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The Second Sino-Japanese War 1937-1945 - Coggle Diagram
The Second Sino-Japanese War 1937-1945
Backstory
no real cessation of war after Japan's invasion of Manchuria
Japanese armies continued to operate, expanded Japan's control of northern China by 1937
By 1935, Japan's government was controlled by its military
Japan had no interest in participating in treaties that would limit ability to build war ships
ex. London Naval Treaty 1935
JAPAN EXPANDS INTO CHINA 1935-36
formed the China Garrison Army to operate outside borders of Manchuria
this army moved south into the neutral zone formed by Tanggu Truce
2 Chinese newspaper owners assassinated for being pro-Japanese
China Garrison Army demanded China withdrawal from
Hebei Province
or face invasion
UMEZU-HE AGREEMENT (June 10, 1935) made this official
created large demilitarized zone throughout much of Northern China
Puppet government "East Hebei Autonomous Council" formed to rule region for Japan
MENGJIANG
June 1935, Doihara Kenji-Qin Dechun Agreement: china agreed to remove troops from Manchukuo border
China military agreed: more occupied with trying to destroy CCP than resisting Japan
China Garrison Army made this a puppet state
SECOND UNITED FRONT
1936- Chiang Kai'-Sheks policy of opposing the CCP instead of Japan=unpopular
Chiang held a meeting with his generals
alarmed by his obsession with communism, he was arrested. Chiang forced to negotiate with CCP to create:
UNITED ANTI-JAPANESE FRONT
Chiang agreed under pressure, Japan now knew they had an organized opposition against them
TRIGGER OF WAR:
Marco Polo Bridge Incident 1937
Japan + China sent large armies to Northern China
Chiang's government launched bomber aircraft attack on Shanghai (controlled by Japan) --> now at war
THE WAR
AUGUST 15 1937: Japan formed "
Shanghai Expeditionary Army
"
Chinese troops attacked Japanese military installations in International Settlement, Japan used bomber aircraft against China's capital (Nanjing)
Shanghai
Chinese troops significantly weaker than Japanese ones
Japan=superior air and naval, army forces
End of oct. 1937: Chinese forces ordered to evacuate
= JAPAN HAD CONTROL OF THE CITY NOW
Nanjing
Japan organized army move against Nanjing
Japanese forces overwhelmed Chinese troops sent to block their approach
Nov. 16: Kai-Shek ordered gov. to relocate Wuhan
Nanjing under siege and captured Dec.
The Nanjing Massacre:
Prince Asaka ultranationalist, head of Japanese army in Nanjing
ordered that any Chinese be captured + executed
NUMEROUS ATROCITIES COMMITTED, TORTURED DEATHS, PEOPLE USED FOR BAYONET PRACTICE + ENCOURAGED
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES
League of Nations
-
consumed by European affairs
anti-communist leanings from all member states except USSR
governments of LoN fully aware of Japan's anti-communist stance --> hoped Japan would pressure USSR in Asia
Soviets may have appreciated Japan (decrease pressure on border)
China= large, chaotic, corrupt nation-->
not a nation that league would be willing to fight for
Soviet Union
glad because relieved pressure that Chiang Kai-shek's government (KMT) was putting on the CCP
little fear of Japanese attack on long border with Manchuria
provoking conflict at Lake Khasan (on USSR border with Manchukuo) against Japan.
led to delay in conflict, allowed soviets to ship weapons to China in the meantime
Mongolia- puppet state to USSR.
fighting with Japan, Japan then asked to stop fighting for a piece of Chinese land in return, Soviet accepted
over $173 million dollars loaned to China's government + large quantities of military supplies
USA
wanted to preserve open-door policy
Japan as merely moral condemnation
prohibited shipment of war supplies to both countries
oil and metals needed for Japan were not banned (bc they could make much money out of it)
US navy ship incident with Japan
Nanjing massacre news- US slightly more involved
USA lent $25 million feb. 1938
Germany
supported Kai Chiang-Shek's anti-communist governmen
t
supplied China
with many military advisors
did a lot of business with China
1936: Germ supplied 80% of china's weapons
China gave Germany
tungsten
1936
anti-comintern pact
Japan and Germany- created strains in relations
tried to stay friendly, was supplier of 60% of China's weapons
germany ended military relation because of Japanese insistence
Molotov-Ribbentrop pact
1939
alarmed anti-Communist Japan
jap. gov. collpased, replaced with one that could build better relations with Soviet Union
sept. 1940:
Tripartite Pact
created opportunities for Japan to expand into French Indochina
April 1941:
Japan and USSR signed neutrality agreement
gave Japan ability to expand into
French Indochina + Dutch East Indies
China
strategy: keep Japanese forces as tied down as possible, so they would give more and more scares sources to war effort
successful- fighting took years
Guerilla warfare was extremely successful: killed may Japanese officers + detonators
Heavy loss of support for Kai Chiang Shek's government, corrupted, international financial aid was going to his supporters rather than him