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Militarism in Japan

Militarism in Japan. Japanese Politics. Throughout the early 1900s various political parties competed for power in Japan’s Parliament One point of debate among the political factions was the question of Western influence vs. traditional Japanese culture

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Militarism in Japan

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  1. Militarism in Japan

  2. Japanese Politics • Throughout the early 1900s various political parties competed for power in Japan’s Parliament • One point of debate among the political factions was the question of Western influence vs. traditional Japanese culture • The traditionalists promoted and glorified the warrior tradition of the Samurai from the Middle Ages, and the warriors’ code of Bushido

  3. The Rise of Militarism • The Global Economic Depression, which began in 1929, was a boon to the Militarist/Traditionalist faction in Japan: • 1) Many people blamed Western capitalism for the Depression; • 2) People began to look for military solutions to the economic problems • The Militarists argued that to solve Japan’s economic crisis the country needed to conquer territory on the Asian continent, in order to: • 1) Provide living room for Japan’s growing population; • 2) Gain access to abundant natural resources (as an island nation, Japan had few resources of its own) • As the economic crisis worsened in the early 1930s, the militarists became more vocal and more influential in the government

  4. Invasion of Manchuria • September, 1931—Japanese troops sabotage a Japanese-owned railroad in Chinese Manchuria; • The Japanese military blames the explosion on the Chinese; • Using the incident as an excuse, Japan invades and conquers all of Manchuria (Northeast China) • The Japanese government did not approve the invasion, and many members of Parliament objected; • The government was powerless to stop the military leaders, however; • From this point on, Japan’s government became dominated by the Militarists

  5. A Militarist Society • Throughout the 1930s, the Japanese militarists dominated not only the country’s government, but also its society • Militarist propaganda was ubiquitous • Schools taught children absolute, unquestioning obedience to authority • The emperor (Emperor Hirohito) was promoted as the absolute ruler of the country (although in reality he had little power) • The militarists effectively created a society of warriors

  6. Invasion of China • July 1937—Japan invades the Chinese heartland; • Japanese troops steadily march southwards into China, defeating Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Army in battle after battle • The invasion is the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and effectively the beginning of World War II in Asia

  7. The Asian “New Order” • The vision of Japan’s militarists was a “New Order” in Asia: • In this New Order, all of East Asia would be united under Japanese leadership, and would industrialize and modernize following the Japanese model • The Western imperialist powers would be kicked out, creating an “Asia for Asians” • The Japanese expected many people in China and Southeast Asia to support the vision of a New Order; • But if they did not, Japan was prepared to use force

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