1. Japanese Aggression US Isolationism American and British policies in the Pacific Attack on Pearl...
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Transcript of 1. Japanese Aggression US Isolationism American and British policies in the Pacific Attack on Pearl...
What were the causes of the Second World War in the Pacific?
1. Japanese Aggression
US Isolationism
American and British policies in the Pacific
Attack on Pearl Harbour
Background: 1. Japanese Grievances
Treaty of Versailles
US Isolationism
Washington Naval Conference
Attack on Manchuria
Japans aims:
Territorial gains of the Pacific islands Rights and concessions won at
Shandong to be retained Current issues in Siberia to be kept off
the table In short acc to Michael Barnhart Japan
sought to have it enlarged imperial position recognized by the itnernational community
Japan’s obstacles
Woodrow Wilson arrived in Paris with the idea of bringing in a new world order
He wanted the creation of the LON where all nations would be represented as equals
Wilson meant to revolutionize the rules of the game of international relations is ways nearly always detrimental to Japan’s hard won gains of the last 25 years
Japan’s gains and actions were not in keeping with those rules
Japan domestic issues
For Hara the PM , a diplomatic victory at Versailles very important
It was the failure of the govt in 1905 which had catapulted Hara’s party the Seiyukai to power.
Hara determined not to have the opposition unseat him
Thus Japan approached the Conference defensively
Japan and China at Versailles
Japan attacked by China as the violator of the principles of the LON
Aus and NZ objected to Japan in the Pacific Japan’s racial equality clause idea blocked Finally Japan threatened not to join the LON Price to join LON was granting of Shandong and
receive Pacific territories as Mandates This was not acceptable to China and when
these terms were revealed in May 1919 it led to a massive protest in China> Called the May 4th Movement
Treaty of Versailles
Japanese delegates felt that they were slighted when their demands for the ‘racial equality clause ‘ were ignored.
USA withdrew from Treaty of Versailles and League
Yet it maintained a presence in the Pacific, claimed Open Door Policy in trade with China
Michael Barnhart…
Hara convinced that the US would be the key player in the region
To maintain that relationship and to be a part of the new order, Hara sacrificed some of the aims at the Conference
Hara would continue to pay over the next two years to secure that membership
Japan’s tensions with the US
Hinged on three issues› Japans involvement in Siberia› Japans growing naval power was seen as a threat by GB and
USA› Japan’s gains in China worried GB
To resolve part of the tensions Japan at America’s insistence recognized the right of the GB, French, US and Japanese banks to form a consortium and lend money to China
Hara also agreed to a partial withdrawal from some areas in Shandong. China refused to discuss this with Japan
IN addition Hara had to face tensions as the army was beginning to play an increasingly important role. It was reluctant to withdraw from Siberia and Manchuria
Japan’s domestic tensions
It is to be noted here that much of Japan’s policy is determined by its domestic tensions.› Army, fortunately Hara’s War Minster an
ex-Admiral Tanaka. He was able to convince the army to withdraw from Siberia
› Growing inflation and rice riots› Navy also now wanted an enlarged role like
the army. Its demands of 8-8 was a major issue and nearly destabilised the govt.
Washington Naval Conference 1922
On the surface the conference was about Naval disarmament as stated in the Treaty of Versailles
Reality was it was about containing the power of Japan
Both GB and USA worried about the growing power of Japan in the Pacific region
USA wanted to contain its power and GB wanted to opt out of its alliance
Japan gained in this with the ratio of 5:5: 3:1.75:1.75
Japanese gains at the Washington Naval Conference
Japanese gain the advantage in the Pacific as its fleet was to police only one ocean
Japan agreed to lower ratio in return for being able to keep its latest battleship and dismantling of fortifications on German Pacific colonies
US and UK agreed in turn not to develop any new military bases with the exception of Hawaii, Singapore and Japanese home waters
Japan was the gainer because the nearest hostile base the Hawaii was 6,000 miles away from Japan
Japanese were upset by these decisions. Hara was assassinated by a fanatic in 1921
Japanese losses and stalemate
Accept a lower ratio End of Anglo Japanese alliance The alliance was replaced by a ambiguous 4
Power Pact. It was consultative but did not apply to China, thereby signaling that the US did not endorse Japan’s claims on China
Signed the 9 power treaty respecting China’s sovereignty
This bound all the powers not to enlarge their rights in China in the future but it did not challenge positions and rights gained in the past.
