The Pacific War: The Growth of Japanese Militarism
World War II
From: Humanities Out There, Kate Merkel-Hess
History Standards: 10.8.3
Identify and locate the Allied and Axis powers on a map and discuss the major turning points
of the war, the principal theaters of conflict, key strategic decisions, and the resulting war
conferences and political resolutions, with emphasis on the importance of geographic factors.
CCSS Standards: Reading, Grades 9-10
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources,
attending to such features as the date and origin of the
information.
3. Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events
caused later ones or simply preceded them.
10. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 9–
10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Guiding Question:
Overview of Lesson:
Students will be familiar with Japan’s rapid modernization and their imperial drive.
Depending on the level of your class, it may be helpful to read the first section aloud, asking
text-dependent questions and clarifying thoughts as you go.
After modeling, students may work in partners or independently to complete the readings and
accompanying questions. As a concluding discussion, you could ask students about the fine
line between national pride and nationalism.
The Pacific War:
The Growth of Japanese Militarism
Part One: Tracing the Expansion of the Japanese Empire
This map is from the Americanized Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol.1, Chicago 1892. Compare it to
the map on the next page.
This map is called “Asia and the Pacific - The Japanese Plan and Troop Disposition,” November
1941. What is it showing to you?
Part Two: Mobilizing a Whole Society
As Japan began to modernize in the late nineteenth century, one of
its leaders’ goals was to make it equal to other powerful nations in
the world at that time, like Great Britain and France. Some
Japanese leaders believed that the way to do this was for Japan to
conquer new lands and become an imperial power, as many
European nations had done. By conquering new regions, the
government would have access to more resources and a larger
labor force, and could expand Japan’s markets in the conquered
areas.
New Words
mobilize, to mobilize:
to get ready for war
coercion: to force
someone to do
something against
their will, or threaten
them into doing
something
For Japan to succeed at building its empire, its government tried to mobilize all its citizens in the
war effort. Japanese families moved abroad, to newly conquered regions like Taiwan, Korea, and
Manchuria and settled there. Japanese women gave up luxury products like make-up and silk
stockings and trained to defend their homes. Some of them even allowed the government to
arrange marriages for them to unmarried Japanese soldiers or settlers in places like Korea.
Children learned about Japan’s greatness in school, and prayed at school temples for the success of
Japan’s military. And young Japanese men entered the military—not all willingly—and many died.
There were people in Japan who did not agree with the government’s desire to militarize society.
Some of these people were men who wanted to avoid military service, others opposed violence
and did not want their country to go to war. Against these people, the government used coercion
and threats, sometimes imprisoning people who disagreed with its policies.
Follow-up Questions
1. What of the following does “militarism” not include?
a) Training women to defend their homes against invaders
b) Teaching children about the superiority of their nation
c) Allowing protestors to gather in front of government buildings
d) Putting military leaders in charge of the government
2. Why did Japan want to build an empire?
a) So they wouldn’t have to live on island
b) To catch up with Western powers
c) Because they already had a big army
3. Of the following, which did Japan gain by conquering surrounding territories?
a) The admiration of the conquered populations
b) Natural resources like timber, fuel, arable land, and ore
c) New markets in which to sell Japanese goods
d) Cheap labor among the conquered populations
Part Three: Point of View
Everyone has their own point of view on a situation. As
historians, when we examine what someone said or thought
about an event, we must also consider how their own
perspective might have influenced what they thought.
New Words
perspective: point of
view, one’s outlook on
a situation or event
Look at the images below and circle the words that you think describe what the people in the
pictures are feeling.
Proud Strong Angry
Flexible
Sunburned
Scared
Lost
Fierce
Hopeless Small
Silly
Sad
Uncertain
Proud Strong Angry
Flexible
Sunburned
Scared
Lost
Fierce
Hopeless Small
Silly
Sad
Uncertain
Cautious
Itchy
Cautious
Itchy
Proud Strong Angry
Flexible Sunburned
Scared
Lost
Fierce
Hopeless Small
Silly
Sad
Uncertain
Cautious
Itchy
Follow-up Questions
Did you circle the same words for each picture?
If you answered no, how do you think the perspectives on the Pacific War of the people in each
picture would be different?
Please complete the following list:
My age___________________________
My gender_______________________
I grew up in_______________________
My favorite activity is_____________________
Historians believe that these factors and others, like ethnic
background, religious affiliation, economic status, location/region
or nationality, and family relationships can influence your
perspective or “point of view.” Think about how these facets of
your life may influence what you believe.
New Words
facet: the different
aspects of a subject, so,
in this case, the different
parts of your life
Part Four: Going to War
Read the following excerpts of memories of the Pacific War from people in Japan:
“One day many soldiers marched past my home, which faced the road leading to Kashima Shrine.
Their boots thudded on the pavement, I remember clearly that they raised their fists high in the
air and shouted, ‘We’ll die tomorrow, we’ll die tomorrow!’ I was still a young child unable to
understand what this scene meant, so I asked someone standing near me, ‘What are those people
doing?’ A tearful voice answered, ‘They’re going to crash their airplanes into American ships.’”i
“Mr. Noguchi was a teacher…A thickset man, we nicknamed him
‘Mr. Dirt Ox.’…Near the end of that year Mr. Noguchi was served
with his draft notice. For several years we had heard heroic words
of parting spoken to us from the podium by one young teacher
after another…Mr. Noguchi bobbed his head in a single bow. No
words followed. Finally, the thick eyebrows of the teacher we had
nicknamed Mr. Dirt Ox began to tremble. We heard his stifled sobs,
and tears flowed unceasingly from his eyes. This was the first time
I had seen a man’s tears…Like a child, Mr. Noguchi raised his arm
to cover his eyes and wailed aloud. Sobbing with hiccups as a child
does, he left the podium without a word.” ii
New Words
draft notice: a
notification that an
individual has been
selected for
compulsory (required)
military service
unceasingly: without
stopping
Imagine that you are a teacher who has received a draft notice and must enter the military and go
overseas to war. You will be able to give a short speech to your class. What would you say?
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i
ii
From Senso: The Japanese Remember the Pacific War, p. 27.
From Senso: The Japanese Remember the Pacific War, p. 186.