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Political instability in China: What were the roles of political instability and the growing influence of the military in the move to global war?
• The Northern Expedition in China was cause for concern for the Japanese who backed warlord, Zhang Zuolin, but now feared his power inhibiting Japanese control of Manchuria.
• Japanese military sent to make Zhang retreat and give the GMD control of China while Japan focused on Manchuria.
• The Kwantung Army undermined these orders by assassinating Zhang and halting the Northern expedition at Jinan. -
Economic Crisis: To what extent were economic factors important in the move to Global War?
• Cast doubts of USA, democratic nations, and Japan’s own parliamentary government
• Japan was heavily dependent on world trade and tariffs like the Smoot-Hoover Tariff Act raised duties on Japanese goods by as much as 200%
• Control of Manchuria that possessed many raw materials such as coal, iron, and timber, was needed now more than ever
• Also, Manchuria could help provide living space to an overpopulated Japan
• Manchuria—four times larger than Japan, security buffer to Russia -
Ideology: 1930’s
To what extent was ideology important in the move to Global War? Most believed in Japan’s destiny as the region’s leader
Expansionist foreign policy pushed -
Political instability in China continued
There was no punishment for these actions and therefore this event undermined liberal democracy in Japan.
• Minseito Party came to power in 1930 w/ the majority of votes --- platform of good relations w/ China, disarmament, and end of corruption
• However, the Great Depression caused issues (low salaries of government employees)
• London Naval Agreement limiting Japanese naval growth was looked down upon and Hamaguchi (Prime Minister) was shot -
Military: What was the role of militarism in the move to global war? Because the military gained more power in the 1930s, there was admiration in Japan for Nazi Germany, who also walked out of the League of Nations
• The new Soviet communist regime was both an ideological and territorial threat to Japan with its interest in Manchuria.
• By the 1930s, Japan viewed the Soviets as their biggest threat and potential opponent and was increasing concerned by the relationship between China and the Soviet Union.
• Because of this, Japan would later sign the Anti-Comintern Pact with Nazi Germany in November 1936. -
Events of Manchuria, 1931: (Impact of nationalism and militarism on Japan’s foreign policy) To what extent was nationalism and militarism a driving force in the move to global war?
• Officers from the Kwantung Army blamed Chinese.
• Gave the Japanese an “excuse.”
• Within hours, the Japanese had forced the Chinese to retreat from Mukden.
• The following day the Kwantung Army entered Changchun to the north
• Wakatsuki’s government attempted to regain some control and declared a policy of “non-expansion of hostilities”
• However, the Kwantung Army relished its victories and did not heed orders. -
Results( “Turning point”—that led to Japan’s isolation): To what extent was foreign policy important in the move to global war?
• Impact on foreign relations large→ to the rest of the world, the Japanese proclamations of peace and halted expansion seemed deceitful
• This marked the deterioration of Japan’s relations with the USA and Britain.
• Despite the West’s rather cautious response to the Manchurian Crisis, the condemnation of Japan’s actions were evident and cause
• to a great extent, Japan abandoned international cooperation and the Washington Treaty System. -
Results: To what extent was foreign policy important in the move to global war?
• In Japan, there was a feeling that the League of Nations and international law were racist and only upheld when they met the needs of the imperialist West (there was lingering resentment over the Triple Intervention of 1895 between Germany, Russia, and France that forced Japan to give up the Liadong Peninsula. Great Britain and France exploited this weakening of China to claim port cities for themselves.) -
Manchurian Incident
18 September 1931, near Mukden, there was an explosion on a section of Japanese-owned South Manchurian Railway. -
Manchurian Incident
24 September, the government declared that the army would fall back to the railway zone, but again, the Kwantung army refused to follow these orders and further expanded into the Manchurian countryside. -
Conflict with China
• Jiang, leader of the Chinese Nationalist party attempted to deal with the Japanese invasion in a pragmatic way by boycotting Japanese products.
• While this reduced Japanese sales in China by 2/3, Japan continued its actions and Jiang continued to cede territory. -
"Manchukuo”
• In the beginning of 1932, Manchuria was wholly under the control of Japanese forces
• Set up independent government and called the new state “Manchukuo” -
Conflict with China
• January 1932, fighting between Japanese and Chinese forces in Manchuria broke out.
• After 6 weeks, the Chinese were forced to withdraw.
• Japanese bombed the heavily populated Chinese districts(including densely populated Chapei) resulting in thousands of casualties and refugees. These acts of aggression intensified Chinese outrage and helped turn world opinion against Japan. -
After 1932 Division in military What were the roles of political instability and the growing influence of the military in the move to global war?
• Koda-ha faction: believed in military dictatorship that would deliver state socialism→ viewed the Soviet Union as the largest threat to Japan and saw war and the conquest of Manchuria as critical. (National “spirit” over material force.) -
After 1932 Division in military What were the roles of political instability and the growing influence of the military in the move to global war?
• Tosei-ha faction: were against terrorism and the use of force to remove the government, did not see war with the Soviet Union as inevitable and wanted to maintain good relations with the Soviets. Their objective was conquest in China that would require the modernization of the army and industry as well as the mobilization of the whole nation. -
“May 15th Incident”
As part of this internal contest for power an assassination plot took place in May 1932, when a number of navy and army officers attacked banks, party officers, and police headquarters in Tokyo, culminating in the shooting and killing of Prime Minister Inukai. -
May 15th Incident: Results
Public support for the actions of the conspirators further undermined the democratic system in Japan and the interim governments of Admiral Saito and Admiral Okada allowed for more instability and power struggles between the Koda-ha and Tosei-ha factions. Ultimately this power struggle resulted in the supremacy of the Tosei-ha and paved the way for more military control over the government -
More Conflict with China
• Japanese control of Manchuria was accepted in May 1933 in the Treaty of Tanggu.
• Jiang also agreed to the seizure of parts of inner Mongolia.
• The issues between the Chinese National party and the CCP resulting in Jiang “selling space to buy time,” focusing on the issue of riding China of the CCP before tackling Japan. -
Results on the Japanese Government
• Benefitted from the occupation of Manchuria, but cost to maintain such a sizeable army negated some of the benefits→ there was an increase in taxation in Japan
• Isolation from international powers and a vision of the “Asia Monroe Doctrine,” which hoped to limit European influence in Asia, made Japan’s agenda lofty.
• Japan had to protect itself from the US Navy and the Soviet Army, and had to assert position over the Chinese government in Manchuria and Northern China. -
Results on the Japanese Government
• In large part, Japan found itself in this position as a result of nationalist sentiment and growing militarism rather than the actions or intentions of the Japanese government.
• Public support for the Kwantung Army further undermined the Japanese government
