The Sun Rises as the Eagle

Spreads Its Wings: Tensions

Pre-Pearl Harbor

Military Topics Unit V: The Eagle vs. the

Sun

A True Surprise?

Most Americans were

shocked by the attacks
on Pearl Harbor on
December 7th, 1941.
However, people paying
attention to international
affairs saw the coming
of war between Japan
and the United States all
the way back to 1915!

The Path To Pearl

Harbor

1915: Twenty One

Demands Issued on China
Japan gets privileged status
in certain parts of China
Direct conflict with Open
Door notes of the United
States, which stated that all
countries got equal access
to Chinese trade

1921: Five Power Pact

Britain and the United
States get the worlds
largest navies
Japan is limited to 3/5 of the
United States navy

The Path to Pearl

Harbor

The Great Depression in Japan

Problems

Few natural resources

International trade disrupted
economic growth
Incredibly high tariffs

Population Issues

Overpopulated
United States closes its doors

A Solution?
Japanese industry can be
rebuilt through control of
Chinas import market
Excess population can settle in
Chinas Manchuria province
(and natural resources could be
grabbed)

Politics of the 1930s

in Japan

Ultra-nationalists take
power, place Japan under
the rule of the military
Political system
resembled fascism
Leaders
Emperor Hirohito
Prime Minister Konoe
(1937-1941)
Prime Minister Tj
(1941-1944)

Invading Manchuria

1931: Invasion begins

Unauthorized false flag
operation
Tokyo supports once they
realize they cannot stop the
military
Violates the Kellogg-Briand
Pact

U.S. responds with nonrecognition policy

League of Nations denounces
invasion
No real action takes place

Japan views lack of action as a

go ahead to continue

A Red Scare?

Japan is scared of the Soviets

1936: signs a pact with Germany
pledging to fight communism
Want to create a buffer north of
the Great Wall to stop Soviet
expansion

Nanking
Originally allows Japanese
expansion
December 1936: signs an
agreement with the Communists
to stop Japanese imperialism

This leads to Tokyo planning an

invasion of the city

The Rape of Nanking

July 1937: Invasion begins

The United States condemns, but
does little to stop
Sends a small amount of aid to
the Chinese
Roosevelt gets criticized for half
measures taken

1938: Chinese move their capital

west
Issues for the Japanese following
their victory
They do not have enough troops
to overrun the rest of China
Showcases the need for more
natural resources to fuel war
effort- could lead to confrontation
with the United States

Results of the Rape of Nanking

40-300 thousand Chinese killed
in six weeks
Roughly 20,000 rapes
(including infants and the
elderly)
Intentional targeting of
pregnant women
Massacre Contest (race to
see who could kill 100 people
with a sword first)
Authorization to execute all
prisoners of war (at least
57,500 killed)
1/3 of the city burned through
arson

The Rape of Nanking

The Rape of Nanking

The Rape of Nanking

The Rape of Nanking

Heading Towards War

Tripartite Pact
Signed in Sept. 1940
Allied with Germany and Italy

Southern Advance
Germanys victories in 1939 and
1940 give Japan the opportunity
to expand into European colonial
holdings.
Know it will bring tension with
the United States
Occupy French Indochina by July
1941

American response
Late 1940: embargo on scrap
iron and steel
July 1941: all Japanese assets in
the United States frozen (they
cannot buy oil)

Planning for War

Japanese diplomats were

told to try and reach a
settlement
If no deal was reached by
November 29th, war
would be initiated
Goal was the destroy the
Pacific Fleet anchored at
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and
cripple the United States
ability to react there