1. Japan

2. Kanto Earthquake
1923
Disastrous
Showed Japanese Vulnerability

3. End of Taisho Period 1925 – Universal Suffrage
3.3 Million – 12.5 Million Voters
1925 – Peace Preservation Law
Aimed at Communists
Discouraged Change
1926 – Taisho Emperor dies
Succeeded by Hirohito

4. Rise of Ultra-Nationalism
Pride
Mass Education System
1929 Depression
Exposed Japanese weakness
Anti-Communist
Violent
PM Hamaguchi

5. Japanese Expansion September 1931 - Mukden/Manchurian Incident
Railway explosion
Blamed on Chinese Insurgents
Army took advantage and invaded Manchuria
Set up Puppet-State Manchukuo
Withdrew from League of Nations

7. Increased Violence Ultra-Nationalist plots
League of Blood
Military Involvement
Assassinations of prominent Zaibatsu/Politicians
Mitsui
PM Inukai Tsuyoshi
Effectively ended Party Rule

8. Military Rule 1932 – 1936 Became overt in February 1936
PM Okada Assassination Attempt
Nationalist Coup de tat
Western outrage did little to change Japanese actions

9. The Rape of Nanking July 1937 – Marco-Polo Bridge incident
Shots/Explosions heard
Japanese used as pretext to attack
Atrocities Followed
Rape/Murder/Pillage
Chemical weapons
The Rape of Nanking is rarely acknowledged

10. A Japanese Officer poses with his civilian victims.

11. It is a horrible story to relate; I know not where to begin nor to end
It is a horrible story to relate; I know not where to begin nor to end. Never have I heard or read of such brutality. Rape: We estimate at least 1,000 cases a night and many by day. In case of resistance or anything that seems like disapproval there is a bayonet stab or a bullet. —James McCallum, letter to his family, 19 December 1937

13. Bibliography
Fewster, Stuart & Gorton, Tony. “Japan: From Shogun to Superstate” Brooks Waterloo, Victoria,1988.

14. Questions What was one consequence of the Kanto Earthquake?
What was the Peace Preservation Law?
What was the Mukden/Manchurian Incident?
Who did Ultra-Nationalists target for Assassination?
What was the Marco-Polo Bridge Incident?