Chap 3 Case Study of Militarist Japan Flashcards
What was the Meiji Restoration?
It is the period of economic modernisation in Japan during the Meiji Period(1868-1912)
- to catch up to the west so they are not exploited like china
-also driven by the US forcing treaties onto japan in the 1850s
How did Japan modernise itself?
-introduction of policies based on Fukoku Kyohei to strengthen japan’s economic foundations, helping them build a strong military to defend against foreign invaders
-use of western technology and industrailised economy to increase production. Banking systems, railroads, and zaibatsu set up to support production
-began foreign trade and export of goods
What changes did japan undergo during the meiji period?
political:
-1889, becomes a constitutional monarchy where the Emperor shared power with a government made up of different groups: the Genro (informal group of senior politicians as special advisors), democratically elected civilian politicians in the Diet, the Military
Social:
-rural-urban migration mostly among young people for work (Tokyo’s popupation rose from 600k~ in 1873 to 2million in 1913) causing a divide in terms of values and attitude compared to those in the countryside
-Change to social hierarchy, samurai no longer an elite class, replaced by the army and navy
Education:
-adopted western-style curriculum
-encouraged nationalistic feelings and reinforced japanese loyalty
-the education system praised the military and its importance in protecting japan from its enemies(particularly western colonial powers). They were further respected due to victories overseas and were highly respected.
How did Japan’s successes in wars overseas influence its foreign policy from 1868 to 1912?
1894-1895, Japan victory against China over Korea, a stunning victory and the chinese forces were no match for the modern and well-trained japanese army and navy
-China also ceded territories like Taiwan, Manchuria,etc
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1904-1905, War between Russia and Japan. It was the first time an Asian power defeated a major European power
- allowed japan to replace russia as the key power in manchuria and annexing korea completely, becomimg a major power in the region.
This increased peoples’ respect to the military, increasing the military’s political influence and convinced japan they were to liberate asia from the western powers
What were the challenges japan faced from 1912-1932(Taisho period)?
Following the death of emperor meji, the new emperor yoshihito brought japan into a politically unstable era.
Political challenges:
-Yoshihito was sickly and too weak to exercise authority over japan’s government
-most of the genro left the political scene due to age
No strong emperor or genro to unify the government
- The military began acting on their own, displeased by the PM cutting their budget, and because the emperor could not enforce much control over them
Civilian politicians in the cabinet and diet were divided
- the two political parties elected in the diet(Seiyukai and Minseito) were rivals wrestling for power, making it challenging for the PM to gain support of the majority.
Economic:
facing economic stagnation
-economy prospered in 1914-1918 as many European powers were involved in WW1 and japan had no competition
-hit by severe inflation by 1920s
-high unemployment due to decline in overseas demand for japanese goods
created growing resentment towards the civilian government
Challenges in the countryside:
-insufficient land for farmers due to large population growth
-productivity of farmers in countryside stagnated by 1920s as tech advances in farming did not spread quickly enough
-most farmers were tenant farmers whos harvests mostly went towards paying the landlord.
rural-urban divide:
continued govt support to wealthy zaibatsu caused wealth to be concentrated in the hands of big businesses while workers and peasants continued living in poverty, widening gap bt the rich and poor.
How did the Great Depression(1929) impact japan?
Farmers:
-decreased exports decreased demands for farmers produce
-landlords did not reduce rent and even tried evicting tenant farmers who did not pay
-formed unions in retaliation, holding protest meetings and took landowners to court
small business owners:
-struggled to attract customers and closed
- joined protest movements led by the Imperial Middle Class Federated Alliance claiming the political parties were looking after the large influential businesses/corporations and letting small businesses go out
Unemployment:
-15-20% lost jobs
- workers protested, mainly against their employers who were from elite classes
communism:
-did not become big in japan
Growing distrust in the government
-the japanese believed the civilian politicians only cared for the elites and were in cahoots with thr zaibatsu or receiving benefits and money from them
What was japans response to the 1930 londol naval treaty?
-treaty signed bt japan and the western powers(britain, france, usa) at washington naval conference in 1922 to limit the total no. of warships being built.
-it was unfair as japan was allowed fewer warships.
