Cold war and the rest of the world: Rise of Japan Flashcards
When was the invasion of Manchuria and what is significant about it in post cold war analysis?
- Many see the invasion in 1937 as the start of the cold war itself
USA had interests in Japan since?
1854 (Commodore Perry US navy and opening of Japan) = Japansese civil war, = Meije running shit = industrialised world power
When was the Russo Japanese war?
1904 - 1905 (significant because it was the first time western power had been really significantly successfully challenged)
Where did Japan control?
Taiwan, Korea and southern half of Sakhalin
why is it likely it was successful as a world power?
Adoption of western policies
What was Japan like in south east asia?
It took over every colonising power in the region (British, Dutch, French)
How did Japan compare against USA? When was Okinawa captured?
lacked the military strength and resources to win a long protracted war:
- May 1945
People only mention nuclear bombs but what were also devastating?
- 9th March 1945 US fire bombing of 120,000 people killed and or injured
What was post war occupation of japan like?
single power occupation led by general MacArthur
*Why did USSR allow an American occupation of Japan?
At Yalta it was agreed the USSR could have:
- Southern Sakhalin and Kurils (Warm water ports)
What was the 1945-1947 period like for Japan?
- Post war period saw the destruction of Japanese military power and purge of military and political figures who collaborated with them
- US wanted a democratic, pacifist and dependent Japan
What was a key policy of the USA in Japan?
- Zaibatsu, broken up (large industrial conglomerates, anti monopoly law and land reforms broke up large estates)
What was article 9?
- Removed the sovereign right to war
Why was communism a big threat to Japan?
- Post war, Chinese civil war was still going
- USSR just to the north
- Did not want to upset the Japanese people so kept the emperor
What was the role of the monarchy in Japan? What was the system of government like?
- New constitution and the emperor was just symbolic
- A bicameral parliament was set up like UK with two elected chambers
- Yoshida was the new PM (centre right)
- New constitution accepted and monarchy was kept
between 1948 and 1950 reform was halted, why was this? How was reform halted? (reversal)
- Because of Korean and Maoist troubles
- Japan was built up as a strategic power
- reintegration into the world community
- Reversal of Zaibatsu break up
- Release of pureged war time figure
But what did the Japanese want?
- A break fron non stop reform
Describe how Japan was seen as ready for independence in 1950. How did Yoshida react to this?
- Dulles and secretary of state Acheson looked at the possibility of Japan peace treaty, and to re-arm it.
- Yoshida was for independence but did not want to be re-militarised, it would stifle long term prosperity. (article 9)
How did Japan support the Korean war?
No troops but supporting the USA with bases and supplies,
*Japan war profiteering with NSC 58 coming in in 1950
When was Japan - America peace treaty?
1951
What did the American - Japanese peace treaty mean in real terms?
- sovereignty restoration
- Japan lost northern territories of Kurils and Southern Sakhalin
- In south USA got Ryukyu and Bonin islands temporarily
- Japan would pay reparations to the nations it occupied in the form of credits, goods and services
Who did not sign the 1951 Japanese peace treaty?
- PRC
- Russia
The second mutual security treaty of 1951 meant what?
- USA kept bases in return for a security guarantee (USA pushed for 300,000 ground force)
- Yoshida breaks article 9, creation of 75,000 strong ground force and later a small navy / air force
- only last decade or so can Japan deploy troops abroad
What was the Yoshida doctrine?
- Best way to restore Japan was limited defence spending and focus on industry
- US large scale tech transfers to Japan
- US opened market to Japanese goods, whilst allowing Tokyo to protect her markets with import controls
crucially when was the NSC 68 declassified (good historiography)
- 1975
USA supported Japanese integration into what institutions?
- IMF, Wold bank, (by the 60s Japan was a major economic power)
Okinawa was important why?
- It was the first major US nuclear base in the far east
Describe Japanese - China relations
- Yoshida was loyal to the USA but wit ha US peace treaty it was pro Taiwan. Trade Embargo with China
When did Japan support the USA?
- Formosa straits crisis 1958
- CMC 1962
- No public criticisms of USA in Vietnam
When could Chinese Japanese relations improve?
- With Nixon china rapproachment
When did Japan exchange ambassadors with the soviet union?
- 1956 but little improvements due to Kurils and Sukhalin
When did Japan fund the Gulf war?
1990
in 2012 Obama described Japan as?
The pivot to east asia
