The rise of japanese militarism

1. The Rise of Japanese
Militarism
The Interwar Years

2. Post-World War I Japan
After World War I, Japan saw itself as
the dominant power in the East
It began to pursue policies that would
increase their territory and their influence
in Asia
Ultimately, these policies would lead to
the outbreak of war in the Pacific

3. Motives for Japanese Expansion
Economics
Japan was in desperate need of natural resources
to fuel its industry and military
Extreme Nationalism
Many Japanese citizens believed that Japan was
the most superior country in Asia and therefore had
the right to rule everyone else
Acts by Western Powers
Several actions by Western powers were motivated
by the belief that Japan was not equal; these insults
fueled imperialistic desires in Japan

4. The Invasion of China Begins
In 1931 Japan invaded the northern area of
China, Manchuria, which had huge deposits of
natural resources like coal
The League of Nations did nothing

5. 1937: The Invasion Spreads
After a few years,
Japanese forces
moved south and
invaded China
During this invasion
they took control of
the Chinese capital,
Nanking (also written
as Nanjing—same
place)

6. Go to this site and read the Japanese
ambassador’s justification for this
invasion
Answer the three questions at the
bottom of the document
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/china/ja
panese_ambassador.pdf
Go to this site and read the Japanese
ambassador’s justification for this
invasion
Answer the three questions at the
bottom of the document
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/china/ja
panese_ambassador.pdf

7. The Rape of Nanking, 1937
During the invasion, the people of Nanking
were treated horribly by the Japanese soldiers
Go to this website and read the short history.
http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/geno
cide/nanking.htm
Then look at some of the pictures in the this
photo gallery. Be warned, some of them are
very horrific:
http://www.cnd.org/njmassacre/page1.html

9. The Japanese Government
Though Japan had an emperor, the
military had taken control of the
government by this time
Emperor Hirohito could not stand up
to the powerful generals, but he
was worshipped by the people, who
often fought in his name
The military leader of Japan was
General Hideki Tojo

10. The need for more resources
Next, Japan began to look towards
Southeast Asia for more resources
Their quest for territory and resources in
this part of Asia would lead the US to
become involved with stopping their
expansion
But more on that later….

11. Imperial Japan in 1939