HOW DID WW2 IN THE

ASIA-PACIFIC DEVELOP?

US battleship sinking at Pearl Harbor attack,

1941
 HOW DID US-
JAPANESE
RELATIONSHIPS
DETERIORATE?

Japanese delegation at the

Paris Peace Conference, 1919
 THE JAPANESE EMPIRE
From the Meiji Restoration in 1868 of the
imperial rule in Japan to the Constitution of
Japan in 1947.
From 1910 to 1945 it included the Japanese
archipelago, the Kurils, Karafuto (Sakhalin),
Korea and Taiwan.
Japan underwent a period of large-scale
industrialization and militarization. It emerged
HIROSHITO, EMPEROR
SHOWA, WAS EMPEROR
as a great power after the First Sino-Japanese
FROM 1926 TO HIS War, the Russo-Japanese War and WWI.
DEATH IN 1989. Japan fought among the Axis Powers in WW2.
 SINO-JAPANESE WAR 1894-1895:
J QING DYNASTY VS. EMPIRE OF JAPAN
FOUGHT OVER INFLUENCE IN KOREA
A QING GOVERNMENT ASKED FOR PEACE IN

P FEBRUARY 1895
UNEQUAL TREATY OF SHIMONOSEKI: China
A lost power over Korea, Pescadores island, Taiwan
and the Liaodong Peninsula + Agreed to pay
N substantial war indemnities to Japan + Opened
China to Japanese foreign trade.
Omni Atlas for historical maps: https://omniatlas.com/maps/asia-pacific/18950417/
 RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR 1904-1905
J
FOUGHT BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE VS. THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN
OVER RIVAL IMPERIAL AMBITIONS IN MANCHURIA AND THE KOREAN
EMPIRE.

A AFTER DECIVIE BATTLE OF TSUSHIMA, THE WAR CONCLUDED WITH

THE TREATY OF PORTSMOUTH, MEDIATED BY US PRESIDENT

P THEODORE ROOSEVELT: IT GAVE JAPAN CONTROL OF KOREA AND

MUCH OF SOUTH MANCHURIA, INCLUDING PORT ARTHUR, ALONG WITH

A
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF SAKHALIN ISLAND. RUSSIA WAS NOT
REQUIRED TO PAY JAPAN’S WAR COSTS.
THE VICTORY OF JAPANESE MILITARY SURPRISED THE INTERNATIONAL

N COMMUNITY AND TRANSFORMED THE BALANCE OF POWER IN BOTH

EAST ASIA AND EUROPE, RESULTING IN JAPAN’S EMERGENCE AS A
GREAT POWER AND THE DECLINE OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE’S PRESTIGE
AND INFLUENCE.
Highly recommend Omni Atlas for historical maps: https://omniatlas.com/maps/asia-pacific/19050904/
 JAPAN-KOREA ANNEXATION TREATY 1910

J
Japan had taken Korea (Joseon) into its sphere of influence during
the late 1800s. After the First Sino-Japanese War, Korea became

A
nominally independent and declared the Korean Empire. Japan
then defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War. Afterwards,

P
Japan moved quickly to fully absorb Korea.
In 1905, with the Japan-Korea Treaty, it became a protectorate,

A
then ruled indirectly by the Japanese Resident-General of Korea.
In 1907, the Korean Emperor Gojong was forced to abdicate.

N
Japan formally colonized Korea with the Japan-Korea Treaty in 1910.
Korea: Iron and Cole + Farmland + Market for Goods + Stop influence
of China and Russia + Imperial ambitions + Strategic Location
 JAPAN IN WW1
JAPAN PARTICIPATED IN WW1 FROM 1914 TO 1918 AS A
J MEMBER OF THE ALLIES/ENTENTE (Anglo-Japanese Alliance)
AND PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE AGAINST THE
A IMPERIAL GERMAN NAVY.
IT SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND ITS SPHERE OF
P INFLUENCE IN CHINA AND GAIN RECOGNITION AS A GREAT
POWER.
A DURING THE PPC IN 1919, JAPAN HAD PROPOSED A “RACIAL
EQUALITY CLAUSE” TO BE INCLUDED IN THE LN. IT AIMED
N TO ENSURE EQUAL TREATMENT FOR ALL MEMEBER
NATIONS AND ADDRESS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. THE
PROPOSAL WAS REJECTED.
 2ND SINO-JAPANESE WAR 1937-1945
J FOUGHT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA
AND THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN, AFTER A WAR IN
A MACHURIA THAT STARTED IN 1931.

