PSIR 110 - 2015 - WEEK 6

INTERWAR YEARS: SOCIAL CHANGE, ECONOMIC CRISIS

AND
INTERNATIONAL STABILITY - ASIA
Background
After the weakening of imperial China under the pressure of the
Western powers and internal conflicts, Japan reassessed its
own relationship with the outside world and started to play an
active policy after 1870s.
o To fill the power vacuum created by China
o Create a new international order in East Asia, in her own
terms.
This policy led to two regional wars:
o w. / China (1894-1895)
o w. / Russia (1904-1905)
o As well as the conquest of
Taiwan (1894)
South Manchuria (1905)
Korea (1910)
Japan expansionism was a concern for trading countries with
China (especially the US)
In 1912 a republic was established in China
o No change in Chinese strength
The First World War
Japan took the advantage of the Western Powers shifting
attention to the other parts of the world
o Its exports increased
o Encouraged the development of the Japanese heavy
industry
o Emerged from the war richer with a modernized economy
Entered the war in August 1914 by honoring its alliance with
Britain
o Attacked on German concessions in mainland China
o In 1915 put out some territorial demands and tried to
secure some economic and political concessions from
China
Opposed by UK and US
J also penetrated other European-dominated markets in Asia
o Irritated Entente powers and especially UK
o Its China policy was seen contrary to the Wilsons open
door policy
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 In 1916 entered naval rivalry with the US

1919 Paris Peace Conference J sought
o To expand its empire and
o To seal its position as the equal of the other Great
Powers.
Half satisfied
The US and Britain stated seeking new means to
curb Japanese power
The Washington Conference (November 1921)
Powers with interests in the Western Pacific
Purpose was
o To discuss international cooperation in the region
o To establish a framework for naval arms limitation
It was a success since Japan abandoned its expansionist policy
The Washington System established a framework for
cooperation in the region for the next twenty years
Chinese Nationalism
China was also influenced by the internationalist, democratic
and socialist ideas that arose at the end of the First World War
However, transferring Jiaozuo to Japan, in Versailles caused
uproar and perceived as an insult
o Nationwide protests and labor unrests
The Bolsheviks, who did not attend the Washington Conference,
had decided by the early 1920 s that the Comintern should
become active in the colonized parts of the world.
o To support nationalist parties to undermine imperialism
o To encourage the growth communist movements
Moscow, therefore, started providing support to
Kuomintang (Nationalist Party Sun Yat Sen)
through Comintern
o Suns successor Chiang Kai-shek attempted to unite
China under GMD militarily (1926) Northern Expedition
In 1927 China abruptly broke relations with the
Comintern
In 1928, Jiang established his government in
Nanjing
Demanded the return of all the territories that had
been leased to the foreign powers
The UK and the US decided to reconcile themselves
with the rising nationalism
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 However, Japan could not afford to return Manchuria

which they leased after 1905 J-Russian war
The Manchurian Crisis
From 1928 on tensions in Manchuria started to increase
o The Chiang Kai-shek supported warlord in Manchuria
challenged Japan
o The Japanese army, without duly discussing with the
Government started military action after causing an
incident in Shenyang and in six months brought all
Manchuria under its control
The army desired to seize economic resources in
the area in order to enhance Japans ability to
mobilize for total war
The desire was a drive for autarky
By 1931 the Japan was also feeing the full force of the world
economic depression
o Manchuria was seen as a virgin land as a lifeline
In China priority was the domestic developments
o CCP controlling rural areas
o Internal reconstruction
Therefore it decided to follow a policy of non-resistance
o Appealed to the League of Nations and the US - with no
result except non-recognition of Japanese actions.
o The high level of criticism but lack of firm action by the
international community played into the hands of the hardliners in Tokyo,
It suggested that Japan could not rely on the outside
world for a just hearing.
Racist policies followed by the West
o With the reduction of the influence of the party politicians,
the army asserted itself as the dominant voice in
government, and Japan moved towards an explicit
rejection of the post- war order, including withdrawal from
the League of Nations in March 1933 and the rejection of
arms control.
The most important result of Japans new policy was that from
1933 it shifted towards espousing the idea that it should
establish its own Monroe Doctrine for East Asia.
o Why? Perception of Chinas reliance upon and
manipulation by the Western Powers.
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 Therefore if Japan limited Western activities in the

