1. The Causes of
WWII
T h e P a c i f i c

2. Focus Question
To what extent was Japan responsible for the
Pacific War?

3. Japan’s responsibility for war in
the Pacific: Historical debate
Japan as in Imperial Power:
Some argue Japan planned for
war from the early 1930’s.
Negotiated peace was aimed at
keeping the enemy off guard.
Their goal was to conqueor
Asia.

4. Japan’s responsibility for war in
the Pacific: Historical debate
Japan as a traditional
European-style
imperial power.
Through the co-
prosperity sphere/
diplomacy.
Japan stumbled into
war by taking too many
risks.

5. Japan as a liberating
power, form Western
domination.
Not dissimilar to the
USA’s dominance in
South America.
Thus, Japan fought a
defensive war, triggered
by American
embargoes.

6. Timeline of events prior to the
Pacific War 1853-1941
1853: Commodore Perry visits 1931
Japan
1932
1902
1933
1904
1934
1915
1936
1919
1937: 5 events
1921
1939
1926
1940: 3 events

7. Timeline of events prior to the
Pacific War 1853-1941
1941:
March: Japan signs a non-aggression treaty with
the USSR.
June: Hitler attacks the USSR
July: Japan occupies southern Indochina. USA
freezes Japanese assets.
December: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, and the
south-western Asia/Pacific region.

8. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific
Background: Japanese relations
with the West.
From the mid 17th century Japan
had remained isolated. Sack
Policy 1633-1853.
Politically, economically, and
socially Japan was a feudal state.

9. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
1853, Commode
Matthew Perry arrives
to negotiate with the
Japanese.

10. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
Commodore Matthew
Perry returns one year
later with American
gun boats.
Treaty of Kana-gawa
1845, opened up Japan
to the rest of the world.

11. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
Power transferred from
the ruling Shoguns to
the Emperor.
Limited democracy and
modernization began.
Along with rapid
industrialization and
militarization.

12. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
Sino-Japanese War
(1894-95)
With a new modern
army and navy Japan
waged war on China in
1894 over control of
Korea.
China was defeated and
forced to sign the Treaty
of Shimonoseki in 1895.

13. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
Results:
China had to recognize
Korea as an independent
nation and ceded Taiwan.
Emergence of Japan as a
key Asian power.
The further collapse of
China.

14. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
Japan became the first
non-European power to
be considered by the
West as a world power
And Empire, occupying
Korea.
Korean History
Timeline

15. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
Japan’s second victory
was over Russia.
Russia was competing
with Japanese interests
in Manchuria and
Korea.
1902, Anglo-Russian
Alliance.

16. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
February 1904, Russian
and Japanese forces
entered Korea.
The Russians were
convincingly defeated
at sea and on land.
What were the results
of this war?

17. Background: Japanese
relations with the west
Encouraged Japanese
Nationalism and expansion and
triggered a revolution in Russia.
Treaty of Portsmouth:
Recognized Japan’s paramount
political, economic, and military
interests in Korea.
Russia refused to pay reparations.
Japan responded by annexing
Korea in 1910.

18. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific
What characteristics
did the new state of
Japan show by 1905?

19. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific
Japan and WWI
WWI gave Japan new
opportunities to expand
Demanded German
possessions in China.
When Germany
refused, they declared
war on Germany.

20. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific: WWI
Issued China ‘Twenty-
One Demands,’ Jan
1915
These demands would
give Japan the most
influential economic
and political position in
China.
US-Japanese relations
turned sour.

21. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific: WWI
Lansing-Ishii agreement 1917,
1.Meant that gains made up to
1917 would be recognized by the
Americans, and
2. Assurances were given that no
further expansion would be
pursued.
China felt betrayed by the US.

22. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific: WWI
Russia October 1917
Japanese supported the
counter-revolutionary
forces(White forces)
USA, France, and
Britain also sent forces.
Japanese sent the most
and stayed the longest.

23. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific: TOV
Japan a victorious power
sought to increase their
gains.
1. Annexation of German
Pacific Territories.
2. Racial equality clause.
Lack of competition in
the region caused a
economic boom in
Japan.

24. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific: TOV
Washington Conference 1921
Four Power Pact: ended the
alliance b/n Japan and Britain
Five Power Naval Treaty: Set
restrictions on Naval capacities
Nine Power Pact: Respected
China’s sovereignty
What impact did these
agreements have on the US and
Japanese?

25. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific:
The Liberal 1920’s: a
peaceful Japan?
1918 economic recession
1920s Japan openly
embraced western
culture
Prime minister Hara lead
Japan in the League of
Nations

26. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific: 1920s
Hara is assassinated
1921, by a right wing
extremist
Left wing extremists
emerge
Kato passes: Peace
Preservation Law 1925:
Those with left wing
agendas could be
imprisoned.

27. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific: WWI
General Tanaka Giichi
takes over rule.
More aggressive policy
with China is adopted.
Conflict over conflict
proved the military
could act without
government approval,
democracy was in
decline.

28. Japan and the long-term causes of
WWII in the Pacific:1920s
Yamaguchi becams PM
in 1929
Unable protect Japan
against the Great
Depression
Assassinated 1930

29. Review Questions
What impact did the
following have on
developments in
Japan?
Economic downturns
Fear of communism
Strength of the
Japanese Army

30. Japan and the short term causes
of the Pacific War: ‘the dark
valley’
The liberal ear of the 1920s was
short lived, as the army
reasserted itself in the 1930s.
The attack on Manchuria 1931
resulted from a Kwantung Army
plot, not the Japanese
government.
Unilateral action by the military
alarmed the West, particularly the
USA.

31. Japan and the short term causes
of the Pacific War: ‘the dark
valley’
This was popular
within Japan
Creation of
Manchukuo, a puppet
Mongolian state, was
not a gov’t policy but
was accepted.
Japan continued to
expand.

32. Japan and the short term causes
of the Pacific War: ‘the dark
valley’
Japan and Western relations
deteriorated:
1. The West was alarmed by the
bombing of Shanghai in 1932
2. 1933, Japan left the League
of Nations after the council
accepted the Lytton Report: an
investigation in the Manchurian
Crisis
3. 1934, Japan pulled out of the
Washington Naval Treaty and
refused to attend another
conference

33. Japan and the short term causes
of the Pacific War: Sino-Japanese
war
No-retreat
Marco Polo Incident:
Chinese soldiers fired upon
Japanese soldiers
The spark that lit the fuse in
the Sino-Japanese war
With nationalism running
high, negotiating was not an
option

34. Japan and the short term causes
of the Pacific War: Sino-Japanese
war
The war in China was
to lead directly to the
the Pacific War
The Japanese entered
with no plan how to get
out
As a result, Japan drew
in the USA through
competitions for
resources

35. Japan and the short term causes
of the Pacific War: Sino-Japanese
war
With tension increasing in
Europe, Britain and France did
not want to become enmeshed in
a conflict in Asia in 1937
US only verbally condemned
Japan
Japan sank the USS Panay, an
apology sufficed.
1938, US sends aid to China
1939, cancel the Commerce and
Navigation Treaty with Japan

36. Japan and the short term causes
of the Pacific War: Sino-Japanese
war
PM Prince Konoe
Fumimaro, announced
Japan was going to create a
‘New World Order’ in East
Asia
Called for cooperation b/n
China, Manchukuo, and
Japan
Great East Asia Co-
Prosperity Sphere
One state, leading the group

37. Japan and the short term causes
of the Pacific War: Sino-Japanese
war
At a Japanese Military
conference in 1940 it
was agreed that Japan
should ‘establish
herself’ in Indochina,
Thailand, Burma,
Malaya, and the Dutch
East Indies.

38. Review Questions
To what extent was
Japan pursuing
nationalist and
imperialist goals?
How far was militarism
the driving force in
Japan’s foreign policy
by 1940?

39. The immediate cause
of war
The Japanese closed
the ‘Burma Road,’ an
important supply route
for China
America bans export of
scrap iron to Japan
Japan signs the
Tripartite Pact or Three
Power Pact with
Germany and Italy

40. The immediate cause
of war
The Pact agreed to establish a
‘New World Order’ and to
promote mutual prosperity for
the next 10 years
Americans gave Nationalist
leader Jiang Geisha, a massive
loan
Within Japan, the Imperialist
Rule Assistance Association
replaced political parties in 1940
1941 PM Konoe was replaced by
General Hideki Tojo

41. The immediate cause
of war
When Germany
invaded Russia in July
1941, Japan decided to
attack south, occupying
southern Indochina
The USA, Britain and
Netherlands imposed a
total trades embargo
Japan would run out of
oil

42. The immediate cause
of war
December 7 1941,
Japan attacks Pearl
Harbor, the
Philippines, Guam,
Midway Island, Hong
Kong, and the Malay
Peninsula,
simultaneously.
The US declared war
on Japan the following
day.

43. Review questions
What was the impact of Japan’s relationship
with Germany?
What was the impact of Japan’s relationship
with the USSR?
To what extent was the USA responsible for
the war in the Pacific?