Conflicting Forces in Japan Chapter 12.5

Kobe, Japan in 1880’s

Japan on the rise in the 1920’s Through policies of democratization and limited foreign expansion, along with the enjoyed peace and economic well-being, Japan’s economy grew The earthquake that hit Tokyo in 1923 and government corruption led to protests.

The Nationalist Reaction When the Great Depression hit in 1929, Japanese exports fell and its people suffered. Ultranationalists seized the moment to demand renewed expansion. In 1931, Japanese army officers provoked an incident that led to the invasion of Manchuria. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations when this act was condemned.

Militarists in Power To alleviate a struggle with ultranationalists, the Japanese government suppressed most democratic freedoms and built a cult around Emperor Hirohito. Emperor Hirohito was nations supreme authority and the living face of god He approved of policies that his ministers formulated.

Second Sino-Japanese War The goal of the conquest of China was renewed, when China broke out into a Civil War In 1937 skirmishing between Japanese and Chinese troops on the frontier led to what became known as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. This fighting sparked a full-blown conflict, the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Second Sino-Japanese War The Communists had been encouraged to negotiate with the KMT by Stalin China also received aid from the west where public opinion was strongly anti-Japanese. Britain, France and the US all sent aid (the latter including the famous ‘Flying Tigers’ fighter-pilot volunteers). China also received aid from Nazi Germany until Hitler decided to make an alliance with Japan in 1938.

Second Sino-Japanese War The Nanking Massacre The Nanking Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanking, was an episode of mass murder and mass rape committed by Japanese troops against Nanking (current official spelling: Nanjing) during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.

Nanking Massacre The massacre occurred during a six-week period starting December 13, 1937, the day that the Japanese captured Nanking, which was then the Chinese capital.

City of Nanking (Nanjing) Report of post massacre is that so many died that the Yangtze River was colored with the blood of the 300,000 dead & 80,000 Raped.

World War II By the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War 19 Million Chinese civilians died. During World War II, Japan allied with Germany and Italy and spread the war into the Pacific region.