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Essential Question: How did Japan expand from the 1930s-1941?

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The Great Depression in the USA was devastating to Japan. Many people were in poverty, and half the factories had closed. The Japanese army saw conquest as a way out of this. The army was also afraid of Chiang Kaisheks moves to unify China. They thought he would take Manchuria from them. Claiming Chinese sabotage of a railway, the Japanese army occupied Manchuria. They renamed it Manchukuo and put the deposed Chinese Emperor Pu Yi up as a figure head. This was the run-up to the Sino-Japanese war 1937-45

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The Emperor of Japan. He had complete control over, and commanded complete loyalty from his subjects. It was his responsibility for starting and ending the wars against China, USA, Britain etc. He was protected from prosecution in 1945 by the US who needed him to keep Japan from collapsing.

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General Hideki Tojo Prime Minister of Japan and primary military leader. Rose to power in the Manchukuo Kwantung army Responsible for 8m civilian deaths, countless deaths and experiments on prisoners of war. Apologized for military atrocities at his execution. Executed for war crimes 1948

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By 1938 There were 1 million Japanese troops in China. By 1941 2 million troops- but this was still not enough. Japan could occupy only key areas and cities. Out of fear they adopted The Three All Campaign (Kill all, burn all, destroy all) By 1945 4 million Chinese people had died and 60 million had been displaced. Many Chinese cities lay in ruins.

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The Japanese army rapidly advanced through China, Indo-China and Indonesia. -Some Asian people welcome them as liberators from western Imperialists - Soon they were generally feared as new imperialists, not as Asian liberators They treated non- Japanese peoples with ruthlessness, cruelty and severity.

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Dec 8/7 1941

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Pearl Harbor was an excellent place for the U.S. Navy to use as a harbor for its ships. The mountains of Oahu were thought to be an excellent protection against an enemy invasion.

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The U.S. had put an embargo (cut off supply) on oil and planes to Japan. Japan needed these to complete its military conquest of the Pacific and Asia. Japan, felt it was only a matter of time until the U.S. tried to stop them militarily. Hideki Tojo, military ruler of Japan

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The Japanese decided to strike first in a surprise attack. The place they could hurt the U.S. most was at Pearl Harbor, where much of the U.S. Pacific fleet was docked. Japanese planes attacking Pearl Harbor

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Sunday, December 7, 1941, 7:55 AM: The Japanese air force attacks Pearl Harbor in a surprise attack. The American Naval Base was caught completely off guard. By the time the U.S. forces could mount a resistance, nearly 2,400 people died in the attack.

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However, the Japanese destroyed battleships, but no US aircraft carriers. They also failed to destroy the harbor.

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Monday Dec. 8, 1941 Roosevelt gives speech: This day will live in infamy Thousands of men line up for recruitment America joins the fight in Europe and is ready to fight Japan

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Dec. 8, 1941--Japan attacks British, Dutch and American forces in the Pacific For over a month, Japanese troop push American and Filipino troops back Take Manila in Jan. 1942 MacArthur leader of troops leaves in Feb. 1942 Vows to return again

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Japanese take Bataan Peninsula Many American and Filipino forced to march to camps Limited food and water Extremely long march Many died of weakness--if one fell out of the row, more than likely shot dead 25,000 Americans and Filipinos died on the march alone.

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US military policy during WWII US would fight a two front war against Germany in Europe and Japan in the Pacific at the same time However US would focus and divert supplies to the European theater first. After Germany was defeated then all efforts would go to the Pacific.