Chapter 5 (1949-51) Flashcards
America and Japan (reconstruction), Jiang Jieshi, China and Taiwan, NSC-68
When did Japan surrender unconditionally to the allies?(WW2)
August 1945
Why did Japan surrender unconditionally to the allies? (WW2)
America dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
What word describes US policy towards Japan before 1947?
Punishment
When did America begin the sole occupation of Japan, how did it end and who was the governor of Japan during the period of occupation (in charge)?
1945, with the San Fransisco Peace Treaty, General MacArthur
What policy did the USA adopt towards Japan from 1947?
Reverse course = not focused on the punishment of Japan
Why did America adopt a reverse course policy towards Japan?
For the containment of communism, the USA has a power base in Asia
What did Dodge achieve in Japan?
A more structured approach to the economic reconstruction of Japan: for example, the super balanced budget
What was the super balanced budget?
A target surplus of around 4 million dollars
Why did America want to accelerate Japan’s economic recovery?
To align Japan with the USA and the capitalist system, a more stable economy means that people are less likely to vote for extreme parties (such as the communists)
What was the consequence of Dodge’s super balanced budget?
Initially, there was increased unemployment due to business closures
Why is GATT important?
Banned Japan from trading with communist China
What does GATT stand for?
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade,
Why did America not want Japan to trade with communist China?
May make China stronger, USA wants Japan to be economically dependent on them, not China, become more aligned to the west
What is GATT an example of?
Dollar diplomacy
When did China ‘fall’ to communism?
1949
When did China form a military alliance with the USSR?
February 1950
What two important events caused Japan’s strategic importance to change in 1950?
China formed a military alliance with the USSR, the Korean war
Who was Japan’s prime minister in the late 1940s to early 1950s?
Yoshida
What did Yoshida see as an opportunity to do, using the changing situation in Asia and US containment?
Sign a peace treaty with America (San Fransisco Peace Treaty) to restore Japan’s sovereignty
When was the San Fransisco Peace Treaty?
September 1951
What was surprising about the San Fransisco Peace Treaty?
Placed no significant economic restrictions, or political model, placed no responsibility of Japan for war, no rearmament restrictions
What did the San Fransisco Peace Treaty give to Japan?
Full sovereignty
What benefits did the USA gain from the San Fransisco Peace Treaty?
Unrestricted use of military bases in Japan
How many National Police Reserve (NPR) were to be trained by the USA?
75,000
How many were there of the self-defence force supported by US funding, 1954?
140,000
