The ambitions of Germany in Europe and Japan in the Asia Pacific

Question 1

Ambitions of Germany and Europe

Answer 1

Revise the treaty of Versailles and reverse the shame that Germany had been forced to suffer
Hitler had an ambition for territorial expansion, which was largely driven by his desire to reunify the German peoples and his pursuit of Lebensraum, “living space”
consolidate massive territorial expansions, reclaim all lost territory from the ToV
Restore Germany and rebuild itself after WW1 and the Great Depression
To rearm Germany: German rearmament was a policy and practice of rearmament carried out by Germany from 1918 to 1939, in violation of the Treaty
creation of a new German Empire in the East, Lebensraum (living space), based on racial grounds
to achieve the physical annihilation of Jews, Slavs (especially Poles and Russians), Roma (“gipsies”) and others considered unworthy of life - darwinism
uniting all German speaking people into a greater Reich
ensure the existence of a Aryan master race
formation of a german racial state structured according to Nazi ideology

Question 2

Ambitions of Germany of Japan in Asia-pacific

Answer 2

Increasing discontent and hostility of right-wing militarists that argued for an expansionist foreign polity to replace the current policy of international cooperation.
After the Versaille Conference, Japan was upset with their unequal treatment and believed they needed to dominate East Asia to ensure security and self-sufficiency
Wanted to ensure security and self-sufficiency with both the Chinese Nationalist Party and the Soviet Union who posed a threat to Japanese interests in the region
economic need, politics and ideology combined to form the basis of japanese ambitions in the Asia-Pacific
KEY TERM: Hakka Ichiu (eight corners of the world under one roof), eventual Japanese control of the whole pacific rim. (Pretty much just the usual world domination thing)
there was an element of racism in Japanese policy. Japan’s duty was to drive western domination from Asia, whether it be British, American, French or Dutch
racially superior to other Asian nations
Promote the supposed cultural and racial superiority of Japan
the Chinese Nationalist Party and the Soviet Union posed a threat to Japanese interests in the region
(1) Originally, the Japanese were prepared to work within the western international system so long as they were treated equally, but due to the 1930s industrial slump
(2) from the Great Depression, the reeds s growing influence of nationalist and militarists over Japanese foreign policy.
Ideas of militaristic nationalism
Displace the United States as the dominant Pacific power
Believed they should control all of East Asia using military force
Presented by its leaders as an idealistic attempt to free Asia of the western imperialist domination
Expand into the Asia Pacific for territory and natural resources
Similar to Germany, the Great Depression has hurt Japan, and as its population increased, and needed new lands to provide raw materials, markets, food and living space.