1. Japanese Imperialism

2. Objective Students will…
Describe the rise of Japan’s military regime and its characterization as a dictatorship
Compare and contrast Japan’s dictatorial regime to European dictatorships.

3. Japan in the 1920s
After WWI – JP one of world’s foremost powers

4. Economic Challenges During Meiji restoration – industrialization
Rapid industrialization creates problems
Peasants and rural workers had not shared in nation’s prosperity; WWI ended – many industries slowed down
Unemployment, strikes
Did not have natural resources needed to supply modern industry and forced to import
Sold manufactured goods abroad
Other countries had tariffs to protect their products form foreign competition (difficult for JP to export)
To get resources they needed – Japanese leaders decided to expand

5. Social Changes
Shift from agricultural nation to an urban economy + universal education/ideas form the West = social change
Democracy growing, political parties emerging
Younger people adopted Western fashions/beliefs; questioned traditional JP values (obedience and respect)
Traditional JP leaders believed their nation was being corrupted by the West.

6. Growing Military Influence
Japan experienced a severe economics crisis in 1927, followed shortly by the Great Depression
Many JP lost their faith in the gov’t (unable to help) and began to look to the JP military for leadership

7. The Military’s Vision
Military officers envisioned a united Japan – devoted to the emperor and to the glory of the nation ruled by the military leadership.
Began to seek power over JP’s civilian gov’t

8. Foreign Relations
Military’s influence in JP grew mostly because of public opposition to JP gov’t’s foreign policy
After WWI – civilian leaders of JP’s gov’t made several treaties w/ the West to limit the size of the JP navy
Military officials mad b/c it halted JP’s overseas expansion
1924 – U.S. passed a law banning JP immigration
Supposed ally; offended JP pride and some began to question the gov’t’s policy of cooperation w/ the West
JP public increasingly put their faith in the military
Nationalist vision of strong Japan that would defer to no other country.

9. Japanese Aggression
As 1920s end, Japan’s military gained power; widening gap btwn the military and the civilian gov’t
Military became more aggressive toward other nations because there was no gov’t control

10. Building a Fighting Spirit
WWI proved that modern war would rely on technology/industrial power
JP didn’t have industrial capacity to contend; had been forced to limit the size of their navy
Military leaders decided to focus on the soldier.
Promote the fighting spirit of JP troops; claimed it would make up for lack of modern weaponry
In JP military’s instruction manual, “surrender”, “retreat”, and “defense” were removed – they were no longer possibilities in warfare
Placed military personnel in public schools to shape thinking of JP children.

11. Taking over the Gov’t
Group of JP military leaders plotted to replace the nation’s gov’t with military dictatorship – believed that aggressive nationalist leadership was vital to JP’s future.
1930s – soldiers, military leaders, and members of a nationalist organizations carried out a series of assassinations of government officials (cabinet members, prime ministers)
JP civilian eventually gave in to military’s demand for power

12. Conquering Manchuria
Manchurian Incident, 1931 – JP military leaders decided to conquer Manchuria; rich in natural resources (coal and iron)
Many believed the resources would free JP from economic reliance on world trade with the West and would allow JP to compete with large industrial nations.
JP forces quickly gained control of Manchuria – JP public supported; civilian gov’t powerless to stop it
JP troops eventually set up a military gov’t in the region

13. Forming New Alliances
League of Nations strongly condemned JP’s aggressive actions toward Manchuria
JP withdrew from the League in 1933
Announced it would no longer restrict size of its navy
Making its break with much of the West and grew closer with Germany
1936 – Anti-Comintern Pact – JP and GM agreed to work together to oppose the spread of communism; each nation promised to aid the other if attacked by USSR
Italy joined pact in 1937

14. War in China
Following Manchurian incident, JP grew more and more aggressive and seized more Chinese territory
Some began to worry that CH communists and nationalists would join forces and turn on JP (maybe with USSR support)
Summer 1937 – Second Sino-Japanese War

15. Nanjing Massacre One of the war’s early battles Also known as Nanking
After capturing the city, JP troops went on a rampage
Killed CH soldier and civilians
At least 300,000 men, women, and children were killed

16. Move Toward Wider War
CH was simply too large for JP to conquer easily – turned into a long, costly war
JP looked to SE Asia for resource (rubber, oil)
1940 – JP foreign minister proposed the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
Group of nations whose combined resources would allow independence
Proposed as an economic benefit for the region, but it was little more than another attempt to build a JP empire
JP aggression in Asia was viewed with alarm by other nations; didn’t welcome JP expansion