What did Washington Conference achieve?
A decade of stability to Japan’s relations with the West
Relations and events in China were tumultous and Japan had to take some key decisions
Who would govern Japan? The parties?the Army? The Navy?
Summing up
Hara’s death meant that Japanese politics was fractured
No political party or the army would unite Japanese politics
As a result Japan did not have a unified or even consistent foreign policy for the end of WW1 to the 2nd ( Barnhart)
Japan Domestic Issues 1921-1931
Tokyo Earthquake 1923› Riots were believed to be masterminded by Koreans› A time of tensions, arrests, riots› More domestic instability for Japan
In 1924 Kato became PM› Attempted domestic reforms› Responsible for voting rights for all Japanese males
over the age of 25› Reduced the size of the Imperial Army› Relations with Moscow restored but tensions with
Communists remained› Peace Preservation Law passed….censorship, arrests
etc.
Japan Foreign Policy 1921-1929
Foreign Minister Shidehara tried to maintain good relations with the US inspite of a humiliating law in 1924 which barred Orientals from entering the US
Shidehara wanted to build on trade and investment with China
However by this time the Army was beginning to take control and the government and army often at odds and followed contradictory policies
The army was determined to hold on to Manchuria at all costs, to the point where it even tried to topple the Kato Government
Japan Govt and the Army
From 1924 onwards the government and army pursued contradictory policies
From 1924 when Chiang Kai Shek wanted Japan and Kwantung army to help him regain control, the govt refused but the Army began to look for allies against Shidehara.
Confrontation with govt and govt won Army was secretly supporting China But by 1924 China was allied with USSR and Japanese
businesses were targeted Shidehara’s refusal to deal effectively with this lost him his
power and in Shanghai the May 30th incident Shidehara chose to deal with China. China granted tarriff
autonmoy
Japan and China 1926 onwards
1926 CKS makes a bid for control of China He announced the ‘Northern Expedition’ Shidehara chose to be uninvolved Chang Tsolin the pro Japanese warlord felt that
the imperial army ( IJA )would not abandon him CKS gained control of key cities except
Manchuria By then Shidehara no longer in control as he
was ousted from power. Tanaka became the PM
Tanaka and China
Unlike Shidehara , Tanaka wanted to negotiate with China to get control of Manchuria
Tanaka Chiang Kai Shek agreement. Chiang agreed not to take Manchuria in return from Chiang’s taking control of China
By 1927 Tanaka’s position weak the politics in Japan weakened his position
Tanaka unable to prevent army from interfering in China’s affairs, the ‘Tsinan Incident’ in Shandong was caused by the IJA
By mid 1927 the government of Japan had no control over the army
Tanaka wanted to allow China to take control of Manchuria as long as Japanese interests were not harmed
Army wanted to control Manchuria
IJA and Manchuria
Over and over again the IJA demonstrated that it controlled issues in China and not the Japanese govt.
IJA did not want that China should regain control of Manchuria, not even token control
IJA afraid that Chang Tsolin would give in to Chiang Kai Shek , so his train was blown up
Rioting in Manchuria incited by the IJA IJA miscalculated…. Chang Tsolin’s son went
over to Chiang Kai Shek’s side when he learned that his father’s murderers were Japanese
London Naval ConferenceIssue
Japan’s tensions with the West
Shidehara who came back to office a second time, wanted to maintain ties with the west
Japan back on the Gold Standard: this was significant
However, naval disarmament on hold since 1922 was becoming an issue
London Naval Confernce held in 1929
Manchuria 1931
Japan maintained control of Manchuria through its support with Zhang Tsolin
CKS attempts to unify China and the rise fo Chinese nationalism prompted fears in Japan and posed a challenge to Japanese control of the mainland China
18/9/1931, Japanese army staged an ‘incident’. A bomb went off in Mukden. The Japanese Kwantung army claimed the Chinese did it.
Why Manchuria?
military
•Manchuria a good base to attack China
•Manchuria a buffer against USSR
Economic
•75% of all foreign investment was Japanese
•Manchuria rich in raw materials and provided markets markets for Japan
Social
•Japan had a fast growing population and need to resettle population
•Provide employment and migration because of Depression
Manchuria 1932
By 1932 Manchuria under Japanese control Pu Yi last Emperor became the puppet
emperor of ManchuGuo This action a clear breach of LON mandate LON declaimed that ManchuGuo was illegal
and demanded Japanese withdrawal Japan chose to ignore LON and withdraw
from League
US reaction to Japanese aggression
Introduction of the Stimson Doctrine Stimson Doctrine refused to recognise
ManchuGuo or any arrangement imposed on China by force
Impact of the Depression
Japan hit very hard by the Depression Its rice , silk and textile markets
collapsed because of US policy
US Neutrality ACts
These a major contributing factor to WW2 in the Pacific Issued in response to Japanese aggression in China in
1937 Refused loans and armaments to countries at war Travel on belligerent vessels was illegal
US anger at the sinking of the PANAY a US gunboat. It was sunk by the Japanese off Nanjing
US supported China and criticised Japanese actions in China
US not willing to commit to war to help China but demanded and received compensation for the PANAY incident
Neutrality Act
In reality the Act had little legal claim because War had not been declared
Roosevelt did not invoke the act, because it would close doors to China
Since the act was not implemented Japan was able to get supplies
Roosevelts Quarantine Speech
A factor that exacerbated tensions Message to isolationists in US was War
was coming and that there was no escape through neutrality or isolation
Japan took it to mean that it was a warning
Japanese Foreign Policy
A direct contributor to WW2 in the Pacific A combination of militant nationalism Desire to be a regional power A new modern army and navy set up
since the Meiji Restoration Armed forces to play a role in govt. By 1936 army and navy ministers to be
ranked offices Cabinet to include service men
Armed forces to be king-makers
Cabinet members were to be represented by armed forces
A cabinet could be toppled if a navy or army minister resigned
Increased budget spending on armed forces
Gradually as the Depression worsened there seemed to be the perception that civilian governments could not cope
Militarism in Japan
Japanese armed forces relied on 2 principles: absolute obedience to superiors and do not be taken alive in battle.
Training of Japanese soldiers very harsh and brutal
This brutality was reflected in Japanese attitudes in its war with China and S.E.Asia
Ironically in the Russo Japanese war, the Japanese were respected for their honorable treatment of troops!!!
Impact of the Depression
Rise of dictatorships seen by Japan as the answer to its problems
Japanese politicians blamed Affected by Chinese nationalism
because its investments in China, especially Manchuria were threatened
Furthermore the thinking evolved that if Japan had an empire it could create its own trade barriers and protectionist policies
Fairbanks’ View
Reasons for Japanese militarism? Japanese government had elites which included
Cabinet and the armed forces There was no tradition of democracy where the will
of the people could counter the role of the military ‘Military services in modernizing states tend to be
politically strong in modernising states and weak in fully modern states’
Japan was the former case, its military had never been subordinated to civilian control and as the most dynamic group in the socitey tthey rose to power.
Sino Japanese War 1937-1945
Attack begins with Marco Polo Bridge incident Fear of USSR which had 240,000 troops as
compared to Japanese 160,000 Japan attempted to capture Nanjing the capital
to end the war and not ally with USSR Rape of Nanjing followed 12/12/37 CKS withdrew to Chongqing Japanese set up a puppet government in
Nanjing with Wang Jingwei in March 1940 SO now there were 4 centres of power in China