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Period: to
War against China
- over Korea
- Japan won
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Period: to
Anglo-Japanese Alliance
- to prevent the USSR from advancing into the Far-East
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Period: to
War against Russia
- over the two countries' borders
- Japan won, first victory of an Asian power over a major European power
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Annexation of Korea
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Washington Naval Treaty
- signed agreements with Britain, France and the US to limit the total number of warships being built
- organised by the US who was not a member of the League of Nations
- Ratio of capital ships by the ton of Britain, the US, Japan, France and Italy: 5:5:3:1.67:1.67
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GMD founder Sun Yat-sen dies
- escalated the conflict between the Chinese Nationalist Party (Guomindang or GMD) and the Communist Party of China (Chinese Communist Party or CCP)
- the infighting created instability in China, which Japan exploited
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Kellogg-Briand Pact is signed
- negotiation between 15 countries including the US, France, Germany, Britain, Italy and Japan
- agreement that force will not be used to settle disputes, but there was no way to enforce the pact
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Wall Street Crash
- unemployment and other effects increased the pressure n the civilian politicians
- this convinced the ultranationalist politicians and military commanders that democracy was failing and Japan needed to be self-sufficient
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US introduces tariffs to protect its economy
- hurt Japan's export trade as it made Japanese goods in the US more expensive
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Mukden Incident
- Kwantung Army blew up railway tracks at Mukden, blaming it on the Chinese government, using this as an excuse to take over Manchuria
- the military supported their actions while the Prime Minister and the civilian government could not do anything
- was also popular with the Japanese public as it was a solution to their economic problems
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League's Council passes a resolution for Japan to withdraw from China
- Japan claimed they were not invading, but acting in self-defence to keep peace
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US issues non-recognition doctrine
- declared that the US would not recognise any agreement that violated China's territorial/administrative agreement or that went against the "open door" policy or the Kellogg-Briand Pact
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Puppet government in Manchukuo is set up
- did exactly what the Japanese army told it to do
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Lytton Report is presented
- concluded that Japan had acted unlawfully and Manchuria should be returned to China
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Japan announces plan to occupy more of China
- done in order to defend their territories
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Lytton Report is approved
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Japan rejects Lytton Report and resigns from League of Nations
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Japan takes control of Jehol province; China is forced to sign Tanggu Truce
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Period: to
Japan moves into Chahar province
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Anti-Comitern Pact
- signed by German and Japan to oppose the Communist International (Comintern), set up by the USSR with the goal of spreading communism by promoting uprisings
- also agreed not to sign any treaties with the USSR
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Tensions between US and Japan rise
- due to the invasion of China
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Period: to
Marco Polo Bridge Incident starts the Second Sino-Japanese War
- at Wanping near Beijing
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Shanghai falls to Japan
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Japan takes over Nanjing (Nanjing Massacre)
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Japan captures Wuhan and coastal region of Guangdong
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Moral embargo is placed on planes and aviation part sales
- by the US on Japan
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Period: to
Stalemate between China and Japan
- China was unable to drive Japan out, but Japan was also unable to completely defeat China
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Longstanding trade agreement is suspended
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Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is launched
- emphasised the goal of ridding Asia of the influence of the US and other Western powers
- Japan planned to establish a Japanese Empire that called for a united and independent East Asia
- they also could use the resources of Asia to prepare for war
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Period: to
US gives millions of dollars to China
- to help China resist Japan
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Partial trade embargo on aviation, motor fuel and melting scrap is placed
- by the US on Japan
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Period: to
Japan takes control of French Indochina
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Tripartite Pact is signed
- signed by Germany, Italy and Japan to signal greater cooperation, especially in regard to defence, and promised assistance of one member country was attacked
- signed partially to deter the US from intervening in the conflicts in Europe and Asia
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Embargo of raw materials is placed
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Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact is signed
- between the USSR and Japan
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100 P-40 fighter planes are sent to support China
- sent by the US
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US bans Japanese imports and freezes all Japanese assets
- Japan would be unable to purchase any US product or resource
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Oil embargo is placed
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Trading with the Enemy Act is resurrected
- seized Japanese assets in the US, making it unable to buy essential goods
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Hull Note is delivered
- an ultimatum delivered by the US
- demanded the complete Japanese withdrawal from Indochina and China
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Attack on Pearl Harbour
- 300 planes launched attacks on the US Fleet in the Pacific to allow Japan to buy time to consolidate power
- failed to destroy repair shops, fuel-oil tanks and other crucial naval installations
- all 3 US Pacific Fleet's aircraft carriers escaped unscathed as they were not present
- accompanied with simultaneous attacks on the Philippines, Dutch East Indies, Malaya, Hong Kong and Burma
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US and Britain declares war on Japan