-military felt that civilian leaders had let them down by agreeing to the unfavourable terms of disarmament
reviewed in the naval conference in 1930 where japan’s demands to build more warships were rejected
-ultimately seen as a form of betrayal by thr govt which further undermined peoples’ trust in the Democratic government
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How did the events in Manchuria show the growing influence of the Japanese military in the government?
Assasination of Zhang Zuolin(warlord of manchuria), 1928:
-carried out by the kwangtung army that oversaw japan’s assets in manchuria
-in an attempt to replace him with a new and more cooperative leader as zhang was unable to defend japan’s interests in manchuria
-actions criticised by the emperor who ordered the PM to discipline them
-PM had no real authority over the military and could not force them to punish those responsible for the assasination
revealed how the emperor failed to control the military and that they could defy the civilian government
Invasion of Manchuria:
-to take over manchuria for its land as a colony and resources, the perfect solution to japan’s lack of natural resources
-blew up a railway track at Mukden as an excuse to take over Manchuria
-the PM and civilian government were unable to control the ishiwara’s actions
showed how the civilian officials only had a weak control over the military, and they had a greater say in japan’s foreign policy
How did the japanese react to the events in manchuria?
-it was extremely popular with the Japanese public as many saw manchuria as a solution to japan’s economic problems
-the victory was celebrated in japan through songs, plays, newsreels, radio broadcasts.
-increased military’s popularity in japan
What motivated the assassinations in the 1930s? What impact did they have on japan?
-growth in network of ultranationalistic and anti-democratic activists who were against the civilian politicial leaders and zaibatsu
eg: showa restoration faction, sakurakai(cherry blossom society), league of blood
-the assasinations intimidated civilain politicians causing tjem to drop their opposition to the military and created a sense of instability
May 15, 1932 incident
-an attempted coup against the government carried out by the league of blood
-they were arrested but the military commanders did not condemn their actions, instead issued a statement excusing their actions while demanding political reforms in japan
-Seiyukai party prevented from forming a new cabinet even tho it had the majority share of representatives in the diet
-26may, emperor appointed a navy admiral as japan’s new PM with a cabinet where 10/15 members were military officers and govt officials.
with majority of cabinet made up of militaty officers, japan comes under militarist rule
How did the coup in 1936 allow the military to consolidate power in the government?
It led to the emergence of the control faction in the japanese government
-the military was divided between the Imperial way faction and the control faction
-feb 26, young officers from the imperial way faction attempted to lead a military coup and assassinate key government leaders and demand a new government
-the coup failed as they did not have the favour of the emperor and the attempt was condemned by the emperor.
-led to imperial way faction losing its influence allowing the control faction to seize control of the military and restore its discipline
How did the government increase their control of the japanese industry in the 1930s?
Industrialisation:
-setting up of new zaibatsu with govt contracts in chemicals, construction related areas.
-eg: nissan, nichitsu, mori
-was closely linked with the military
-preparing japan for war
Principal Industries Control Law,
1931
-was set up as govt believed that competition between zaibatsu was wasteful as they would priorotise profit at the expense of the country
-legal for zaibatsu to form cartels(one big company dominating the industry)
-limited competition and regulated production and prices of goods sold
-set up in japan’s heavy industries like ship building, electric power, textiles, coal mining
-by 1936 however, the govt began directly controlling some cartels (electric power industry)
-introduction of the Five-Year Plans setting targets for production in various industries
-forced many workers to withdraw from labour unions by 1936
how did the government try to control the japanese population?
Control of japanese thought:
-promote loyalty to the state and emperor, and a strong military spirit
-Campaign for Economic Revitalisation emphasised the traditional values seen in the lives of the peasants in rural japan
-implemented a network of discussion councils in all workplaces to prevent workplace conflicts and riots
-censorship of ideas that did not conform with the govt’s beliefs or seen as threats to the japanese national identity (propaganda)
Education:
-stressed shinto beliefs, loyalty to the emperor, and the community over the individual
-1937 published Fundamentals of Our National Policy(Kokutai no hongi) as a basis for Japans education system, distributef to educators to guide teachers in inculcating japanese traditional ethics in students
-prepared youths for the war through physical exercise, military-style drilling, and technical lessons
