigate.
Sep. 1932
The Lytton Commission reports. The Commission condemns Japanese aggression and rejects the idea the Manchukuo is independent. Recommends that Japan and China should negotiate a solution with League help.
Feb. 1933
The League of nations finally adopts the Lytton Commission recommendations.
Japan leaves the League of Nations and remains in control of Manchuria.

13. A Japanese propaganda poster
Notice the flags- Japan, Manchukuo and China.
What is the purpose of this poster?

14. Japanese tanks of the Kwantung Army in Manchuria

15. Gradual Japanese advances.
The Japanese army gradually crept Southward, through China, fighting all the way.

16. Japanese soldiers ‘conquer’ the Great Wall 1933

17. Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere
Announced in 1940 as a way to challenge the European dominance of Asia. Intended to create “a bloc of Asian nations led by the Japanese and free of Western Powers.
Japan took on a policy of assimilation with its colonies
"Affinities of race and culture between Japan and her colonial peoples ... made possible the idea of a fusion of the two and suggested that ultimately Japanese colonial territories had no separate, autonomous identities of their own, but only a destiny that was entirely Japanese.” (E.P. Tsurumi)
Based on the idea of Pan-Asianism- The idea that Asia should unite against European imperialism (Britain, France, US, etc…)
Differed from Western imperialism, which had the goal of “civilizing” its people
Asia for Asians
Major contradictions
1942 Army General Staff memorandum which spoke of shujin minzoku (master peoples), yujin minzoku (friendly peoples) and kigu minzoku (guest peoples) to differentiate between the Japanese, East Asians and the rest.

19. Pressure on the USSR
1936 – Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany and Japan (Italy joins in 1937)
Japan saw the USSR as the main threat to Manchukuo
Japan sought allies that would support military intervention with the USSR
Purpose – contain the spread of communism
Secretly, used as a safeguard in case either were attacked

20. A baby caught up in the bombing of a Shanghai railway station

21. Start of Second Sino Japanese War
1937 – military exercises in China resulted in Japanese and Chinese soldiers opening fire on each other at the Marco Polo bridge
No evidence shows it was premeditated but the Japanese took advantage of the situation and began a full scale war with China
1937 – despite fierce resistance from both Nationalist and Communist forces who had joined together to create the Second United Front, the Japanese take Peking, Shanghai and Nanking (Rape of Nanking)
Originally, only 3 divisions in China, planning for a 3 month battle. But by 1938, there were 20 divisions in China

22. Second Sino-Japanese War
Japanese quickly captured all key Chinese ports and industrial centers including Nanjing and Shanghai.
In the brutal conflict, both sides used ‘scorched earth’ tactics. Massacres and atrocities were common.
One of early battles occurred in Nanjing, also known as Nanking, Japanese troops captured city, went on rampage, killing Chinese soldiers and civilians alike
Nanjing Massacre- Japanese troops slaughtered an estimated 300,000 civilians and raped 80,000 women.
World reacted in horror to bloody incident
Many thousands of Chinese were killed in the indiscriminate bombing of cities by the Japanese air force.
Warfare of this nature led, by the war’s end, to an estimated 10 to 20 million Chinese civilians deaths.

23. Japanese troops at Nanking - The Rape of Nanking

24. Women were targeted. They were abused and raped
Women were targeted. They were abused and raped. In fact, this even is not known as the massacre of Nanking…

25. It is known as the Rape of Nanking—because the city and its women were literally “taken” and abused terribly.

26. Japanese soldiers sent home pictures of their atrocities
Japanese soldiers sent home pictures of their atrocities. They did this to “show off” or “brag.” Therefore, we do have many pictures about what happened.

27. Japanese soldiers themselves photographed and documented the brutal raping of thousands of Chinese women, the bayoneting of infants for sport, and the rampant slaughter of the population.
After 18 days, an estimated 300,000 people had been murdered.
As a placard at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall simply states, "The Chinese people suffered greatly."

