Japan’s position in Asia mid-1920s
-Till 1926 Japan was under the Taisho period
-It succeeded the chaotic Meiji period
-During this period there was an influx of foreign ideas in Japan
-Japan adopted a neutral attitude towards the Chinese Civil War
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Tensions Caused Between Japan and the West:
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Historiography
EXTRA INFORMATION:
Tensions between China and Japan
Tensions between Korea and Japan
Washington Naval Agreements 1922
The Five-Power Treaty
The Four-Power Treaty
The Nine-Power Treaty
Other Treaties
Historiography
Timeline
DATE
EVENT
1902
Anglo-Japanese Treaty - First treaty that allied Japan with a European nation, the UK against Russia
1921 - 1922
Washington Naval Agreements
1922
New urge to build new cruiser ships - Wasn’t stated in the treaty that you couldn’t build cruise ships (loophole)
1927
Review of the Five-Power Treaty - Attempt to fix loopholes in the treaty
1930
Second review of the Five-Power Treaty - Attempt to fix loopholes in the treaty
End of Anglo-Japanese Alliance
Background
Role of the Washington Naval Conference (1922)
1924 US Immigration/ Exclusion Act
Real or imagined perception that Japan was threatened by China’s reunification
Tanaka’s ‘Positive Policy’
1930 London Conference-Naval Arms Limitation Talks
Background
Breakdown of relations with the West
Lytton Commission
Defection from League of Nations
-On February 24th 1933 the Japanese delegation withdrew from the League of Nations
-They withdrew after a report blamed Japan for the events in Manchuria
Historiography:
“We are not coming back”-Matsuoka, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Anti-Comintern Pact 1936 Japan-Germany
Timeline
DATE
EVENT
1939
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Agreement - Agreement between Russia and Germany, stated that Eastern Europe could be divided into two separate spheres of influence, one for Germany and one for the USSR. These two nations also vowed never to undertake any act of violence towards each other.
1941
Germany declared War on Russia thus ending their prior agreement. This also tested Japan’s relationship with Germany as Japan broke their vow to Germany by not declaring war on Russia as well.
Real or imagined perception that Japan was threatened by China’s reunification
Washington Conference
• 1921-1922 Great Powers convened Washington Conference to address naval arms race developing between Britain, US and Japan
• Post war Japan wanted to build a naval force that was equivalent to 70% of the US (wanting more superiority)
Nine Power Treaty
• Japan agreed to relinquish some territories gained from China during WW1 in exchange for Chinese recognition of Japan’s economy interest
• However most Western Powers didn’t relinquish anything from China
• Everyone agreed to respect China
• Only Japan had to relinquish - unfair
Five Power Treaty
• Concentrated to create a naval balance in power
• Set a tonnage ratio of 10:10:6 for battleships and aircraft for Britain, US and Japan
• Japan agreed on 10:10:7
• Gave Japanese sufficient strength to protect all home islands and colonial possessions
• Unchallengeable control in East Asian waters
• US and Britain had more battleships - unfair - Could be an imagined perception because Japan had fewer, however unchallengeable control was enough
Exclusion Act
• Japanese was excluded for US immigration opportunities
• Felt that Great Powers were hostile towards them in the League of Nations
• Specifically targeted at Japanese
• Felt that the Great Powers had increased its threats to Japanese National Interests
Breakdown of relations with the West
Lytton Commission
-Till 1926 Japan was under the Taisho period
-It succeeded the chaotic Meiji period
-During this period there was an influx of foreign ideas in Japan
-Japan adopted a neutral attitude towards the Chinese Civil War
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Tensions Caused Between Japan and the West:
- Tension between Japan and the Western Powers
- Japan wanted to include a clause of racial equality to the treaty - Western powers didn’t want to support the clause
- Japan knew the Europe was afraid of Japan and therefore the Japanese were afraid that they would be ganged up on - Japan needed to decide whether it would cooperate with the whole world or just focus on itself
