Final Term Test Flashcards
“modern girls and boys” (moga and moba)
Reflects a cultural shift and the rise of youth subcultures influenced by Western modernity.
Girls: resembled flapper girls of the same era in the West. Urban lifestyles represent freedom and modernity
Boys: tailored suits and slicked back hair, urban leisure activities and jazz clubs, progressive and rejecting rigid societal hierarchies
Coffee Houses
Became popular cultural spaces in areas like tokyo. These represented a corner stone of japan’s modernization and westernization. Expressed Japan to western music and liberal ideals
wabi sabi
a Japanese philosophy that accepts imperfection and simplicity, stemming from Zen Buddhism, finding beauty in the imperfect. Emerged in household items such as traditional pottery
The tea ceremony is a great expression of this philosophy.
Hamada Shoji
(1897-1978)
A Japanese Potter known as a leader of the Mingei Movement which preserved traditional Japanese folk crafts. His work bridged Japanese and western ceramic traditions.
Mingei Art Movement
a Japanese folk art movement in the 1920’s and 1930’s, celebrate and preserve the beauty of handmade crafts by artisans for everyday use.
Rejected the western ideas of mass production.
Embraced the philosophy of wabi-sabi and Japanese tradition.
radio calisthenic exercises
Starting in the 1920’s, exercise routines broadcasted on radio and TV, widely practiced across all ages in schools and workplaces.
Introduced by the postal insurance bureau, inspired by programs in the U.S. Began a Nationwide health initiative, apart of Japans campaign for a strong mind and body.
Japan Withdraws from the League of Nations
1933, following the Japanese occupation of Manchuria (Manchukuo), this action received a large amount of blowback from western nations, represented a double standard for Imperialism in the 20th century.
Matsuoka Yosuke
(1880-1946)
Yosuke delivered the famous withdrawal speech Infront of the United Nations. Also credited with helping form the Axis Alliance.
Prince Konoe Fumimaro (1891-1945)
Served as the Prime Minister of Japan in periods before and during WWII. Escalated military campaign in China, oversaw the signing of the Tripartite Pact. Resigned months before Pearl harbor after failure to rein in the militarists. Died by suicide to avoid arrest and trial following end of the war.
Xian Incident
(1936), involved the kidnapping of Chiang Kai-Shek as he was taken into custody. Zhang hoped to force Shek to change his policies and focus upon the Japanese threat instead of the communists. Ended in a united front against the invading japanese forces.
Represents a key moment in chinese resistance against Japanese imperialism.
United Front in China
Refers to two major periods of cooperation between the Chinese Communist Party and the national Party to fight against their common enemy in war worlds and invading Japanese Forces.
Played a large role in fighting Japan during WWII.
Marco Polo Bridge Incident
(1937),
Marked the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Japan claimed one of their solders had gone missing during an exercise and demanded to past Chinese forces to search for him. Japan used the incident to launch a full scale invasion of China. This conflict ended up being one of the most brutal.
“Rape of Nanjing”
This massacre refers to the violence committed by the Japanese Army during their invasion of Nanjing. Acts of mass murder and sexual violence led to the deaths of many. Demonstrates Japan’s feelings towards other Asian nations and their dedication to Imperialism.
Nomonhan Incidents
(1939-1940),
border clashes between the Soviet Union and Japan. These incidents ended up in a Soviet Victory, which eventually led to the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. This forced Japan to shit its focus to the pacific theatre and the eventual attacks on pearl harbor.
Tripartite Pact
(1940)
This pact formed the axis powers alliance of Japan, Italy, and Germany. Intended to deter American involvement in the war, this pact allowed Japan to continue its aggressive expansion policies. Economic, Political, and military occupation.
Japan-Soviet Non Aggression Pact
1941,
An agreement between the Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan. The treaty followed the Nomonhan Incident which dissuaded Japan from going into siberia and other military conflicts against the Soviet Union. Treaty recognized Japan’s control of Manchukuo and USSRs control of Mongolia. The pact fell in 1946 with USSR forces entering manchuria.
Japanese Occupation of French Indo-China
1940-1941,
Following Frances defeat by Germany, Japan pressured Vichy regime to allows troops to enter Indochina to cut off supply routes to Chinese Fighting Forces in the Second Sino-Japanese War. This occupation marked the decline of European colonial dominance.
ABCD Encirclement
Japan believed that America, Britain, China, and Dutch were working together to impose economic and strategic pressures. These feelings motivated Japans aggressive military expansions as necessary for survival. This justified Japans total war of conquest.
Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere
A imperialist concept developed by Japan during WWII.
This plan was presented as uniting East Asia Nations to achieve mutual prosperity, in reality it served as justification for Japanese expansion and domination across the Pacific. The concept was reduced to a propaganda idea.
Tojo Hideki
(1884-1948),
a Japanese General and Prime Minster of Japan from 1941-1944. A central figure in Japan’s Militaristic expansion and architect of its wartime policies. After the war he was tried and executed for war crimes. Given credit for Japans militarism and imperialist aggression.
Battle of Midway
1942,
A decisive naval battle in the Pacific Theater, between the U.S and Japanese Navy. This loss for Japan marked a turning point in the war and significantly weakened Japanese naval power. It forced Japan to adopt a defensive strategy.
Tokyo Conference
1943,
Meeting of Leaders and Reps from Japan and its puppet states. Served as a propaganda tool to showcase unity among East Asian Nations. Its goal was to legitimize Japan’s leadership in the prosperity sphere and promote anti-western ideals through ideological rhetoric. Japans version of the meeting of the Big 3 in the same year.
Battle of Imphal
1944,
Fought between Japan aided by the Indian National Army and allied forces led by the British Indian Army during the Burma Campaign. This battle was one of Japan’s worse defeats and marked the beginning of Japan’s retreat from Southeast Asia.
Battle of Iwo Jima
Feb-March, 1945
Between Japanese Forces and U.S Marines, led to the famous raising flag photo. A vital base for U.S operations as it was apart of U.S Island Hopping Strategy. Japan’s loss represented the final phase of the Pacific War.
Battle of Okinawa
April-June 1945
Seen as one of the bloodiest and intense battles of WWII. Following the battle of Iwo Jima, Okinawa represented the ability for the U.S to invade mainland Japan. Seen as the last major battle of the Pacific it marked Japan’s inevitable defeat
US General Curtis LeMay
1906-1990,
Famous for his leadership in the pacific theater as a leader of the air force. Known for his role in bombing campaigns against Japan including the firebombing of Tokyo, his leadership killed many civilians and destroyed Japans cities weakening their economy.