P OFTEN CONSIDERED AS THE BEGINNING OF

WW2 IN ASIA.
A THE SCALE OF JAPANESE CRIMES AGAINST
CHINESE CIVILIANS WAS IMMENSE.
N KNOWN IN CHINA AS THE WAR OF RESISTANCE
AGAINST JAPANESE AGGRESSION.
WRITE AN ACCOUNT OF
HOW THE US-JAPANESE
RELATIONSHIPS
DETERIORATED.
PAGES 19-20 OF IGCSE
HISTORY BOOK.
 Causes for the deterioration of US-Japanese Relationships
• After Japanese success in the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and in the
Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Japan expanded its imperial
ambitions: Island of Sakhalin, southern part of Manchuria, the Liaotung
Peninsula.
• 1910: Annexation of Korea. It formally became a colony of Japan.
• After WW1 and previous wars against other territories, Japan emerged
as a great power + Process of industrialization and militarization.
• The imperial interests of Japan in the Asia-Pacific represented a threat to
USA: Trading interests in the Pacific Region.
• Japan was also weary of US expansion in the Pacific: US interested in
large population of China. US annexation of Hawaii and Philippines
(1898)
• USA had rejected the Racial Equality Proposal of Japan at the PPC
 Causes for the deterioration of US-Japanese Relationships

• 1930: Worldwide economic depression: Japan wanted to extend its

empire to help its economy.
• 1937: 2nd Sino-Japanese War. USA had interests in China, therefore
freezed Japanese assets in US banks and imposed an embargo on US
exports to Japan (Affected Japan’s economy) + USA helped the
Chinese during this war.
• 1940: Japan signed Tripartite Agreement with Germany and Italy to
pressure the USA to back off the war and European and Asian affairs
• 1941: Neutrality Pact with the USSR + Agreement with Vichy France =
Japanese troops moved into French Indochina. US interests
endangered in Asia-Pacific region. US BANS OIL EXPORTS TO JAPAN
 THE NANJING
MASSACRE
DECEMBER 1937
Mass murder of Chinese civilians
in Nanjing, the capital of the
Republic of China, in the Second
Sino-Japanese War. It lasted six
weeks. Other war crimes were
committed such as mass rape,
looting, torture and arson. ARTICLE ON THE “CONTEST TO
It turned Western public opinion KILL 100 PEOPLE USING A
SWORD” PUBLISHED IN THE
against Japan. TOKYO NICHI NICHI SIMBUN.
 Causes for the deterioration of US-Japanese Relationships

• Japan knew it couldn’t win a long war against USA.

• Yamamoto, Japan’s naval leader, put together a plan.
• 20 November 1941, Japanese government presented a final offer
to USA, demanding embargoes be lifted and an end to US aid to
China. In exchange, Japan promised not to launch any attacks in
Southeast Asia.
• 26 November 1941, USA responded by demanding Japan
withdraw from China without conditions.
• Japanese government gambled at a rapid surprise attack to
cripple the US fleet in the Pacific. First stage: Attack on Pearl
Harbor.
 WHAT WAS THE IMPORTANCE
OF OIL FOR JAPAN?

Japan lacked crude oil resources on

mainland Japan = US oil exports were
vital to the Japanese economy.
Japan was not able to wage war
without oil.
 HOW
SUCCESSFUL
WAS THE
JAPANESE
ATTACK ON
US battleship sinking during
the Pearl Harbor attack, 1941.
PEARL HARBOR?
MAP OF HAWAII
(USA 1898) AND
OAHU, PEARL CITY
 ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO US ADM. HUSBAND
FRANKLIN
JAPANESE ISORUKU, KIMMEL. AMONG
COMMANDER IN ROOSEVELT, LIEUT. GEN.
PRIME
CHIEF OF JAPAN’S PRESIDENT WALTER C. SHORT,
MINISTER,
COMBINED FLEET. OF THE USA: THEY SHARED
TOJO HIDEKI COMMAND AT
PLANNED ATTACK 1933-1945
PEARL HARBOR
AGAINST US FLEET
PEARL HARBOR: IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
PEAK OF
THE
EXPASION
OF THE
JAPANESE
EMPIRE IN
1942
 ACTIVITY
WATCH THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
VIDEO AND READ PAGES 21-22. IN
GROUPS, WRITE A DIARY ENTRY (11 DEC.
1941) AS IF YOU WERE A US NAVY SOLDIER
STATIONED IN HAWAII, PEARL HARBOR.
DISCUSS YOUR EXPERIENCE DURING THE
ATTACK AND YOUR OPINIONS ON WHAT
THE WAR WILL BRING TO USA.
HOW WAS THE JAPANESE AMERICAN SOCIETY AFFECTED? TED EDUCATION
LINK TO VIDEOS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so4
v_2zq35k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI4
NoVWq87M