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...One would take over.
-The Emperor presided over the Japanese government
-came form divine origin
-descendent of the Sun Goddess...emperor was rarely seen, helped bring about belief that he was god like.
-played minor role in the government
-he was above politics
-shogun had the political power...ruled in place of emperor...kind of like a president
-ruled in the name of the Emperor
Japanese society
- 1. Landowning clans dominated
-protected by the samurai
- 2. Wealthy merchant class
-small businesses/had shops
- 3. Peasants
-most of the people of Japan
Japan was very isolated until 1853 when US Commodore Matthew Perry sailed in to 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
- 2. modern army
- 3. strong navy
Showed off new power in several wars
- 1. Sino-Japanese War
-Japan vs. China
-1894-95
-Japan won
- 2. Russo-Japanese War
-1904-05
-Japan shocked the world by beating Russia
-gained partial control of Manchuria
-Teddy Roosevelt stepped in and settled it.
- 3. World War I
-allied with the US
-gained German Islands in the Pacific after the war
-Japan felt good about it/coming out of 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...could no longer trade with US...because of high tariffs
-people blamed the government for tough times
-military leaders stepped in and took control
-said Japan had to expand in to 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
-open defiance of superior officers by junior officers
-seen as a positive thing
-shows the spirit of the soldier
Japanese Invasion of Manchuria
What did this situation prove?
1. The League of Nations could not enforce its authority
2.A major power could get away with using force
3. Great Britian and France wanted to avoid war at all costs
4.Other powers would see this as a sign that they too could get away with the use of force
5. The League also lost its most powerful member in the Far East--Japan
Franklin Roosevelt vs. Herbert Hoover
-Roosevelt won...it was a blow out.
Good Neighbor Policy
-Roosevelt realized it was time to because good neighbors with Latin America
-they saw the US as a big bully that could do whatever they wanted
-Wanted a good relationship for trade and protection
Ethiopia invaded by Mussolini 1936
-Ethiopia was one of the only two independent countries.
-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, Italyh sends large forces into Ethiopia
-Oct. 7, 1935, League declared Italy the aggressor.
Italy/Ethiopia Invasion
-Nov. 18, 1935, Leagues sanctions begin
-arms embargo, financial embargo, non-important of Italian goods
-Feb 1936-League could not agree on critical off sanctions mainly because FDR refused-U.S. controlled 50% world oil trade
-Feb. 29, 1936, FDR signed the 1936 Neutrality Act
1. mandatory arms embargo with warring nations
2. mandatory ban on loans to warring nations
-May 5, Italy occupied Addis Ababa-annexed all Ethiopia May 9
Generalisimo Francisco Franco and the Spanish Civil War
-he came to power/won
-Hitler sent troops to help Franco out.
-Spain was neutral in WW2
-Hitler thought of them as allies.
FDR vs. Alf Landon 1936
-Landon did worst than Hoover
-FDR won easily
Rome-Berlin Axis-1936
-Mussolini said the world would rotate around Rome and Berlin
-allies Germany and Italy
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