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Outbreak of WW II in Asia-Pacific - Coggle Diagram
Outbreak of WW II in Asia-Pacific
Japan's expansionist foreign policy
Asia and the Western powers
1700: Western European powers (mainly Britain, France, Netherlands) embarked on a phase
Mid 1800s: British controlled India, Netherlands and France. They had trading posts, military bases and colonies in Asia. Colonial powers and the US had their eyes on China (multiple economic potential)
While Western powers were expanding their influence in China, Japan watched in alarm at China's inability to defend itself. Japan began to look to the West in order to learn from them and strengthen itself
Modernisation of Japan
1868: To avoid the same fate as China, Japan began a programme of modernisation (Meiji Restoration). Officials and acadamics were sent to the US and Europe to learn how the Western nations ran their country
Japan introduced
a new Meiji Constitution, providing limited form of democracy while the Emperor remained a dominant presence in the government
Policies based on the principle of Enrich the country, strengthen the army > strengthen Japan's economic foundations, helping to build a strong military to defend against foreign invaders
Japan's ambitions
unfair treaty (Washington Naval Treaty in 1921)
fueled their desire to establish themselves as an equal of the West
natural limitations (little farm land to grown food
public strongly supported the idea of Japan expanding its empire, conquest of Korea in 1910)
Lack of raw materials (iron ore, coal)
dependent on import of raw materials from China and food
ultranationalists argued that Japan had expand to get access
Rise of Japan Militarism
Tensions between the civilian politicians and military worsened in the 1900s
military commanders grew in prominence and influence in Japan's politics through various victories in the early 1900s against China and Russia
Japanese officers felt that it was Japan's destiny to remove the Western powers from Asia and expand its rule over Asia > this belief became popular in Japan
civilian politicians lost the trust of people who viewed them as weak
1936; Military began running Japan effectively
Japan and the Western powers
Japan saw the US, Britain and USSR as rivals and obstacles to achieving their goals
USSR: seen as a big threat due to its communism teachings (societies should not be run by emperors and kings, but by people)
Japan firmly believed in loyalty to the Emperor, communism was a dangerous ideology to them, signed Anti-Comintern Pact with Italy and Nazi Germany, agreeing to oppose communism
US: To Japan, the US had already abandoned them through economic policies against Japan in 1930s, leaving thousands of Japanese workers in unemployment. It is believed that it is avoidable Japan must fight America to achieve its goals
Britain: the relationship between Japan and Britain deteriorated in the 1930s. Britain criticized Japan for the invasion of Manchuria, and Britain is on friendly terms with US. Britain had colonies throughout Asia (Hong Kong + Malaya), which Japan sees as a rival.
The Great Depression and Japan's search for self-sufficiency
Great Depression
1929: Wall Street Crash in the US > damaging Japan's economy badly
Japan suffered > as they relied heavily on selling goods overseas for their source of income
US Tariffs made things worse by making Japan's goods more expensive in the US as its export trade was affected badly
Light bulbs: +25%; Canned fish: +50%; Clothing: +70%
Political impact:
Terrible unemployment rates = people blame civilian government
Ultranationalists + military commanders think that democracy cannot solve people's problems
Ultranationalists conclusions
Japan can't rely on other countries
Japan must become self-sufficient
felt the need to expand more to secure more key resources and reduce reliance on imports
Extensions of Japanese influence on China
Japan was encouraged by its successful takeover of Manchuria
Sought to further expand power and influence in region
GMD (Guomindang) founder, Sun Yat-sen, died in 1925, increasing conflict between GMD and CCP (Chinese Communist Party)
Civil infighting caused major instability in China
Japan exploited it
Japan worked with allied warlords to deliberately stir up trouble in certain regions to cause unrest
Japanese troops "invited" in to restore order
eventually escalated tensions, full-scale war between China and Japan
Impact of World War 2 in Europe on Asia and the Pacific
War in Europe (1939)
1939: Germany invaded Poland > WW2 began in Europe
Britain, France, Netherlands were busy fighting Germany and weren't able to defend their Southeast Asian colonies
Germany invades USSR (1941)
Hitler attack USSR (broke the Nazi-Soviet Pact)
USSR now focused on defending itself and less of a threat to Japan
Japan beniftted
Western powers were distracted
USSR was busy with Germany
Japan took the chance to expand in Asia-Pacific
By 1941, Japan controlled French Indochina (present-day Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia)
things were going well for Japan, but its leaders were still concerned
Japan-US relations
Different considerations of the US about Japan's potential threat
In the Great Depression, the US raised tariffs (1930s), which worsened tensions with Japan
Tension increased further when Japan invaded China in 1937; the US condemned Japan and supported Chiang Kai-shek (Chinese leader) by providing financial and military aid
US was caught in a dilemma
opposed Japan because Japan threatened its economic and political interests in Asia
But Japan was anti-communist, which the US valued as a counter to communist expansion
Why did the US saw Japan as a threat?
