Transcript Militarism in Japan

Militarism in Japan
1918-1932
Emerged from WWI with strong economy
Began making democratic reforms
Hit hard by the Depression
Military Dictatorship takes control
Japanese Goals of the 1930’s
Revive economy hit by Depression
Lead economic modernization in Asia - hoping to one day rival Europe and the United
States
Free Asia from western colonial influences
Set up “East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”
Dominate Asia economically and militarily
Question
What might limit Japan’s ability to dominate Asia?
Aggression in Manchuria
September 1931, needing
the resources of Manchuria
the Japanese army invaded
China protested to the
League of Nations
Aggression in Manchuria
League and United
States condemned
Japanese action in China,
but took no further
action
Japan withdrew from the
League in 1933
What does the Japanese
minister claim?
Tensions Rise in China
By 1937, Japanese forces
overran much of the
northern part of China
Rape of Nanking – in 1937
Japanese forces brutalized
the population of Nanking
– murdering over 300,000
civilians and soldiers in a
few months
WWII in Asia
Berlin, 1940 - Japan joins
alliance with Germany and
Italy
Looked to European colonies
in Southeast Asia for
resources
FDR threatened to cut off
supplies of scrap metal,
rubber, and oil
Events leading to Pearl Harbor
Believing the United
States will not only cut
off supplies, but also
declare war, the
Japanese planned a
surprise attack on Pearl
Harbor to eliminate the
American naval
presence in the Pacific
Events leading to Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941, the
Japanese attack Pearl Harbor
Japanese miscalculated
American response – instead
of cowering, the American
people rallied together
December 8, 1941, the
United States declares war on
Japan
Failure of the Co-prosperity Sphere
Original idea involved a system that benefited both Japan and occupied territories “Asia for Asians”
Instead, Japanese imperial troops simply replaced European troops
Resources were diverted to supply the Japan war machine – in some cases causing
food shortages and famine
Failure of the Co-prosperity Sphere
Attempted to institute Japanese customs – insulting the native peoples
Forced some to work in factories and on plantations for little or no wages
Some nationalist groups cooperated with Japanese and some secretly assisted the
Allies