The Ambitions of Germany in Europe and Japan in the Asia-Pacific

Question 1

key elements of german ambitions

Answer 1

ideology - belief in social darwinist view that strong nations prosper at the expense of others, thus germany was justified in taking from other nations

kindred blood should belong to a common empire - grossdeutschland

belief in aryan superiority and that eventually Germany would run from the atlantic to the black sea

knew that short term goals had to first be achieved including getting rid of ToV

lebensraum and autarky

Question 2

bit of a timeline summing up german ambitions

Answer 2

October 1933 - Germany pulls out of LoN and disarmament conference

January 1934 - Germany/Poland Ten Year Non-Aggression Pact signed

July 1934 - Austrian Nazi Party try to seize power by assassinating the Austrian Chancellor Dollfuss - Italy places divisions on the border

January 1935 - the Saar province votes to join Germany again

March 1935 - Hitler claims that Germany’s army has reached 240,000 and introduces conscription

June 1935 - The Anglo-German Naval Agreement allowed Germany to build a fleet up to 35% the size of Britain’s

7 March 1936 - Hitler sends troops into the Rhineland - Britain and France take no action

Late 1936 - Rome-Berlin Axis agreement is created. In November, Germany and Japan sign the Anti-comintern pact, a year later Italy joined, forming the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis

Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 - both Italy and Germany intervene and support the Nationalist/Fascist side

March 1938 - Hitler announces Anschluss with Austria

Question 3

reasons for Japanese expansionism

Answer 3

after the depression, japanese exports dried up - control of the asia pacific region would guarantee an export market

japan lacked raw materials

japanese geography was not conducive to high food production

growing japanese population

expansion was painted in idealistic terms and portrayed as the removal of Western imperialisrs

Question 4

militarism in japan and direction of their ambitions

Answer 4

military was split into two main factions-
- one faction wanted to expand into the soviet union, the other into the south

by late 1936, the latter was successful, and Japans ambitions were directed towards China, South East Asia and eventually the attack on Pearl Harbour

Question 5

key events for Japan

Answer 5

fought against Germany in WW1
gained control over the former German colonies of Mariana, Caroline and Marshall Islands in Paris Peace Settlements, however a racial equality clause was not included
1922 Washington treaties limited Japan’s naval expansion
In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria and in 1932 it became Manchukuo, which was under total japanese control
in 1937, Japan launched a full scale war against China
Throughout 1940 and 1941, Japan took control of French Indochina
US placed embargos on strategic exports to China with the choice of withdrawing from the regions it occupied or war. Japan chose war and invaded Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941