region, China could be persuaded to co-operate,
This would pave the way for the development
of regional prosperity under Japanese
leadership.
o On 18 April 1934, the spokesman of the Japanese Foreign
Ministry, Amau, shared these ideas with the press.
o In these sentiments there was a
Pan-Asian element, and a
Clear economic rationale.
The major Powers were retreating into their
own economic blocs,
Japanese exports, such as cotton textile
goods, were the subject of economic
discrimination,
Japan was keen to establish its own trade bloc
in East Asia.
o The army had its own rationale for supporting a bloc
economy,
The army saw China as a vital source of raw
materials for the achievement of autarky,
Now considered more desirable than ever as a
result of the rising tensions with the Soviet
Union along Manchurias borders with Outer
Mongolia and Siberia
Contrary to the policies of the Foreign Ministry the Army,
supported forces in Inner Mongolia seeking independence from
China
o To expand Japanese influence and
o Pre-empt the Soviets,
o In 1935 established autonomy for the five provinces of
northern China,
MFAs efforts undermined
Armys activities distracted Japan from
preparing to meet the Soviet challenge
Long-term plans for the building of a war
economy.
Escalation in Sino-Japanese tensions.
Chang changed his non resistance policy
Soviets promised support to China in case of a
Japanese attack
To counter-balance Soviets Anti-Comintern Pact was signed in
1936 with Germany and Italy
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The Sino-Japanese War

July 1937 clashes stated over an incident between the
Japanese and the Chinese forces on a bridge nearby Beijing
o Full-scale attack by Japan
o Shanghai fell in November
o Nanjing fell in December
o China was not eager to sign a peace treaty
Sino-Soviet non-aggression pact of August 1937
To prevent Japanese forces attacking Siberia
United Front was established between CCP
and Kuomintang (GMD)
China was also encouraged by the Anti-Japanese
sentiments in the West
In January 1938 Japan called of its peace efforts and
concentrated on total victory
o Harassment on the western powers in China
The UK abrogated its commercial treaty with China
o Extended its influence over south China and South China
Sea
Encroaching European possessions
With the breaking of war in Europe Japanese economy
encountered more difficulties since it could not acquire raw
materials especially from European sources.
Possible way out of its dilemma was provided by Germanys
successes in Europe in the first months of 1940.
o The weakening of the European Powers meant that the
colonies of South-East Asia were very susceptible to
Japanese pressure.
o This raised the possibility that Japan could bring pressure
to bear on the colonial authorities to stop trade with China
and increase its own access to raw materials from the
region
Attempts to increase Japans influence in South-East Asia
Signing a Tripartite Pact with the Axis Powers on 27 September,
o Designed to keep America from intervening by threatening
it with the possibility of having to fight a two-front war.
o Hope was to force Washington, and London to agree to
Japanese penetration into South-East Asia.
The US and the UK refuse to assent,
Began to take retaliatory action.
Provocative nature of Japanese actions,
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South-East Asias raw materials were vital for

the British war effort against Germany and
Vital for American rearmament, and thus had
to be protected.
The British and the Americans jointly introduce
a concerted policy of economic warfare
against Japan.
An economic blockade was constructed around Japan
o Limiting its ability to trade with the British Empire, the
United States, Latin America and the Middle East.
The situation by the spring of 1941 was that Japan had not
removed the obstacles to its expansion.
In March 1941 a Neutrality Pact was signed with the Soviet
Union, which in theory freed Japan to concentrate upon
southern expansion
o On 22 June Hitler upset Japans calculations by declaring
war upon the Soviet Union.
After the Japanese move into South Indochina in late July, the
US embargo was intensified
o Japan continued to prepare for war while simultaneously
attempted to find a way out through negotiations.
Western faith in Japans sincerity was already
limited
Allied to Nazi Germany,
Collaborating with the Axis over
Intelligence,
Propaganda and
Trade issues.
o Washingtons intention was
To continue with the negotiations
At the same time to tip the balance of power in the
Pacific against Japan and thus deter it from going to
war.
The Western belief in the efficacy of this policy
rested on two false assumptions derived
largely from a faulty interpretation of
intelligence.
First, there was a conviction that the
quality of the Japanese armed forces
were poor

 The second factor was that it was

assumed that the Japanese were aware
of their relative
Finally, the current Anglo-American
military presence in the region, along
with the promise of gradual
reinforcements in the shape of American
bombers and British capital ships, was a
sufficient deterrent to Japanese
aggression.
o Faced with the lack of a diplomatic escape route, the
Japanese government, felt that it had no choice but to go
to war and
Hoped that a series of rapid victories, allied with
German successes in Europe, would force the
democracies into a compromise peace in the Pacific.
This proved to be a fatal miscalculation.