Autonomy and Responsibility: Japan Enters World War II World War II is considered by many to be the single most significant event of the 20’th century. The outcome of that war defines the modern world. World War II led to the tragic death of a huge population of people across the globe. What led to the loss of so many lives? What led the nations of the world to tread down the path of war? This analysis tries to answer those questions in terms of autonomy and responsibility, and focuses on Japan. Japan was a major player in the war. As an aggressor of the war Japan had entered into military action before the European war had started and was not defeated by the Allied powers until VE Day. Several factors came together to Create war between the United States and Japan that led to the fateful bombing of Pearl Harbor. They were: the imperialist foreign policy of Japan, the invasions of Manchuria and of China, the signing of the Tri-Partite Pact. Japan’s foreign policy before World War II was that of imperialism. Japan, seeking to increase its autonomy, was eager to gain control of new territories. Like the Europeans, especially Britain, Japan wanted to extend its borders over seas. Imperial colonies would bring Japan the self-sufficiency that it craved by providing new and extended national resources. A Japanese empire would eliminate the need of importing goods from other countries. To establish this empire Japan decided to expand into Manchuria, China and South East Asia, countries which were close to Japan and could more easily be invaded and taken over from the European powers currently in control there. National pride, another factor of imperialism, was very high in Japan. This pride is what drove the desire for national au... ... middle of paper ... ...Vail-Ballou Press, 1958), 3 5. Paul W. Schroeder, 5 6. Gus V. Griffin . "World War Two Timeline." The Second Word War. http://www.qt.org/worldwar/timeline/. ( 5 March 2000). 7. Paul W. Schroeder, 22 8. Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress 9. Herbert Feis, The Road to Pearl Harbor. As quoted in Paul W. Schroeder, 2 10. Paul W. Schroeder, 3 11. Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress 12. Tripartite Pact. As quoted in Paul W. Schroeder, 19 13. Paul W. Schroeder, 19-21 14. The Avalon Project. William C. Fray and Lisa A. Spar, Co-Directors. "Pearl Harbor Documents" The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy. http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/wwii/pmenu.htm. ( 5 March 2000). 15. Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress 16. Gus V. Griffin
This paper will compare Gordon W. Prange's book "At Dawn We Slept - The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor" with the film "Tora! Tora! Tora!" directed by Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku, and Toshio Masuda. While the film provides little background to the attack, its focal point is on the Pearl Harbor assault and the inquiry of why it was not prevented, or at least foreseen in adequate time to decrease damage. Prange's book examines the assault on Pearl Harbor from both the Japanese and American viewpoints to gain a global view of the situation and the vast provision undertaken by Japanese intelligence. The film and book present the Japanese side, the American side, the events that lead up to the attack, and the aftermath.
Although WW II ended over 50 years ago there is still much discussion as to the events which ended the War in the Pacific. The primary event which historians attribute to this end are the use of atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although the bombing of these cities did force the Japanese to surrender, many people today ask “Was the use of the atomic bomb necessary to end the war?” and more importantly “Why was the decision to use the bomb made?” Ronald Takaki examines these questions in his book Hiroshima.
The Japanese government believed that the only way to solve its economic and demographic problems was to expand into its neighbor’s territory and take over its import market, mostly pointed at China. To put an end on that the United States put economic sanctions and trade embargoes. We believed that if we cut off their resources and their source of federal income than they would have no choice but to pull back and surrender. But the
The United States of America’s use of the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has spurred much debate concerning the necessity, effectiveness, and morality of the decision since August 1945. After assessing a range of arguments about the importance of the atomic bomb in the termination of the Second World War, it can be concluded that the use of the atomic bomb served as the predominant factor in the end of the Second World War, as its use lowered the morale, industrial resources, and military strength of Japan. The Allied decision to use the atomic bomb not only caused irreparable physical damage to two major Japanese cities, but its use also minimized the Japanese will to continue fighting. These two factors along with the Japanese neglect of the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria, proved that the Allied use of the atomic bomb was the definitive factor in the Japanese decision to surrender.
