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Period: to
Rise of Japan
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Arrival of Commodre Perry
The turning point in which Japan chose to reform the military including mordenizing the army. -
The Sino-Japanese war (until 17th April 1895)
until 17th April 1895 Both marking a great victor as well as the "first war with a foreign country" (memoir wirtten in 1931 by Ubukata Toshiro), It has also encouraged the growth of nationilsm and militirism in Japan due to their frustration of having to give up some lands to a Western Power -
The Anglo-Japanese Alliance
The alliance with the British further strengthened Japan's position. In addtion this has not only ended Japan's diplomatic isolation but it was the first ever alliance created between a non-Western nation and a Western nation. -
The Russo-Japanese War
Due to a clash over the interest of Manchuria between Japan and Russia, Japan went to war with a suprise attack against the Russians. Although the battle son land were sucessfull it was the war at sea that decided who won the war; nevertheless a lot of lives were lost in the process It also involves:
- Battle of Tsuchima
- The battle of Yalu River -
End of the Russo-Japanese war
After the defeat of Russia in the Russo-Japanese war, The Russians were forced to accept the treaty of Pourtsmouth. Nevertheless, the Japanese were disapointed since many expected much more from the treaty. However they did mange to get a hold of majority of South Manchuria including Port Arthur as well as gained railway rights in Machuria along with the southern half of Sakhalin Island; they also manged to gain control over Korea. The war that gained Japan respect of the west. -
"Twenty-One Demands" are made on China
Demands that were forced upon China by Japan that included China into agreeing that they would grant Japan extra comercial privildges in Manchuria,; China not allowed to lease any any more coastal territory to other powers and was to accept political, financial and military advisers ent from Japan. However these demands caused such a sharp reaction from Britain and the US; as well as the Japanese goverment (who believed that this would damage Japans reputation) that it was later modified. -
Washington Conference unti 6th February 1922
A point in which Japan changed into a foreign policy of internationalism during the 1920's with the help of Shidehara Kijuro. This was aimed into developing Japans economy peacefully by beeing in good terms with the US and continuing to seek economic advancements in China. This also lead for the Anglo-Japanese Alliance to be replaced with the Four Power treaty (Britain, Japan, US & France). -
The Manchurian Crisis/ Mukden Incident
The explosion of the Japanese-owned Manchurian Railway that was caused by the Kwantung Army (which claimed that the railway was blown up the by the chinease). This was an event that was used as an excuse as within a few hours the Japanes has already forced the Chinease into retreating to Mukden. The Wakatsuki goverment attempted to regain control but due the Kwantung army already wining victories all over China, they did not heed the orders coiming from Tokyo leading to seizing more territory -
The Dark Valley
A time in which the military split into two key groups which is the Koda-ha (Imperial Way Faction) and the Tosei-ha (Control Faction). While the Koda-ha believes in militarys dictatorship with the emperor while considering the USSR as the enemy and training the army in a spiritual casue, the Tosei-ha believes that its better to get military influence in the govermenet as well as percieving the USSR as an ally. They also focus on mordernizing the army. -
The Marco Polo Bridge incident-The Sino-Japanese war
A fight that broke out between the Japanese and the Chinease forces that was initated without the consulting the goverment in Tokyo. Even though prince Konoye attempted to contain the army, the result still led into a full-scale war with China. By the end of July the Jpanese forces has already taken Beijing as in the following month they have taken Shanghai. -
Rape of Nanjing/Nanking
A period in which the Chinease nationalist had moved it's capital to Nanjing onyl to abandon it soon after due the Japan's advances. Nanjing finally fell to the Japanese on 13th December. During this period, alot of soldiers and civilians were subjected to apalling atrocities such as rape, beheading etc. It was also considered to be an event that caused Japan to never trully be accepted as a respectable member of the international community (Iriye 1987) -
Japan signs the Non-Agression Pact with the Soviet Union
Wher the soviet union and Japan signed a five-year neutrality agreement which allows both nations to free up a large number of troups in order to occupy ad dispute territory in Manchuria and Outer Mongolia to be used for more pressing purposes. This pact was to ensure the neutrality between the Soviet Union and the Enpire of Japan during World War 2 -
Tripartie Pact with Germany and Italy
Signed by Adolf Hitler, Galeazzo Ciano and Saburō Kurusu; the pact helps initate recognision of Japans estabilshing a new order in greater Asia as well as Japan respecting Italy and Japan in extabilishing a new order in Europe. Furthermore it gives Japan an extra helping hand as the egreement involves assisting one another with all political, economic and military means is on of the three is attacked by a power that is not involved in the Eurpeon war or in the Jpaanese-Chinease conflict -
United Statees freezes Jpanese assets
on July 24, when Tokyo decided that they were to strenghten their position in terms of invading China by moving Southeast Asia, President Roosevelt decided to frees the Japanese assets in America. Soon, Brtitan and the dutch east Indies followed suit. This resulted great lost of overseas trade that rose to the lost of three-fourths of its trade and 88% of its imported oil. A supply which was only sufficient enough to last three years and half if it whent to war. -
Attack on Pearl Harbour
The reasons that surround the attack on Pearl Harbour was due to the trade embargo that was placed by the US; which Britain and Netherlands soon followed. Due to this, supply sotres became critical leading the Japanese to see the Westerners as a barrier that will soon prevent them from reachinng their "rightfull" place in the world. Becausae if their oil supply runs out the would be unable to continue the war in China and they could not risk it happening.Thus they attacked.
