Japan’s Quest for Imperial Status
(GF p.93-108)
Refer to the timeline on page 93 of Global Forces.
Why did the Japanese declare war on the U.S. and Britain? (Dec.7/41)
Japan wanted to rid Asia of Western imperialism
The British were given extraterritorial rights on Hong Kong in five port cities (Treaty
Ports) in Japan (Britain had invaded in 1837 and been given these rights). This caused
other western imperialist countries to look for similar concessions; these nations
wanted trade possibilities but also to spread “civilization” and Christianity. The
Japanese had by choice remained isolated for 200 years to avoid this influence.
Foreigners were not welcome. This ended when American Commodore Perry sailed into
Tokyo (Edo) to establish American concessions there. British and French established
their own concessions as well.
After a civil war, the boy emperor Mutsuhito was put on the throne. His council of
samurai was determined to acquire military strength and resist further intrusion.
As Japan became more industrialized they began to look to the mainland as a source of
raw materials, markets and place for expansion. They began a series of wars with China
(1894) gaining territory in Formosa and economic interest in Korea.
Chinese Boxer Rebellion (1900) (pg. 95). After the rebellion was quelled the Americans
began their “Open Door Policy” in China.
Japan and Britain signed a treaty in 1902 (p. 95) agreeing to recognize and protect each
other’s sphere of influence in Asia. (They remained allies in WWI)
The largest threat to Japanese expansion was Russia.> Russo-Japanese War (1904-05)
The Japanese naval strength was capped at the Washington Naval Conferences (1921)
causing the Japanese to feel dishonored, but they were still unrivalled in the Pacific;
but Japan walked out of the 1934 talks.
Both the U.S. and Canada in the early 20th Century put limits on the number of Asian
immigrants. This was an affront to Japan’s honor.
The Four Power Pact was signed in 1923- Britain, U.S., France Japan agreed to respect
each others’ spheres of influence in the Pacific.
But the Japanese felt that they would never be accepted as a great power and gain
acceptance, so they chose to focus on developing their own empire in the Pacific. Their
main rival there was China.
Resurgent China
In 1927 the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) had enough support to declare itself
the Republic of China.
Cooperation between China and Russia (who felt that there was potential for China to
become a communist state)
Growing rivalry between the military dictatorship of Kuomintang under Chiang Kai-shek
(supported by wealthy) and the Communist Party under Mao Zedong (support of the
peasants) who were a major threat to the Kuomintang.
The Manchurian Incident
The Japanese, seeing the growing power of the Kuomintang, wanted to secure their
claim to Manchuria and thus went to war with China in 1931. Manchuria was crucial to
Japan as a source of resources, especially as the Great Depression and the resulting
protectionist trade policies reduced their supply of raw materials. Military expansion
was essential. By 1932 the Japanese puppet state in Manchuria, Manchukuo, was firmly
established. Chiang called to the League of Nations to intervene, but after the Lytton
Commission, despite favoring Japan’s rights to interests in Manchuria, labelled Japan as
the aggressor (insulting them), Japan withdrew from the League.
President Roosevelt proposed a principle of non-recognition of any territorial claims
made by aggression (the Stimson Docrine) and thus the U.S. became a potential enemy
of Japan.
The Long March- 90000 of Mao’s supporters escaped from the Kuomintang and fled
toward the Himilayas where Mao refined his guerrilla strategies and prepared to fight
the Japanese aggressors. The Japanese army invaded north China and thus the war in
the Pacific began.
Japanese forces massacred ¼ million people in Nanjing (The Rape of Nanjing)
cementing Chinese resolve against Japan. By 1939 Japan controlled most of Eastern
China.
The Japanese army moved North to fight against the USSR, but were defeated and
withdrew. The Japanese navy supported striking south across to the Pacific Islands to
capture the mineral wealth of Southeast Asia (Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere>
“Asia for the Asians”. Hitler wanted Japan to attack Russia, but Japan was convinced
that in a prolonged war between Germany and USSR, that the USSR would win, so they
signed a non-aggression pact with the USSR. The British and Americans were alarmed a
began a series of economic measures, using sanctions particularly limiting the sale of oil
to Japan. Japan was desperate for a solution and were prepared to use force if
necessary. The Americans prolonged talks to stall for time to prepare for inevitable
war. In November of 1941, Roosevelt sent a final ultimatum to Japan, demanding their
withdrawal from the Asian mainland. The war came with the Japanese initiative that
began on Dec. 7/41, including attacks on Pearl Harbor.
Pearl Harbor- see the case study on page 104 to determine the
rationale behind the attack as well as the consequences of it.