Japan's Role In Ww2

Superior Essays
Many of the world powers of the 20th century were searching for or ensuring their continued possession of power. For Japan, their power fluctuated, depending on whether they were in times of war or peace, prosperity or poverty, and their allegiances. After having fought alongside the Allies during World War I, Japan prospered, but was then discriminated against, leading Japan to switch sides and join the Axis powers in World War II. Japan entered into World War II seeking power by means of land, natural resources, and military dominance.
Though Japan thought they were dominant in the mid 19th century they were significantly behind the United States, leading to reformation. In 1853 the United States forced Japan into signing the Convention
…show more content…
Japan’s resources were limited while its population was continually increasing. By joining the Allies they were able to legally conquer certain islands in the Pacific from Germany. This gave them more resources and gave them heightened dominance in the Pacific ocean because they were able to set up naval bases and increased trade. The increased trade allowed for more foreign products to be brought supplying more resources for the people, while increasing export, bettering Japan’s economy. They also took over a small amount of land in China and the South Manchurian Railway (which would play a significant part in the starting the Second Sino-Japanese War). Many western powers believed that Japan should have taken over a part of China’s mainland. Japan was frustrated by these complaints because they believed that many of the western powers had done much of the same. Being a part of the Allies strengthened Japan’s resources and Pacific dominance while deteriorating their positive relations with the …show more content…
After industrializing in the late 19th century, they allied with the Ally powers in World War I, leading to much prosperity. They were very successful until the Great Depression hit the world and Japan’s imports were severely limited while the export percentages decreased significantly. Throughout all of these events the army began gaining more power as only their officers could hold important government positions. As they became more influential, Japan’s actions became more militarily focused. This was exhibited by the invasion of Manchuria, which helped rebuild Japan’s economy and assert their military dominance. This was the first of many skirmishes that lead to the start of the Second Japanese-Sino War, Japan’s unofficial entrance to World War II. Japan’s reasoning for entering World War II is significant because it displays the extents of what countries will do in order to achieve authority and

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    World War II was the war that was never expected; it was never supposed to happen nor was America supposed to join in. In the middle of our Great Depression Hitler began to gain popularity, similar to the way FDR gained his popularity; through promised hope and dreams of a better country. Hitler was making several promises to his people during his gain of power, so people were prone to accept his ideas, even if radical, because of his amazing promises of a great Germany. While all of the Hitler commotion was taking everyone’s attention, Japan was busy invading China.…

    • 1129 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Russo-Japanese War

    • 1386 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Unlike Russia, Japan had stabilized government and strong army forces. Also, they already had won the First-Sino Japanese War against China. At that moment, Japanese wanted more power,…

    • 1386 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Japan Dbq Analysis

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Japan’s glorious victory as the first Eastern nation to win against a Europeans power established Japan as a threatening and rising competitor in the pool of Western powers. Japan’s political reform allowed Japan to erase its weak status and get acknowledged as a momentous…

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Causes Of Pearl Harbor Dbq

    • 1431 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Throughout the years, Japan knew that they were in the lower categories of strength and power. Knowing that Europe was mainly the area where the most powerfulest countries were located, they wanted to create a new order that would change that. This was called the “New Order.” Looking at the map in Document B, you can notice by looking at the key that Japan was trying to dominate every country around them. Around 1937-1940 when WW11 was happening, Japan were conquering areas in China (Map Source B).…

    • 1431 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    China wanted to stay in its traditional state while Japan overthrew their feudal shogunate so they could create a government more like the Westerners. The Japanese government wanted to “very rapidly Westernize the nation, in terms of technology and in things like clothing and eating habits” so they could persuade the westerners to believe that the Japanese were their “equals” (Itoh…

    • 1226 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Japan wasn’t forced to end its separation by Western nations until the 1850s. This was far after the beginning of the first Opium War in China. This was because they were previously involved with other parts of Asia and served as a sort of safeguard because for a while, Japan didn’t really have a lot of demand for Western goods nor a lot of attractive resources. However, through their trade with the Dutch, they were kept informed about China’s relationship with the western powers and their steady loss of authority when it came to trade relations. They were able to see first-hand the effects on China before they were met with curiosity from the West.…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Japan had created a puppet state called Manchuria where they created more living space, more natural resources, and more minerals. The puppet state was a controlled state by Japan. Japan wanted to start expanding to take over everything, to get revenge, and to make it better for them. One reason Japan attacked was to stop the country from coming to a three class nation.…

    • 504 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the 1930’s Japanese military forces conducted many large invasions in the bigger parts of China. It didn’t take long for Japan to have almost full control of Indochina which was a federation of French colonies and protectorates in South East Asia. By 1941 they had almost full control. Japan entered the Second World War with a bang,…

    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Causes Of Ww2

    • 1400 Words
    • 6 Pages

    This shows that after World War I, Japan had been influenced by the ideas of imperialism and was attempting to separate itself from the world and form trade routes solely within the boundaries of its self developed “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”. Japan was trying to colonize and dominate the pacific seas. Using methods of industrialism and militarism, they were doing very well. Japan trying to prove its global imperial presence is an example of how the original problems of imperialism and industrialization during World War I were present in the second world…

    • 1400 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1919-1939 Dbq

    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The interwar period of 1919-1939 had economic disruptions that led to unstable political conditions during transformations that were occurring in Japan, China, Mexico, Turkey and Iran. Of all these countries Japan stands out as executing the most successful transformation due to aggressive nationalism that helped it achieve expansion into China as well as the ability to create an empire during this period. Other countries like China and Mexico were less successful because of struggles to lessen foreign influence and reduce internal aggression. Turkey and Iran tried to modernize and westernize but were challenged by political unrest and the lack of unity within their leadership. Japan alone experienced extraordinary economic growth due…

    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Japan Dbq Analysis

    • 276 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Japan's security and economic survival was ahead of Asian values. Without Japan becoming more powerful East Asia wouldn't have been saved from the west. What made Japan so powerful was the economic exploitation of its neighbors. They are both centralized, protected by the water that surrounds them, and easy passage to the Atlantic.…

    • 276 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Japanese Period Essay

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages

    This attitude was driven by the humiliating and unequal treaties Japan was forced to oblige to due to their military inferiority compared to the West. The Meiji government introduced universal conscription and a new army was modeled after the Prussian force and a navy after the British fleet. In order to transform the economy from an agrarian one to a developed industrial state, Japanese scholars went abroad to study Western science and language, while foreign experts taught in Japan. The government also invested heavily in public works such as railroad transportation and communication networks.…

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    US Honors Pre-WWI

    • 1380 Words
    • 6 Pages

    U.S. Honors Pre-WWI Name: Yash Parikh_________________ Score: ______ Read Chapter 8. Do further research on databases and books. Your textbook is a resource but cannot be used as a cited source. You must have a Works Cited page. 1.…

    • 1380 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    President Roosevelt stated on December 7th 1941 that today is “a date which will be infamy” and declared war on Japan (Martin 2004). December seventh is an important day in history because it started our involvement in world war two and over twenty-three hundred souls were lost that day. There were many different factors that contributed to this day into happening and what happened after. In 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria, which would eventually lead up to the China and Japan going to war in 1937.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This is until the United States comes to Japan in 1853. The Japanese were amazed when they saw the US ships coming into their harbor that they wanted to change the way that they were living. After signing the American’s unequal treaties the Japanese feared that the foreign power was going to take them over. This led to Meiji era where Japans goals were to Industrialize, create Nationalism, and to have a strong military. The industrialization of Japan brought them many new ideas and inventions to help their nation over time.…

    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics