The Outbreak of World War Two in the Asia Pacific
by Rakshana M.T
1. Thought to neutralize the U.S Pacific Fleet to protect their advancement into Malaysia and the Dutch East Indies, where it sought access to natural resources such as oil and rubber.
2. Made the control of oil-rich Southeast Asian countries even more appealing.
2.1. Japan's first concrete step towards waging war in the Asia Pacific.
3. This banned the export of steel, scrap iron and fuel to Japan = Essential to support their war effort in China (Second Sino-Japanese War).
4. 2. great depression affected japan's economy badly. its industries needed cheap suppliers of natural resources and markets to sell their goods. furthermore, japan couldn't sell their goods to other countries because of protectionism.
5. E. Japan's Responses to World Developments in the 1930s
6. American Foreign Policy Changes
6.1. Sided with China during its war against Japan. President Franklin D. Roosevelt then placed restrictions on Japanese Trade with the USA under the pretense of needing to 'quarantine' aggressor nations.
6.2. When Japan occupied Vietnam in 1940, Roosevelt further went to establish an embargo.
6.3. USA made itself an enemy of Japan.
7. B. C R I S I S I N J A P A N
7.1. 1. lack of resources and land were the reasons given for japan's expansionist policy. the rapid population increase created the problem of food shortage and hence japan had to import food. the growing population also needed space as japan was a mountainous country and lacked available living space.
7.1.1. 3. growth of military influence in japanese politics meant that the military effectively controlled the government. politicians and the emperor granted concessions to the military in hopes of preventing further political violence.
8. Conflict with Russia
8.1. Russia attempted to establish a permanent military and naval base in Manchuria, which was seen as a security threat to Japan and its interests and influence in Korea.
8.2. Japan initially wanted to reach a diplomatic agreement. Japan offered to accept Russian influence in Manchuria if Russia accepted Japanese influence in Korea.
8.3. However, Russia was not interested in reaching a compromise. Russia did not believe that it needed to negotiate with Japan as an equal power because the East was seen as less powerful and inferior to the West.
8.4. The Japanese government responded to the threat by declaring war on Russia. The Russio-Japanese War took place in 1904, and the Japanese defeated the Russians in 1905.
9. Attack on Pearl Harbor
10. Japan invaded it and renamed it as manchukuo which was refused to be recognize. A motion was raised at League of nation to condemn Japan as aggressor but Japanese delegation walked out of assembly and resigned League
11. Instances of fighting between Japanese and Chinese troops in Northern China which allowed Japan to increase control over Manchuria so tension between them increased
12. Manchuria was economically important as it was good source of raw materials and resources needed for japan's growing industries
13. Britain was more responsive and open to the rise of Japan. She signed an alliance with Japan called the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. The alliance was formed based on the mutual recognition of British and Japanese interests in Asia.
14. Western powers were willing to help China when the extent of Japanese violence in Nanking Massacre were made known internationally.
15. Japan placed in a strong position for future expansion into China due to Manchuria's geographical location
16. Japan administered Taiwan as its first overseas colony and embarked on a colonisation process that was similar to to European efforts around Asia. Japan extracted and processed raw materials such as sugar from its colonised states and sold it in Japan. As a result, they created economic projects that benefitted Japan.
16.1. Outbreak of war in 1939 meant that British and French defenses in the Asian Pacific were critically weak and depleting.
17. European powers were preoccupied by their war and left Asia open and scarcely protected, leaving French Indochina and British colonies like Malaysia and Singapore as easy targets for a Japanese invasion.
18. This lead to full-scale invasion of China so it appealed to the League to intervene but Western powers not willing to get involved militarily as were occupied with developments in Europe
19. In 1884, Japan fought a successful war against China over the control of the Korean peninsula which was originally under the influence of a Chinese dynasty. Japan like the European powers, wished to take advantage of the Chinese territory and trade. China also had to give up Taiwan.
20. Japanese expansionist foreign policy
21. War In Europe
21.1. Situation in Europe also contributed toward the Japanese decision to wage war in the Asia Pacific
22. Alliance With Britain
23. Conflicts With China
23.1. First Sino-Japanese War
23.2. Japan made the mistake of ruling Korea through the Korean royal family and the Korean queen tried to assert their independence by asking the Russians for help to expel the Japanese. Opposition was eliminated through Japan's annexation of Korea by ruling it directly. Japan passed many policies that benefitted the Japanese in Korea.
23.3. Japan had established a foothold in Manchuria after the Russo-Japanese War and gained control of Korea and Taiwan after the First Sino-Japanese War. The political instability experienced by China made it very favoured and fuelled Japanese ambitions to further into China .
23.4. Twenty-One Demands
23.4.1. The Western powers became very interested in China because of its large territory, population and potential for economic activity.
23.4.2. Japan delivered the Twenty-One demands as an ultimatum to China in 1915
24. WHY?
24.1. To acquire resources
24.2. Had limited resources and rely on trade with other countries but restrictive trading practices after Great Depression made it more difficult to obtain raw materials needed from markets.
24.2.1. Helped encourage the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor. Due to America's isolationist policy in the 1930s, it did not get involved in foreign conflicts.
25. Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
25.1. Success of Japanese expansion encouraged plans for creation of this, through which Japan dominate whole of East Asia and Southeast Asia
25.2. Plan was to expel European colonial powers from regions and replace with satellite states loyal to Japan.These would be defended by Japanese military and governed through local elites aided by Japanese advisors
25.3. Expand into Southeast Asia due to availability of important raw materials.
26. Weakness of League of Nations
26.1. Mukden incident and invasion of Manchuria by Japan
26.1.1. Manchuria was strategically important as control over it allowed Japan to defend its interests in Korea