158-59. 8 Hamilton Fish, p. 139. 9 Bruce R. Bartlett, Cover-up: The Politics of Pearl Harbor, (New York: Arlington House, 1978), pp. 56-87. 10 Arthur Meier Schlesinger, p. 54.
Bard, Mitchell G. The Complete Idiot's Guide to world War II, Macmillan Publishing, New York, New York, 1999
A. The Road to Pearl Harbor. N. p. : Princeton, 1950. : ill. ; ill. ; ill. Print.
Another surprise Attack on Pearl Harbor by Roger Parkinson. Roger Parkinson graduated in war studies and later obtained his masters degree in Strategic Studies at King’s College, London. After a period of newspaper reporting he became Defense Correspondent of “The Scotsman” in 1964. He wrote books on war such as “the Origin of World War I. The Origins of World War II. Clausewitz and Peace in Our Time.(dust jacket) he was educated and that influenced his perspective on Pearl Har...
Introduction – Pearl Harbor was vulnerable to attack because of the obstruction of defense and warning.
World War II was a time of heightened tension. The entire world watched as fascism and dictatorships battled against democracy and freedom in the European theater. The United States looked on, wishing to remain neutral and distant from the war. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, officially drawing the U.S. into the war. Thousands of young sailors died in the attack and several U.S. Navy vessels were sunk. The attack marked the beginning of the United States’ involvement in World War II as well as the beginning of the persecution of Japanese Americans in the U.S. Hysteria and outrage increased across the country and largely contributed to the authority’s decision to act against the Japanese. On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, allowing the military to place anyone of Japanese lineage in restri...
Kobayashi, Masahiko. "U.S. Failures in the Pearl Harbor Attack: Lessons for Intelligence." Thesis. Fletcher School, TUFTS University, 2005. May 2005. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
"Was the Atomic Bombing of Japan Justifiable?" The Pacific War 1941-43. Web. 10 June 2010.
The life and times in Japan right before World War 2 are simply explained: The Imperialist Japanese Army, otherwise known as the "young Turks" was steadily gaining power in the government, was assassinating anyone who did not share in their views for a united Asia (Yamamoto received many death threats, because he wanted to avoid war with the U.S.A. or with Great Britain at all costs), and was using propaganda to convince the Japanese to believe in a united Asia. The Emperor could not stop what was going on in his country because Emperors stayed out of the daily life of his people.
The Empire of Japan is the historical Japanese nation-state; which is a type of state that joins the political beliefs of a state with the culture of a nation, from which it is trying to rule; and a former political power that lasted from the 1868 Meiji Restoration; which was a chain of events that re-established practical imperial rule to Japan under Emperor Meiji; to the enactment of the 1947 constitution of modern Japan. Imperial Japans rapid industrialization and militarization under the slogan translating to “enrich the country, strengthen the armed forces” led to its materialization as a world power and establishment of an empire.
The Manchurian incident was a turning point in Japanese history in which it abandoned its somewhat general policy of cooperation and peace and instead chose to pursue their personal interests in Asia (S,191). The Japanese interest in China was evident even before its invasion in 1931. In both the Sino Japanese war from 1894 to 1905 as well as the Russo-Japanese War from 1904 to 1905 Japan secured specific locations in Manchuria and other areas in China (U,351). Overall, the consensus for the extensive needs of the empire ultimately drove its policy making until the end of World War 2. To take control of what they believed to be the most mineral rich section of China in which they controlled expansive holdings in such as the South Manchurian Railroad, officers part of the Kwantung Army that were stationed there hatched a plan that would become to be known as the Manchurian Crisis. On September 18th 1931, Japanese soldiers located at the South Manchurian Railroad set off an explosive that they blamed on China (launching both nations into hostile relations for years to come.?? (P,115)) The Japanese invaded Japanese Invaded Chinese controlled Manchuria in 1931 because they wanted to accommodate the rising of the Japanese population, obtain more natural resources, and to stimulate their nearly collapsed economy.