28. Japanese occupation of China
By 1938 There were 1 million Japanese troops in China.
By million troops - but this was still not enough. Japan could occupy only key areas and cities.
Out of fear they adopted The ‘Three All Campaign’ (‘Kill all, burn all, destroy all’)
However, they simply didn’t have enough soldiers to cover this massive country.
War of attrition: by million Chinese people had died and 60 million had been displaced and many Chinese cities lay in ruins.

30. The Japanese army rapidly advanced through China, Indo-China, Malaya, and Indonesia.
- Some Asian people welcome them as liberators from western Imperialists
- Soon they were generally feared as new imperialists, not as Asian liberators
They treated non- Japanese peoples with ruthlessness, cruelty and severity.

31. Great cruelty.

32. Imperial Japanese expansion up to 1941

33. Lead up to Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japanese reaction – Admiral Yamamoto plans an attack
1940 – Tripartite Pact made it clear to the Japanese that war was inevitable
Belief was that the US would not stand by and watch Japan take over SE Asia, but they also knew they could not win an all-out war with the US
A surprise attack coordinated with an attack throughout SE Asia would give Japan the resources it would need (oil) and the US would be willing to accept a peace agreement
November Hull Note
US demands that Japan leave China and give up on its Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. It also demanded Japan end its participation in the Tripartite Alliance.
PM Konoye wanted to avoid war and liked the US proposal
The militants wanted war
October ‘41– PM Konoye is replaced by General Tojo
Nov. 3 – Japanese navy given approval for a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor

34. Attack on Pearl Harbor This was a signal to bomb Pearl Harbor.
On 2 December 1941, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet sent out a coded order to ‘ascend Mt Nikita 1298’
This was a signal to bomb Pearl Harbor.
On Sunday 7 December 1941, the Japanese fleet attacked Pearl Harbor.
The war in the Asia-Pacific had begun.
Japan destroyed multiple battleships, cruisers, destroyers, hundreds of aircraft and thousands of people
Japan won battle but was not able to destroy three aircraft carriers out on training exercises or the oil and torpedo storage facilities.
Brutal air assault killed 2403 and injured 1178

35. Attacks on other Territories
Attacks on US territories
December 8th Attacked Philippines
Landed thousands of troops to begin large invasion of the islands
Attacked Guam
Major junction point for undersea cables linking USA, Philippines and other parts of Asia
Attacked Wake Island
Held US airbase
Once conquered, it gave the Japanese airfields control of a large section of the Pacific Ocean
Attacks on British territories
Invaded Malaya
attacked British ships in the area
Attacked Hong Kong, Burma

36. The Emperor Hirohito
He had complete control over, and commanded complete loyalty from his subjects.
It was his responsibility for starting and ending the wars against China, USA, Britain etc.
He was protected from prosecution in 1945 by the US, who needed him to keep Japan from collapsing but he became a figurehead with no political power.

37. General Hideki Tojo
Prime Minister of Japan and primary military leader.
Rose to power in the Manchukuo ‘Kwantung’ army
Nicknamed the ‘razor’
Keen on ultra nationalistic secret societies.
Responsible for 8m civilian deaths and experiments on prisoners of war.
Apologized for military atrocities on his death.
Executed for war crimes 1948

38. 1.3 International Response to Japanese Aggression

39. Manchuria showed: The League of Nations was discredited.
The League of Nations was founded on the understanding that “collective security” would bring everlasting peace.
That countries would be punished for breaking the terms set by the league.
It was slow (the Lytton Report took almost a year)
A country could get its own way if it ignored it
‘Collective security' was useless against big countries - especially during the Great Depression.
Even the great powers within the League (Japan was on the Council) were happy to ignore it.
The League of Nations failure to stop the Japanese encouraged European Fascists to plan aggression of their own. The Italian leader Mussolini dreamed of building a colonial empire in Africa like those of Britain and France.

