Chapter 5 - Outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific

Question 1

[EXAMPLE]

1. How did the INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(a) Invasion of Manchuria (1931)

Answer 1

EX
In September 1931, Japanese soldiers in Manchuria blew up part of a railway track at Mukden. They blamed it on the Chinese government and used it as an excuse to take over Manchuria. By December, they controlled most of the region. In February 1932, they set up a puppet government called Manchukuo.
China had appealed to the LON for international support. The LON responded by presenting the Lytton Report on the incident a year after the invasion. The report concluded that Manchuria should be returned to the Chinese. However, Japan rejected the report and resigned from the LON in March 1933. Countries like Britain also did not impose economic sanctions on Japan as they wanted to maintain a good relationship with Japan.

A
The Manchurian Crisis tarnished the prestige of the LON. It also emboldened Japan to further expand into Asia in the following years. Japan also now had access to the raw materials and resources available in Manchuria to wage war. This would lead to increased aggression, tensions and thus, the outbreak of war in Asia Pacific.

Question 2

2. How did the WORSENING OF US-JAPAN RELATIONS lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(a) Impact of the Great Depression and US Protectionist Policies

Question 3

2. How did the WORSENING OF US-JAPAN RELATIONS lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(b) US military aid to China following Japan’s aggression in China (1937)

Question 4

2. How did the WORSENING OF US-JAPAN RELATIONS lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(c) US trade restrictions with China (1940)

Question 5

3. How did JAPAN’S EXPANSIONIST FOREIGN POLICY lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(a) Rise of Japanese Militarism

Question 6

3. How did JAPAN’S EXPANSIONIST FOREIGN POLICY lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(b) Japan’s ambitions to be seen as equals as the Western Powers

Question 7

3. How did JAPAN’S EXPANSIONIST FOREIGN POLICY lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(c) Lack of resources

Question 8

3. How did JAPAN’S EXPANSIONIST FOREIGN POLICY lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(d) Impact of WWII in Europe on Asia-Pacific

Question 9

3. How did JAPAN’S EXPANSIONIST FOREIGN POLICY lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(e) Aggression towards China from 1937

Question 10

3. How did JAPAN’S EXPANSIONIST FOREIGN POLICY lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(f) Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

Question 11

3. How did JAPAN’S EXPANSIONIST FOREIGN POLICY lead to the outbreak of WWII in Asia Pacific?

(g) Attack on Pearl Harbour (1941)