Japanese history
Isolation
• Throughout Japanese
history, Japan had
stayed isolated from
foreigners
– Just like China
Japan vs. China
• Japan is similar to what culture?
•
Why?
•-
cultural diffusion from China
–
examples: Character writing (Kana), Confucianism, Zen
Buddhism
– cooking, gardening,
Isolation
• Throughout Japanese
history, Japan had
stayed isolated from
foreigners
– Just like China
Japan vs. China
• Japan is similar to what culture?
•
Why?
•-
cultural diffusion from China
–
examples: Character writing (Kana), Confucianism, Zen
Buddhism
– cooking, gardening,
Early History
• Small clans
• Early rulers: Yamato  never very strong but never
overthrown
• During the middle ages, landowners became very
powerful and Japan settled into its own feudal type
system
– Rice Tax
• Nobles (Diamyos)rise in power
Tokugawa Shogun
Military leader of Japan during the
Middle Ages
Emperor power declines (figure head)
Bushido
• Bushido
• Japanese Samurai code of warrior
• **Similar to European Knights
» code of Chivalry
End of Isolation- Perry visits
Japan
• During the 19th Century, The West wanted to begin
trading with China and Japan
• Japan had refused as did China but in 1853, they
were persuaded.
• 1853: US Commodore Matthew Perry brought a
fleet to Japan with a letter from the US presidents
asking Japan to open up its ports otherwise he would
come back with a bigger fleet if demands were not
met
1854 Treaty of Kanagawa
• two ports were opened to the US
By 1860, Japan opened ports to others.
How would the Japanese feel about
being forced to do this?
• They realized they were weak and
Tokugawa Shogun realized his time was
over
• -Japan looked to the new emperor
Mutsuhito for pride and nationalism
• -He chose the name “Meji” which means
enlightened ruler
– “if you can’t beat the west, be the
west”
• Meiji =
Modernization/
Industrialization
• Made Japan a modern economic and World power by
creating industry
Modernized Japan
•
•
•
•
•
Schools were modelled after the US
Army of Germany
Navy of Britain
Germany’s government
Industrialized like west 1870- 1914
– Build factories
– Build railroads
Conclusion
• With modernization came
more money and more
POWER
•
Japan by 1894- felt equal
with West wanted to show
their power to the world
•
Began to follow Western
footsteps of imperialism
What is imperialism?
•
taking over a territory of a weaker nation by a
stronger nation ( bully effect) and using them
for resources
Sino- Japanese War 1876
• Japan vs. China
– Like western countries, Japan forced Korea
to open up ports but China protested  both
agreed not to fight but China sent in troops
and Japan responded and defeated China
easily
»Japan got control of Taiwan and other
islands
• This left Russia realizing Japan was a major
power in Asia and they challenged their
supremacy.
Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905
• Both wanted control of Manchuria
• Japan offered to recognize Russian rights in
Manchuria if Russia stayed out of Korea
• They did not and war started
• Japan won and the US negotiated a treaty between
both countries
– Japan gained complete control of Korea
» Annexation of Korea
WWI- Japan fought with Allies (US,
Russia, Great Britain and France)
• 1914-1918
• We won the war but Japan received nothing for
their help in winning World War 1
• They were disappointed and their relationship
with the West declined.
1918-1938
•
-Japan continued to imperialize in order to obtain
more resources and power. They faced major
depression during the 1920’s due to a major
earthquake and depression in West.
• REMEMBER Japan needed resources and were not a
self sufficient country because of their geography.
WWII
• During WWII
Japan aligned with
axis powers of
Germany and Italy.
They shared
betrayal with
others. Japan and
Italy were left out
of WWI treaty.
December 7th, 1941 Pearl
Harbor Attack
Why did the Japanese do this?
•Japan wanted dominance in the Pacific Ocean. They
figured if they took out harbors in Pearl Harbor which
contained submarines, carriers, and destroyers, US would
not be able to help other nations in Pacific because it would
be too far away.
– Successful attack except for one thing: Japan did not count on
Air-craft carriers not being at Pearl HarborThese would later
allow US to attack Japan (island hopping) and eventually drop the
A-bomb
Results
• A-bomb dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima
and Japan was rebuilt by the US
– Emperor was no longer seen as divine
– A creation of a mixed economy like US
– -Rebuilt into economic power of technology