International Response to Japanese Expansion

Question 1

Events of Expansion

Answer 1

• Mukden and Manchurian Crisis 1931
• Marco-Polo and the beginning of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War 1937
• Proposal for the East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere 1938
• Japan attacks Pearl Harbor and invades Indo-China 1941

Question 2

International Response (USA)

Answer 2

• Manchuria - Lytton Report 1931
• “Moral embargo” on aircraft and parts 1938
• USA gives millions to GMD 1940-41
• USA freeze all Japanese assets in July 1941
• Embargo on oil August 1941
• Negotiations over embargos, talks stalled (about China), Japan withdraws from Indo-China
• Declaration of war on Dec 8 1941

Question 3

How does USA policy change

Answer 3

FDR uses power to move around Neutrality Acts and take on a more aggressive policy due to:
- Growing concern about co-prosperity sphere
- Fear that USSR would increase aid to CCP
- Public opinion moves in favour of turning Neutrality
- Tripartite in 1941, convinced USA euro and asia war was the same