Japan wanted to keep "Asians for Asians" pushing Western powers, including the US, out of China, which threatened US interests
Japan's navy rivalled the US navy in the Pacific, especially around Southeast Asia and countries like Philippines
Japanese companies competed with American businesses for Asian markets
Why did the US tried to avoid angering Japan?
After the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Germany and the USSR became temporary allies
The US feared pushing Japan into closer cooperation with Germany and USSR
Why did Japan still mattered to the US?
Japan was strongly anti-communist so the US saw it as a possible ally against the spread of communism in Asia
US economic war on Japan/Why did the US took action?
After Japan invaded China in 1937, President Roosevelt grew increasingly concerned
introduced financial and economic sanctions to try to stop Japan's aggressive expansion
Escalation of Sanctions
Earlier sanctions didn't work > Japan went to occupy French Indochina in 1940
US responded with an embargo on steel and iron in 1940
negotiations failed because Japan refused to withdraw from China and Indochina
August 1941: US imposed a full oil embargo
Roosevelt also revived the Trading with the Enemy act, freezing Japanese asses in the US (unable to buy essential goods)
Impact on Japan
aim of the sanctions: financially strangle Japan
Japan lost 90% of its oil supply > devastating for its military (ships, planes, tanks)
US demanded Japan withdrew from China and stop threatening US and British territories
Japan's Dilemma
Japan found the US demands unacceptable > agreeing wouod show weakness
refusing meant war with the US, a much larger economic power
Japanese leaders were divided
some wanted to avoid war
others believed Japan must fight to secure resources and independence
The greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
What Japan claimed
Introduced by Japan in 1940
Promoted as a program to unite Asians, remove Western influence, and let Japan "protect" and "lead" Asia, ruling them fairly as a fellow country
Drive foreigners out of Asia
Aimed to convince Asian people that Japan was a friendly liberator, not an occupier
Reality
a plan for Japan to exploit Asian territories for resources to support its empire and war
Japan went to war to gain resources, not because they lacked them
Japan intially succeeded
Massive increases in coal, iron, aluminum, cotton, and fuel production in Manchuria and other occupied areas
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Why Japan attacked
Japan could not match US power, even with new resources (increased output of Manchuria, Korea and all its other territories)
Signed Tripartite Pact (September 1940) with Germany and Italy to deter the US
Japanese commanders believed that they needed a quick, crippling blow to US intervention
US will need to take time to recover > Japan can build up its economic resources and match US power
Admiral Yamamoto planned a surprise attack to destroy US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor
The attack (7 Dec 1941)
About 300 Japanese planes attacked from aircraft carriers
caused major destruction to ships and aircraft
What Japan FAILED to destroy
US repair facilities, fuel storage, and dockyards remained intact
All three US aircraft carriers were not at Pearl Harbor (survived)
CONSEQUENCES
The attack triggered US to declare war on Japan > triggered outbreak of WW2 > war in Asia-Pacific began
Japan advanced rapidly and conquered much of Southeast Asia by 1942 (Indochina, Indonesia, Malaya, Singapore, Philippines)
BUT Pearl Harbor was not a knockout blow Japan hoped for
The day after the attack, US Congress declared war on Japan
US recovered quickly in 1941, was angered, and eventually defeated Japan in 1945