6.0 OUTBREAK OF WW2 IN ASIA PACIFIC

Question 1

WORSENING RELATION WITH WEST

Answer 1

• RACIAL SEGREGATION AND DISCRIMINATION RAMPANT
• JAPANESE KOREA EXCLUSION LEAGUE 1905
• DEMAND FOR RACIAL EQUALITY IN LEAGUE COVENANT REJECTED (failed to gain approval)
• WASHINGTON NAVAL CONFERENCE 1921
  > JAPAN FELT THAT AGREEMENT UNFAIR BIASED AGAINST THEM

Question 2

CRISIS IN JAPAN

Answer 2

1. ECONOMIC CRISIS
2. OVERPOPULATION
3. GROWTH OF MILITARISM

Question 3

Crisis in japan
ECONOMIC CRISIS

Answer 3

RAPID POPULATION INCREASE
- grown from 45 million in 1900 to 64 million by 1930
Great depression 1929
> demand for Japanese export fell drastically
> 1/2 of all factories in Japan close down
- poverty increase, standard of living decrease

Question 4

Crisis in japan
GROWTH OF MILITARISM

Answer 4

• POLITICAL CLIMATE UNSTABLE
• LARGE ROLE IN EXPANSIONIST AMBITIONS AND AGGRESSIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHER COUNTRIES
  1941 - General Tojo became prime minister > military background > ended hopes of peaceful Japan

Question 5

JAPANESE EXPANSIONIST POLICY

Answer 5

GREAT DEPRESSION 1929
- USA BRITAIN PRACTICE PROTECTIONISM GROWING OPPOSITION TO FREE TRADE AND INCREASING RESTRICTIONS AND TAXATIONS ON JAP EXPORTS
- JUSTIFIED POLICY AS IT WAS PERCEIVED NECESSARY FOR ENSURED SUPPLY OF RESOURCES
TAIWAN - access to sugar
KOREA - defend jap isles, source of cotton and wool
MANCHURIA - defend Korea, source of minerals and wheat land for growing population

Question 5

JAPANESE EXPANSIONIST POLICY

Answer 5

GREAT DEPRESSION 1929
- USA BRITAIN PRACTICE PROTECTIONISM GROWING OPPOSITION TO FREE TRADE AND INCREASING RESTRICTIONS AND TAXATIONS ON JAP EXPORTS
- JUSTIFIED POLICY AS IT WAS PERCEIVED NECESSARY FOR ENSURED SUPPLY OF RESOURCES
TAIWAN - access to sugar
KOREA - defend jap isles, source of cotton and wool
MANCHURIA - defend Korea, source of minerals and wheat land for growing population

Question 6

GREATER EAST ASIA CO-PROSPERITY SPHERE

Answer 6

• DOMINATE WHOLE OF EAST ASIA AND SEA
  > expel European colonial powers, establish satellite states
• AVAILABILITY OF IMPORTANT RAW MATERIALS
  > RUBBER OIL Indonesia Malaysia

Question 7

WEAKNESS OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Answer 7

INEFFECTIVE IN INCREASING JAPANESE AGGRESSION
- REACTED SLOWLY
1. INVASION OF MANCHURIA
2. EXPANSION IN CHINA

Question 8

INVASION OF MANCHURIA

Answer 8

1931 - 1933
- ECONOMICALLY AND STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT
> SOURCE OF RAW MATERIALS FOR GROWING INDUSTRIES
- DEFEND INTERESTS IN KOREA
Sept 1931 bomb exploded near Japanese owned railway near Mukden
Mukden incident > blamed Chinese nationalists
- japan withdrew from LON in 1933 unable to enforce decision upon japan
- embolden japan for further expansion and encouraged aggression, perception western powers weak

Question 9

JAPAN’S RESPONSE TO WORLD DEVELOPMENTS 1930s

Answer 9

1. DETERIORATION OF RELATIONS WITH USA
2. WAR IN EUROPE

Question 10

Japan’s response to world developments 1930s
DETERIORATION OF RELATIONS WITH USA

Answer 10

1936 Japan began building up its navy, went against agreement in Washington Naval conference 1921
- worried and angered USA
US sided with China cancelled 1911 commercial treaty with Japan to discourage Japan expansion in China
- placing trade restrictions on Japan with USA
US imposed trade embargo on Japan in 1940 when they occupied Vietnam
- banned export of steel scrap iron and fuel

Question 11

ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOUR

Answer 11

Oct 1941 - Prince Funimaro Konoe resigned from Prime minister (preferred negotiation to war)
- General and war minister Hideki Tojo appointed as PM
Nov 1941 - emperor approved Tojo’s plan for war against USA Britain Netherlands in SEA
- based on quick knockout blow and element of surprise
Jap fleet of 30 capital ships, includes aircraft carriers, aircraft and submarines
Dec 1941 - Jap planes struck pearl harbor sunk 5/8 battleships, 2400 Americans killed, bombing its airfields
ANTICIPATED THAT ATTACK WOULD CRIPPLE USA PACIFIC FLEET AND ELIMINATE US PRESENCE IN ASIA PACIFIC