chap 6: Reasons for outbreak of WW2 in Asia-Pacific

Question 1

What are the reasons for the outbreak of WW2 in Asia-Pacific?

EW CAR

Answer 1

EW CAR

• —> Expansionist foreign policy
• —> Weakness of LON
• —> Crisis in Japan
• —> Ambition
• —> Response to world developments

Question 2

Crisis in Japan ( economic )

PFT

Answer 2

Population, Food, Trade

• —> population rose rapidly
• —> shortage of farming land
• —> severe food shortage
• —> dissatisfaction of govt
• —> Great depression of USA: low demand of japan imports
• —> price of silk fell to 1/5 of the original price
• —> unemployment + bankruptcy

Question 3

Crisis in Japan ( over-population )

demand for?
why expand?

Answer 3

Resources & Land

• —> Rise in population by 40%
• —> increase demand for housing, goods & jobs
• —> limited resources
• —> expansion: more land: more resources
• —> militarist gained more popularity

Question 4

Crisis in Japan ( growing military influence in Japanese politics )

Govt condition?
Prime minister?
Controlled by?

Answer 4

• —> unstable
• —> militarist gain more power
• —> Assassination of Prime Minister Inukai ended parliament rule
• —> Martial law: 2/3 cabinet were military figures
• —> military-controlled govt
• —> concessions granted to military

Question 5

Ambition of Japan

what belief?
Why? x2

Answer 5

• —> Greater East Co-Prosperity Sphere: Take control of SEA
• —> want to acquire resources which they had lacked
• —> Desire for equality and recognition

Question 6

Responses ( war in Europe )

British/french army conditions?

Answer 6

• —> British and french defences in the Asia Pacific weakened
• —> SEA defenceless

Question 7

Responses ( trade embargo )

USA’s belief?
Japan’s actions?
USA actions?

Answer 7

• —> USA was isolationist
• —> free hand in china due to Neutrality Act ( USA out of the war )
• —> Japan invaded china
• —> Roosevelt changed foreign policy
• —> Japan viewed as an aggressor
• —> USA cancelled 1911 treaty with Japan, placing restrictions on its trade
• —> Japan invaded Vietnam
• —> Trade embargo: Ban of steel,scrap iron & fuel

Question 8

Expansionist policy

Japan’s aim?
Incidents?

Answer 8

• —> ambitious military
• —> wanted to be on par with western powers
• —> ambition fuelled further due to incidents
• —> Russo-Japanese War: Japanese defeated Russians, gaining control of territories
• —> gained confidence
• —> bolder in actions

Question 9

Weakness of LON

how? 
incidents? 
Japan's actions?
LON's actions?
Japan's actions?

Answer 9

• —> ineffective in dealing with Japan
• —> Reacted slowly, unable to force Japan to withdraw
• —> Mukden incident & invasion of Manchuria
• —> A bomb exploded near Japanese owned railway near Mukden
• —> Invasion of Manchuria on 19 Sept 1931
• —> Established Manchukuo
• —> LON condemned Japan
• —> LON refused to recognize Manchukuo
• —> Japan withdrew from LON