Japan
Dictatorship also came to Japan
-not through a political party but the military
History
-rich military tradition
-feudal clans fought each other for dominance in Japan
-The Emperor presided over the Japanese government (never talked to people of Japan until Emperor said they were surrendering)
-came form divine origin (from God)
-descendent of the Sun Goddess
-played minor role in the government
-he was above politics
-shogun had the political power
-ruled in the name of the Emperor
Japanese society
1. Landowning clans dominated (protected by the samurai)
2. Wealthy merchant class
3. Peasants (most of the people of Japan)
Japan was very isolated until 1853 when US Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Japan and forced them to open their ports
In the late 1800’s many Japanese were tired of being controlled by foreign countries.
-adopted western ways in hopes to keep Western Powers out of their country
1. heavy industry (became industrialized)
2. modern army (modeled army after Germany)
3. strong navy (modeled navy after Britain)
Showed off new power in several wars
1. Sino-Japanese War
-1894-1895
-Japan won
2. Russo-Japanese War
-1904-1905
-Japan shocked the world by beating Russia
-gained partial control of Manchuria
3. World War I
-allied with the US
-gained German Islands in the Pacific after the war
1920’s
-gave all men the right to vote
-signed the 4, 5 and 9 Power Pacts
-joined the League of Nations
-signed the Kellog-Briand Pact
1930’s
-Great Depression changed everything
-people blamed the government for tough times
-military leaders stepped in and took control
-said Japan had to expand into Asia to help economy
-assassinated political leaders that opposed them
-took away people’s rights
Japanese Military Honor
1. fight to the death
2. commit suicide rather than surrender
3. gekokujo (lower military soldiers that invade without permission of commanders)
-open defiance of superior officers by junior officers
-seen as a positive thing
-shows the spirit of the soldier
Japanese Invasion of Manchuria
1. United Nations condemned Japanese Invasion of Manchuria, but didn't really couldn't enforce its authority
2. A major power could get away with using force
3. Great Britain and France wanted to avoid war at all costs
4. The League of Nations also lost its most powerful member in the Far East, which was Japan
Good Neighbor Policy
- Roosevelt realized we need to become better neighbors with Latin American countries
- It would benefit us in trade
- To keep Hitler and Mussolini out of Latin America and have allies in Latin America (Western Hemisphere)
Ethiopia invaded by Mussolini in 1936
- Italy lost its Ethiopia colony in Africa at the 1896 Battle of Adua
- One of the worst colonial disasters of modern history
- Feb 23, 1935, Italy sends large forces into Ethiopia
- Oct 7, 1935, League delared Italy the aggressor
Italy/Ethiopia Invasion
- Leagues sanctions begin- arms embargo, financial embargo, non-importation of Italian Goods
- League couldn't agree on critical oil sanctions mainly because FDR refused- US controlled 50% of world trade
- FDR signed the 1936 Neutrality Act (1. mandatory arms embargo with warring nations. 2. mandatory ban on loans to warring nations)
- Italy occupied Addis Ababa- annexed all Ethiopia
Spanish Civil War- 1936-1939
- Generalisimo Francisco Franco: Spanish leader
- Hitler and Mussolini sent troops and money to Franco to help Franco win, which he did
- Spain was a neutral country, which angered Hitler.
- Hitler thought of Franco as an allie.
Rome-Berlin Axis - 1936
- Hitler and Mussolini became allies (Germany and Italy)
- Axis- Mussolini came up with it because world rotated around their two cities
Comments