- Japan was more aware of racism towards Asian people living in the US and therefore believed the racial equality clause was of high importance
- Australia and New Zealand were against the clause so was the US and the British
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
- Japanese gained control of Chinese land which was owned by Germany - Shandong
- This area had a port and a railroad - Opportunity to expand Japanese influence within China
- Caused tension as Japan was becoming more powerful - More strain for the US and Japan to get along - China’s interest in Shandong was pushed aside for Japan
Historiography
- "If the League was the best hope of the world, then perhaps the sacrifice of a small piece of China was worth it." - President Woodrow Wilson
EXTRA INFORMATION:
Tensions between China and Japan
- Japanese gained control of Chinese land which was owned by Germany - Shandong
- Student protests occurred across China - Students protested about how the Japanese had paid a Chinese warlord to allow Japan to take the German holdings in China
- China saw the treaty as a betrayal
- Led to the May 4th Movement
Tensions between Korea and Japan
- 1918 Koreans wanted freedom from Japanese rule
- Koreans suffered censorship from the Japanese
- No education opportunities
Washington Naval Agreements 1922
- 1921 - 1922 World’s largest naval powers met in Washington D.C to discuss relieving tension in East Asia by disarming the Navy
- After WWI, the international community wanted to do everything in its power to prevent another war from occurring - Fear of another from because of Japan’s rising military and arms race
- Senator William E. Borah, American Senator, demanded that the US
- Secretary of State - Charles Evans Hughes invited nine nations to the event to discuss the situation in the Far East
- UK, Japan, France and Italy were invited to take part in talks discussing the reduction of naval capacity
- Belgium, China, Portugal and the Netherlands were invited to join discussions regarding the situation in the Far East
- During the Naval Agreements three main treaties were signed
The Five-Power Treaty
- Signed by the US, France, UK, Italy and Japan
- Set a ratio for warships and how tons they could carry
- US and UK were allowed 500,000 tons
- Japan 300,000 tons
- Italy and France 175,000 tons
- Treaty allowed the US and UK to support their territorial areas in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and also put a stop to building capital ships to reduce Navy size
- Mainly seen as a success but controversy spread between US policymakers caused by Article XIX regarding the status of the US, UK and Japan
- US Navy was worried about US holdings in Hawaii, Guam and the Philippines
- 1922 Urge to build new cruiser ships, treaty was specifically for warships (unrestricted)
- 1927, 1930 Five nations returned back to the treaty to fix loopholes
The Four-Power Treaty
- Between the US, UK, Japan and France
- Agreed to consult each other before taking action in an event occurring in East Asia
- Replacement of the 1902 Anglo-Japanese Treaty
- US were concerned by Japan’s growing militarism and desire to expand
- Japan was a possible threat to US territory in Asia
- This treaty ensured that the four countries would never have to engage in conflict with one another and if they did they could discuss what to do if a conflict emerged
The Nine-Power Treaty
- Marked the internationalisation of the US Open Door Policy in China
- Treaty promised that the US, UK, Japan, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and China
- Treaty recognised Japan’s presence in Manchuria but affirmed the importance of equal opportunity for all the nations when it came to constructing business in China
- China agreed not to be discriminate against any nation doing business within China
- China called for further consultations towards the nations for when they violated the treaty
- This treaty wasn’t as successful as it had no proper method/guidelines and therefore, couldn’t enforce that all the nations abided by the treaty
Other Treaties
- Bilateral treaty between China and Japan, the Shandong Treaty, stated that China would now have control of the province and the railroad
- This treaty combined with the Nine-Power Treaty
Historiography
- “a common understanding with respect to principles and policies in the Far East”
- Japan press considered the invitation to the agreement as “the greatest calamity that has ever overtaken the Japanese Empire.”