40. Why not a stronger response?
France – benefited from a weak China
England – didn’t have anything to do with the situation
Economy – The Depression meant that Western countries had bigger concerns
Fear of Communism – Japan would stop the spread
Impact: Shows the League is weak
Japan continues conquest
Italy noticed the inaction

41. The response of the League & Europe after 1932
After the Marco Polo bridge incident, China appealed to the League of Nations
The League condemned Japan for breaking the Nine-Power Treaty of 1922
Britain repeatedly asked for join economic pressure on Tokyo but to no avail
Nine Power Treaty Conference condemned Japanese action in 1937 but took no action to stop Japanese aggression
China established the Second United Front to fight a “war of national resistance”
By 1940, China was divided into three areas: Nationalist China, Communist China, and Japanese occupied China
The response of the League & Europe after 1932

42. Responses to the Second Sino-Japanese War
League of Nations
More concerned with tensions in Europe
No real power to intercede between Japan and China
Soviet Union
1938- Provoked a conflict at Lake Khasan on USSR boarder with Manchukuo- took advantage of Japanese focus on conquering China- later received Chinese territory to end active fighting
Actively supported Chinese armies and continued support KMT until Germany’s invasion of USSR in 1941
USA
Continued to support the Open Door Policy- The crisis in Manchuria led the United States to reassert the Open Door policy, including escalating embargoes on exports of essential commodities to Japan, notably oil and scrap metal.
China
Nationalist adopted Guerilla warfare techniques to fight Japanese
Chiang Kai-shek alienated many of his supported as he consolidated his power, leading a corrupt government which did little to help the Chinese people’s suffering and contributed to millions of Chinese deaths
Second United Front collapses when KMT attacks CCP’s New Fourth Army

43. German-Japanese Alliance
Why?
Hitler recognized the growing US-Japanese tension and feared the US joining the war in Europe on the British side
Japan recognized the threat of the growing US navy in the Pacific; with Nazi success in the war, Japan feared that it would miss out; with the Nazi-Soviet Pact, wanted to get back on Hitler’s good side
1940 Tripartite Act (Germany, Italy, Japan)
Recognize Japan’s right to establish a “New Order” in East Asia
Would declare war on any country, not in the war already, if they attack another
Specifically directed at the US, letting them know that if they attack in Europe, they will be at war with Japan

44. The route to conflict with USA
1941- Japan and USSR signed a neutrality agreement that they would not attack one another.
Allowed Japan to focus on expanding into French Indochina and Dutch East Indies (eventually move against the US) without worrying about a Soviet attack
French Indochina
September 1940-Japanese threatened to remove Vichy French government in Indochina if they did not let the Japanese take over northern regions to cut supply lines to China
France allowed since they were under control of Germany at the time
July Japan occupied rest of French Indochina setting off a negative response by USA and Britain

45. US Foreign Policy Pre-1938 Semi- Isolationism Why?
WW1 – US did not want to get involved in European affairs
Depression – more concerned fixing their own problems (New Deal)
Trade – continued to trade with Japan and actually saw a benefit to Japan taking over parts of China
Non-involvement
Stimson Doctrine – will not recognize any violation of Chinese territory
Neutrality Acts – US would not supply arms, will not give loans
No Navy – Congress refused to give funding to the development of a Pacific navy

46. US Foreign Policy Post 1938
US became more aggressive towards Japanese expansionism
1939 – “moral embargo” on planes, credit to Japan
was stopped
1939 – ignored the Neutrality act and gave $25 million to nationalists in China
US Action: Moved Pacific fleet from California to Pearl Harbor
Meant to deter the Japanese and support the British
July 1941 – with the Japanese takeover of Indochina, the US introduces an oil embargo and freezes all Japanese assets in the US
Japan only has 18 months of oil left
August – total embargo on all war related equipment
Why?
Sino-Japanese War
US had economic interests in China
Dec ’37 – Japanese sink USS Paney in the Yangtze R. as it escorted an oil tanker
"Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere“ (Pan-Asianism)
Any country that didn’t want to be included would be an enemy