Japan Flashcards
Why did war break out in the Far East 1941
What were causes of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria?
The failure of the Japanese to deal with the impact of the Great Depression incentivised expansion into Manchuria. Japan was reliant upon trade, which dried up with increased protectionism, the market for Japan’s silk exports collapsed. Manchuria would allow Japan access to valuable coal and iron resources.
How did the League respond to the Manchurian Crisis?
They first asked Japan to withdraw back to the railway zone and when this was ignored, sent a leisurely commission of inquiry under Lord Lytton. Japan completed the occupation while this fact-finding exercise was going on.
Why did Britain and USA refuse to challenge the Japanese invasion of Manchuria?
- The Royal Navy was temporarily paralysed by a a minor mutiny as a result of a cut in sailors’ wages. Five days later, Britain was forced off the gold standard. There was a lack of appetite to fight on an issue that was not central to British interests.
- The USA was shell-shocked by the great depression and was unable to do anything other than renounce Japanese aggression.
What was the finding of the Lytton Commission?
The Lytton Commission found that what was indisputably Chinese territory had been forcibly seized by Japan. It proposed that Japan should withdraw.
How did Japan respond to the recommendations of the Lytton Commission?
The League unanimously adopted the report, apart from Japan. Consequently, Japan withdrew from the League.
What were the consequences of the Japanese occupation of Manchuria?
It changed the balance of power in the Pacific, Japan had broken free of the constraints of the Washington Conference of 1922. Japan had gained access to valuable coal and iron resources, they were now well-placed to launch a full-scale invasion of China. The Manchurian Crisis is often seen as the first link in a chain of events that led to WWII.
What were the aims of the Japanese invasion of China in 1937?
Japan was determined to turn northern China into an economic and political satellite and progressively exert its influence throughout the whole of South-East Asia. Japan was determined to secure natural resources that could fuel its growing industries.
What was the situation in the Sino-Japanese war by 1938?
By 1938, the most fertile area of China, including the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, was in Japanese hands. The leader of the Chinese nationalists Chiang Kai-shek, was forced to retreat and negotiate an uneasy peace with the leader of the communists. The Japanese installed a puppet government in Beijing in 1938, but it attracted little loyalty. The front between the two forces extended some 3000km and the fighting reached deadlock. By the end of 1941, the Japanese had lost some 185,000 troops.
How did Britain, France and USA respond to the Sino-Japanese war?
Neither Britain or France could afford simultaneous conflicts in Europe and the Far East. Roosevelt and America were still intent upon isolationism.
How did Stalin respond to the Sino-Japanese war?
Stalin did not want to involve the USSR in the Sino-Japanese War, but he continued to supply Chiang-kai Shek with weapons and aircraft.
How did Germany respond to the Sino-Japanese war?
Ribbentrop urged Hitler to create a world triangle with Italy and Japan. This was realised in 1940, when the Tripartite Pact with Italy and Japan was signed.
What was the Greater Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere?
It was an attempt by Japan to assert itself in the region and secure favourable access to other nation’s raw materials.
How did Washington respond to each fresh extension of Japanese naval power in the Pacific?
They built up their naval powers in the Pacific and also more tightly restricted the exports of potential war materials to Japan, which only intensified the drive for self-sufficiency.
What change in Japanese government worsened relations between Japan and the democratic West?
A relatively moderate government, which wished to avoid confrontation with the USA, was replaced by Konoe Fumimaro, who openly proclaimed its aim of creating a Japanese dominated Asia and closer cooperation with Nazi Germany. Washington responded by suspending exports of vital aviation fuel and lubricating oil. The Japanese signed the Tripartite Pact shortly after.
What was the final stage in the Road to Pearl Harbour?
Japan occupied the southern half of French Indo-China (July 1941) and the Americans responded by imposing a comprehensive oil embargo on Japan. The Japanese war machine would either be paralysed through lack of oil, or they could launch a pre-emptive attack. Ribbentrop persuaded the Japanese that in the event of a Japanese attack on the USA, Germany would declare war on the USA. On 7 December 1941, Japan launched an attack on Pearl Harbour.
