The War in the Pacific : the beginning

1. The War in the Pacific : the beginning

2. Old Tensions, New Circumstances • Japan traditionally wary of western influence • Look down upon control Westerners took of commercial ports in China, & colonization of Indochina, Indonesia etc. • Used western ideas and developed them independently of the west – steam ship, etc…

3. Minister of War, Hideki Tojo • Anti-communist • Not ideologically aligned w/ Hitler • Tripartite Agreement for Japanese interests only • Anti-western • Still bruised that West does not see Japan as an equal • Encouraged militarism under Emperor Hirohito

4. Tojo’s Goals • Japanese primacy in Pacific • Defeat western nations who don’t like it • Incorporate China into Japan • Other nations part of Co-Prosperity Sphere • Asia will be liberated from the west

5. Japanese Militarism Business leaders support rearmament for economic reasons Army leaders support rearmament for expansionist reasons London Treaty of 1922 (limits navy to 2/3 UK & US navies) over in 1936 – Increases shipbuilding

6. Japan’s Military Expansion & the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere Desire for autarky (self-sufficiency) leads to imperialism Rearmament needs fuel and metals Japan invades Manchuria in 1937 Takes advantage of weakened European powers - Moves south to attempt south Aisa Empire led by Japan Takes over Indochina 1940 – 41 Seeks oil from Dutch E. Indies, Rubber, tin from Indochina

7. Japanese Control

8. Japanese Strategy vs. US Desires • Japan sees US as most significant road block • Want to advance Southward • US encourages Japan to look to Russia (traditional Jap. Army enemy) • Japanese-USSR Neutrality Treaty 1941 alleviates possibility of war w/ Russia & US

9. US Reactions to Japanese Aggression US-Chinese relationship historically close US China lobby very angry about Japan in China – US buys Chinese silver to give them $ they then use to buy US arms “Moral embargo” on aircraft against the Japanese 1941 Roosevelt dispatches military mission to China in support of Nationalists against the Japanese

10. Economic Warfare Japan needs trade w/ outside world but wants autarky Japan is 3rd best customer for US, 40% of Japanese imports from US including strategic materials like petroleum, iron, copper, steel Leads to steps of US retaliation against Japan for their actions in the Pacific Rim 1940 US imposes oil embargo on Japan for aviation fuel, iron, scrap steel

11. Primary Documents • Half of you read the American Proposals to Japan, 1941 • Other half read the Japanese Position 1941 • Outline position of each & do a quick OPVL • Be prepared to discuss

12. No Turning Back • Japanese attainment of Indochinese naval & air bases (1941) upsets power balance – threatens UK bases in Singapore • US definitively chills US-Jap relations by: • Freezing Japanese assets in US • Embargo on military gasoline • Effectively ends trade & prevents full functioning of Japanese military

13. Chose between 2 proposals Knew US wouldn’t take either We will withdraw from Indochina if you sell us aviation fuel… US Sec of State Hull responds with stringent proposal: Japanese out of China Japanese out of Indochina Accept Chiang Kai-shek Renege on Tripartite Treaty Japan’s Choice 1941