Timeline
DATE
EVENT
1902
Anglo-Japanese Treaty - First treaty that allied Japan with a European nation, the UK against Russia
1921 - 1922
Washington Naval Agreements
1922
New urge to build new cruiser ships - Wasn’t stated in the treaty that you couldn’t build cruise ships (loophole)
1927
Review of the Five-Power Treaty - Attempt to fix loopholes in the treaty
1930
Second review of the Five-Power Treaty - Attempt to fix loopholes in the treaty
End of Anglo-Japanese Alliance
Background
- Signed in London, January 1902
- Lord Lansdowne (British foreign secretary) and Hayashi Tadasu (Japanese minister in London)
- The treaty was renewed in 1905 and 1911 before it terminated in 1923
- In the early 1900’s, Japan was becoming an important figure in the West
- Britain respected Japan as a reliable and trustworthy nation
- Britain however was not on good terms with Russia, Germany or France
- Japan and Britain worked together in order to contain Russia and was united in that sense
- American government feared a Japanese dominated market, which would separate the USA from China
Role of the Washington Naval Conference (1922)
- Washington Naval Conference was set up to discuss naval disarmament
- Japan came to the Washington Naval Conference with a deep mistrust of Britain, feeling that London no longer wanted what was best for Japan.
- Japan also wanted to steer clear of any chances of war with the USA
- With that the alliance was terminated officially in 1923
1924 US Immigration/ Exclusion Act
Real or imagined perception that Japan was threatened by China’s reunification
Tanaka’s ‘Positive Policy’
- The ‘Positive Policy’ emerged as a result of defining policy towards China
- This meant Japanese interest in Manchuria was separate from Japan’s interest in the world
- This policy reduced involvement of the international community in Manchuria affairs regarding Japan
- This was to keep the Western powers out because they wouldn’t understand Japan’s role in China
- Shows that Japan was threatened by the West
- “Manchuria was Japan’s own particular problem”-Prime Minister Tanaka
1930 London Conference-Naval Arms Limitation Talks
Background
- Aims to limit naval capacity among the leading naval powers of the world
- Promote disarmament amongst the commotion of the First World War
- Started with Washington Conference of 1921–22 and ended with the London Conference of 1935.
- Started with the Washington Conference
- Washington conference was also to discuss tonnage restrictions among the Japanese
- Conference settled on the 5:5:3 ratio for capital ships for USA, British and Japanese respectively
- 1927, Japan insisted on increasing this to 10:10:7 (this reduced Japan’s capacity with arms)
- The treaty was one factor which contributed to the deterioration of the relationship between the American and Japanese government
- Treaty was one factor which contributed to the deterioration of the relationship between the American and Japanese governments
- Isoroku Yamamoto though this treaty was good as it also limited other countries and their weapons
- The London Conference was an extension of the Washington Conference
- Naval Arms Limitation Talks
- Regulated submarine warfare and naval shipbuilding
- The number of heavy cruisers a country could have was limited: US-18, UK-15, and Japan-12.
- "The ratio works very well for Japan”-Isoroku Yamamoto (commander in chief)
Breakdown of relations with the West
Lytton Commission
Defection from League of Nations
-On February 24th 1933 the Japanese delegation withdrew from the League of Nations
-They withdrew after a report blamed Japan for the events in Manchuria
Historiography:
“We are not coming back”-Matsuoka, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Anti-Comintern Pact 1936 Japan-Germany
- An agreement between Japan and Germany
- These two nations were both ruled by right-winged, anti-communist dictators who both mutually agreed to resist Communism and communist states
- Treaty of alliance against the Soviet Union
- There was a secret clause in the pact that stated that neither of the countries should become involved in a war against the USSR
- 1939 Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Agreement which, is also known as the Treaty of Nonaggression between Germany and the USSR - Divided Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence, Germany and the USSR promised not to undertake any act of violence towards one another
- 1941 The Anti-Comintern caused problems when Germany declared war on Russia and broke the Molotov-Ribbentrop Agreement, Japan didn’t declare war on Russia
Timeline
DATE
EVENT
1939
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Agreement - Agreement between Russia and Germany, stated that Eastern Europe could be divided into two separate spheres of influence, one for Germany and one for the USSR. These two nations also vowed never to undertake any act of violence towards each other.
