Outbreak Of WWII In The Asia Pacific

Outbreak Of WWII In The Asia Pacific

1. Japan's ambition to establish itself in Asia and Europe

   • Conflict with Russia
     • Occupation of Manchuria by Russia perceived as threat to Japan's influence in Korea
       • Compromise offered by Japan (accept Russian influence in Manchuria if Russia accept Japanese influence in Korea) declined by Russia as they were seen as inferior
         • Russo-Japanese War in 1904, Japanese emerged victorious in 1905
   • Alliance with Britain
     • Anglo-Japanese Alliance signed in 1902, renewed in1905
       • Mutual recognition of interests in Asia : China deigned place of 'common interest' for defence of their colonies. Britain recognised Japan's right too defend Korea; Japan recognised Britain's right to defend India
   • Conflicts with China
     • First Sino-Japanese War
       • Took advantage of weak Qing government to take control of Chinese territory and trade
         • Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1985
           • Gained control of both Korea and Taiwan
             • Fuelled Japanese ambitions to expand further into China
     • Twenty-One Demands (1915)
       • Placed on China by Japan
         • Was an ultimatum
   • Worsening relations with USA
     • American racism against Japanese
       • Laws passed to protect American economic interests which excluded Chinese, Japanese and Korean immigrants to prevent competition for jobs
         • USA passed Chinese Exclusion Act to suspend Chinese immigration in 1882; Establishment of the Japanese and Korean Exclusion League in 1905
           • Japanese offended by this
     • Paris Peace Conference
       • Demand for racial equality rejected and they felt that they were not given respect by Western powers
         • Proposed clause failed to gain approval of Britain and Australia, therefore rejected
     • Washington Naval Conference 1921
       • Ratio of naval strength required Japan to reduce their strength more than USA and Britain
         • Japanese felt that this was unfair and biased

2. Crisis in Japan

   • Economic Crisis
     • Shortage of land
       • Farmers did not have enough land to grow their crops and thus were unable to earn enough to support themselves
       • Planted and weeded by hand > Slow method
         • Shortage of rice
           • Led to loss of faith in the government
     • Great Depression in 1929
       • Increase in restrictions and taxations on exports
         • Affected Japanese economy
   • Overpopulation
     • Larger population (grew from 45m in 1900 to 64m in 1930) >increase in demand or housing,goods and product
       • Japan seek more territories to obtain more resources and space for relocating its citizens (e.g. many Japanese resettled in Manchuria)
   • Growth of military influence in Japanese politics
     • Martial Law declared after Prime Minister Tsuyoshi Inukai was killed in May 1932; Military effectively gained control of government
       • Prime Minister granted concessions to the military in the hopes of preventing further political violence

3. Japanese expansionist foreign policy

   • Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
     • Aim to dominate East Asia & Southeast Asia
       • Plan to expel European colonial powers from these areas & turn them into satellite states loyal to Japan. Many people in SEA supported as discontented under colonial rule and wanted independence from European rule
         • Due to the availability of impt raw materials there (esp Rubber & oil frm Malaya & Indonesia for its military machines)
   • Japan had limited resources & had to rely on trade with other countries to import essential resources; restrictive trading practices, esp aft The Great Depression, made it even more difficult for Japan to obtain materials.
     • Thus developed an expansionist foreign policy of taking over territories near them; justified policy as necessary to support their supply of raw materials & resources
       • Taiwan: Sugar; Korea: Cotton & Wool; Manchuria: Land for population, Minerals & Wheat
         • Rise of militarism in Japanese political leadership, Japan's desire for equality and recognition amongst the world's powers steered Japanese foreign policy towards expansionism

4. Weakness of League of Nations

   • Mukden incident and invasion of machuria
     • Economically impt as good source of raw materials & resources; Strategically impt as allowed for defence of interests in Korea, Placed a strong position for further expansion into China
       • 18 September 1931,a bomb exploded near Japanese owned railway in Mukden
         • Led to invasion of Manchuria; China too occupied with own civil war to resist. Established satellite state called Manchukuo, under last emperor of China, Puyi
           • LON condemned Japan as an aggressor & refused to recognise Manchukuo . Japan withdrew frm LON soon aft, league therefore unable to enforce decision upon Japan
   • Second Sino-Japanese War
     • War broke out 1937 after Marco Polo Bridge incident, resulting in full scale invasion
       • Marco Polo bridge incident: Japanese troops stationed near the bridge were carrying out training exercises. A few shots fired prompting Chinese troops to return fire. Japanese later discovered one soldier missing, though Chinese might have captured him. Japanese demanded to be allowed to search town of Wanping near the bridge. Chinese said would conduct search with 1 Japanese officer accompanying them. Japanese troops tried to force their way into Wanping but failed. Both sides increased their military strength in the area. Despite attempts to resolve the problem, tensions heightened
         • Western Powers did not intervene after China's appeal. Western powers not willing to get involved; also occupied with developments in Europe as Hitler attempted to impose expansionist policy inn Europe. Western powers only started providing aid to China when extent of Japanese violence in Namking Massacre made known internationally

5. Japan's response to world developments in the 1930s

   • American Foreign Policy Changes
     • American popular opinion sided with China, President Roosevelt spoke of the need to 'quarantine' aggressor nations, used Japan's aggression to justify military aid to China
       • 1940, Roosevelt imposed trade embargo on Japan
         • Export of essential war materials (e.g. steel, scrap iron) were banned
           • USA became Japan's enemy
             • Made SEA countries even more attractive
   • War In Europe
     • Japan took the opportunity of declining powers in SEA
       • Targeted Malaya, Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) and Singapore
   • Attack On Pearl Harbour
     • Roosevelt planned to force Japan to back down by using Japan's reliance on American oil
       • Japan politicians could not afford to back down
         • Planned a knockout blow to USA to make Americans negotiate for peace settlement