State of Japan in 1931
Japan’s relationship with China:
Japan’s political situation:
The strategic and economic state of Japan by 1931:
The relationship with the West:
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Results of the Russo-Japanese War
- February 1904, Japan went to war with Russia over competing interests in Manchuria and
Korea.
beginning of the Russo-Japanese War: Japan secured territory and a string of naval victories
- The humiliation of the Triple Intervention and the subsequent loss of territory In Manchuria
- an element of revanchism – a foreign policy that aims at revenge or the regaining of lost territories
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- Treaty of Portsmouth, September 1905, US President Theodore Roosevelt was negotiated
- Japanese claims to Korea were recognised
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Gain the respect of the West and the
admiration of other Asian countries ✅
- The South Manchurian Railway was
given to Japan.
- Russia was required to evacuate its troops from Manchuria and return land in southern Manchuria to China
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Japan approached Britain with a proposal to help secure sea lanes in the Pacific and Indian Oceans in return for seizing German territories in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in China.
With Germany distracted by the war, Japan took the opportunity
to seize the territory of Shandong, China, in 1914.
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In 1915, the Japanese government sought to consolidate its economic and political dominance over China by issuing Yuan Shikai’s government with the 21 Demands.
This Lead to:
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Further Japanese control of Chinese territory and infrastructure, and an extension of Japanese influence over Chinese government policy. ✅
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Following American, British and even some domestic resistance, the 21 Demands were reduced to 13 and accepted by Yuan Shikai (the Chinese ruler) ✅
Relationship with the League
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Japan’s new territorial gains were confirmed in the Treaty of Versailles (part of the Paris Peace Conference) in 1919.
The Japanese delegation left the 1919 Paris Peace Conference bitterly disappointed that it had not gained more.
Japanese attempts to introduce a ‘racial equality’ clause to the Covenant of the League of Nations (essentially an effort to ensure that Japan was treated like a great power) were foiled by Britain and the USA, leading to more anti-Western sentiment. ✅
WWI had benefitted the Japanese economy
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Supplied goods to the Triple Entente
Filled the gaps in the Asian market with Britain, France and Russia busy at war. ✅
Economic Reforms under Meiji Rule
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Abolition of feudalism
Currency (yen) adopted, 1872
Encouragement of foreign trade
Expansion and encouragement of industrialization
Growth of factories
First large factories manufactured textiles
First textile factory workers were girls and women
Land reform
Social Changes under Meiji Rule
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Soldiers recruited from ordinary citizens – they would be taught how to obey only the emperor (as opposed to their feudal lord) – a basic level of literacy
was necessary to learn all the new technology and read all the orders.
To help this new system of elementary schooling system was introduced in 1872.
Education also became means by which nationalism was instilled into the population
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The First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)
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As Japan entered a new age of militarization, it aimed to establish its control over Korean peninsula – inevitably, this would bring Japan into direct conflict with China, seeing as Korea was a tributary state of China.
In 1894, an uprising in Korea prompted its government to ask for assistance from China, but Japan sent troops before the Chinese arrived, leading to conflict. At the heart of this conflict was the question of which army had modernized most effectively and accordingly which country would dominate East Asia.
Japan prevailed, and in Japan , this victory was seen as confirmation of Japan’s superiority over China ✅
Emergence of liberal democracy
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1912 Emperor Meiji suceeded by Emperor Taisho.
Became known as the Taisho Democracy.
Prime Minister a member of one of the political parties rather than the social elite.
Vote given to all males in 1925.
Society more open.
Problems emerging:
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Corruption and scandals.
Public Security Preservation Law 1925 – aimed at the Communist Party – censorship.
Opposition to the Japanese internationalist foreign policy. (Immigration Act in the USA)
In 1926 Hirohito (known as the Shōwa Emperor), only helped to create further nationalism and the belief that Hirohito was a ‘living god’. ✅
The role of the army:
The Military under Meiji Rule
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The military was directly responsible to the Emperor, not to the Diet.
Provided with opportunities to increase their political power due to the 1889 Constitution, which did not specify the way in which members of the government were appointed or define their relationship with the Diet and the Emperor
Military argued that ministers of the army and navy should be active duty officers (who, as with all military personnel, were directly responsible to the Emperor)
As a full complement of cabinet ministers was a requirement, military ministers could tear governments apart simply by resigning.
Conscription (1873) – all men had to serve for three years after turning twenty-one
Establishment of the new navy (with British help) ✅
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In 1927, Tanaka Giichi, a general in the Japanese Imperial Army, became prime minister of Japan.
The beginning of ‘Shōwa fascism’, an ideological shift from ‘Taishō Democracy’ and the pursuit of a more aggressive foreign policy
The Japanese military were able to successfully defy the government by refusing to enforce discipline on the Kwantung Army (the Japanese military force defending Japanese interests in Manchuria).
The Kwantung Army intervened to stop the Northern Expedition advancing into Manchuria, and assassinated Zhang.
Emperor Hirohito instructed Tanaka to enforce military discipline, the army refused to punish those who had killed Zhang because they did not want to undermine the prestige of the military
Political Instability
in China
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Ruled by dynasties.
By 1850, the Qing dynasty had ruled for over 200 years.
As a result of the Opium Wars (1839–1842 and 1856–1860), the Western powers had more control over China and forced it to open up trade.
Tensions between pro- Westerners and the traditional supporters of Confucianism (method of government based on the philosopher).
Boxer Rebellion 1889 – supported by the Qing dynasty – anti-Western uprising.
Eight-Nation Alliance (comprising Britain, France, Russia,the USA, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy and Japan) intervened to end the rebellion in 1901.
Western powers began to withdraw from Chinese affairs and Japan stepped in. ✅
The Chinese Revolution
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The Qing dynasty was overthrown by the Chinese Revolution in 1911.
Regional and local uprisings.
General Yuan Shikai, leader of the formable Beiyang Army.
Dr. Sun Yixian as the first Provisional President of the Republic of China.
Sun needed the army.
Yuan would negotiate the abdication of the emperor and would become the provisional president.
The capital would remain in Beijing rather than Nanjing.
Sun formed the Guomindang (GMD) - a nationalist party.
After the assassination of a member, Sun attempted a revolution in 1913 and was defeated. He fled to Japan.
Yuan became unpopular after agreeing to Japan’s 21 demands.
He attempted to revive the monarchy and make himself emperor in 1915 but he died before it could happen.
Warlord China
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Central govenrment collapsed after the death of Yuan.
Different regions were controlled by different warlords.
Japan awarded former German colonies in China after WWI.
anti-colonial protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on 4 May 1919.
Historians claim the May Fourth Movement caused the radicalisation of many young Chinese and contributed to the creation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1921.
The Northern Expedition – the CCP and GMD formed the Chinese Nationalist - Army which battled the warlords and united China in 1927. ✅
The Chinese Civil War
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Differences between the GMD and CCP.
Jiang (leader of the GMD) ordered the White Terror in April 1927.
CCP abandoned cities and regrouped in the province of Jiangxi.
The Jiangxi Soviet was soon established in 1931 by Mao Zedong.
Jiang ordered the destruction of this communist base between 1931-1934.
The Long March 1934-35, the CCP retreated to a new base in Shaanxi province