1941
Germany declared War on Russia thus ending their prior agreement. This also tested Japan’s relationship with Germany as Japan broke their vow to Germany by not declaring war on Russia as well.
Real or imagined perception that Japan was threatened by China’s reunification
Washington Conference
• 1921-1922 Great Powers convened Washington Conference to address naval arms race developing between Britain, US and Japan
• Post war Japan wanted to build a naval force that was equivalent to 70% of the US (wanting more superiority)
Nine Power Treaty
• Japan agreed to relinquish some territories gained from China during WW1 in exchange for Chinese recognition of Japan’s economy interest
• However most Western Powers didn’t relinquish anything from China
• Everyone agreed to respect China
• Only Japan had to relinquish - unfair
Five Power Treaty
• Concentrated to create a naval balance in power
• Set a tonnage ratio of 10:10:6 for battleships and aircraft for Britain, US and Japan
• Japan agreed on 10:10:7
• Gave Japanese sufficient strength to protect all home islands and colonial possessions
• Unchallengeable control in East Asian waters
• US and Britain had more battleships - unfair - Could be an imagined perception because Japan had fewer, however unchallengeable control was enough
Exclusion Act
• Japanese was excluded for US immigration opportunities
• Felt that Great Powers were hostile towards them in the League of Nations
• Specifically targeted at Japanese
• Felt that the Great Powers had increased its threats to Japanese National Interests
Breakdown of relations with the West
- The breakdown of the relationship between Japan and China had an impact of the relations between Japan and the West due to the Manchurian Incident
- In 1933, Japan got out of the League of Nations and alienated themselves on the West
- The new foreign minister in 1936 saw Russia as the primary threat of security, therefore Japan decided to sign an Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany
- Signed in November 1936
- Secret term saying that if the Soviet attacked Germany or Japan, neither can do anything to help the soviets
- Alienated Japan from Britain and USA - “The China Problem” became the major sticking point in relations between Japan and the USA
- Due to Japan’s expansionist policies into Asia and China (Manchuguo), the West criticised it as they condemned colonisation
- However Japan found it hypocritical as the West practised colonisation and thought that the West deliberately did it to stop Japan from rising to power- EXAMPLE 1: When US condemned China
- President Roosevelt’s Speech in 1937
- Quarantine Speech: condemn Japan’s aggression in its expansionist policies, - EXAMPLE 2: 1983 US placed an embargo on war material to Japan
- Due to Japan’s expansion in the South
- Demanded help from France and Netherlands for oil and clearance of the way into Indo-China
- Embargo would stop Japan from arming itself because it only included scrap iron and steel
- EXAMPLE 1: When US condemned China
- 1940 July, Japan was waiting for opportunities in Europe
- Came up with a contingency plan in the event that they cannot conquer China
- They would fight the south by force because they wanted economic opportunities
- South included many colonised areas by the West
- Japan planned to prepare militarily for a possible war with USA if discontent occurs
- On the other hand War in Europe increased Japan’s economic dependence on the US - 1940 Japan signed a tripartite pact with Italy and Germany
- Aimed at the US
- If any of the 3 countries were engaged in war the other 2 need to help them
Lytton Commission
- League of Nations demanded Japan to remove troops from Manchuria by 1931 November but Japan ignored
- League then appointed a commission headed by Lord Lytton and 4 other men
- Japan planned to stage an act so that it would be on the Lytton Report
- Condemned Japan’s actions in Manchuria
- Rejected Japan’s claim that they were acting in self defense
- Insisted that Manchuguo’s independence was not the result of spontaneous action on the local population
- Report called on Japan to withdraw all forces from Manchuria
- Japanese interested there would be subject to treaties
- Therefore Japan withdrew League of Nations
- Only 2 countries recognised Manchuguo - Germany and Italy