Additional Notes The Move To Global War (1) PDF

Additional Notes The move to Global War Japan The impact of militarist and nationalist thinking continued to be important in encouraging expansionist foreign policy. Crisis at home meant these forces had the upper hand. From 1929 Japanese exports fell drastically, especially silk. Unemployment ro...

Additional Notes The move to Global War Japan The impact of militarist and nationalist thinking continued to be important in encouraging expansionist foreign policy. Crisis at home meant these forces had the upper hand. From 1929 Japanese exports fell drastically, especially silk. Unemployment rose to 3m. Manchuria was rich in timber, coal and iron as well as rice. These resources looked particularly appealing to Japan, as well as Manchuria being a market for its manufactured goods and living space for an over-populated Japan. Before and after the invasion of Manchuria in 1931 the government in Japan often had to go along with decisions made by the Kwantung army in China. War expanded from 1937 after fighting broke out between Japanese and Chinese forces near Beijing. The war spread to Shanghai and Nanjing and further along the coast and then inland. This was not a war the Japanese wanted, as it stretched their forces and supply lines and led to a full-scale war that was to last until 1945. The USA started to become concerned with Japan when Prime Minister Konoe announced on 3rd November 1938 that Japan wanted to create a New Order in Asia (East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere). The USA was also worried that if it didn’t increase its support to the GMD, the USSR would start to increase its influence with Chiang. In June 1940 Japan decided to expand its ambitions for the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere to also include South East Asia. From 22nd to 26th September 1940 the Japanese invaded Northern Indochina (A French colony) to stop China importing fuel and arms through the port of Haiphong in modern day Vietnam. In November 1940 Japan pressured occupied France into permitting Japan’s forces to have troops and airfields in Indo-China. This would be the first stage of its occupation of South East Asia. In September 1940 the Tripartite Axis Pact was signed, which agreed that Germany and Italy would dominate Europe and leave Asia to Japan. Nazi victories in Europe gave Japan opportunities to take over Asian colonies of Britain and France and the Netherlands. They moved into Southern Indochina on 24th July 1941. This alarmed Britain and the USA who were concerned that Siam (Thailand), Malaya and the Dutch East Indies would be next. They froze Japanese assets bringing trade with Japan to a halt. They also strengthened their forces in the area and increased aid to Chiang Kai Shek. Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor 7th December 1941? The US changed their policy towards Japan from 1938 onwards from one of isolation and neutrality on the part of America. They saw the Tripartite Pact as a threat to the world as it united Germany, Italy and Japan against any threat to any one of them. In the eyes of Americans the war in Europe and the one in Asia became the same war. From January 1939 various embargos were placed on Japan, whilst at the same time millions of dollars in aid were given to the GMD in aid. In July 1941 as Japan moved further southwards Japanese assets were frozen and then in November a complete embargo on trade was imposed which included oil. The war in China could not continue without oil and the Japanese people would not agree to a withdrawal from China. Negotiations had taken place between Japan and the USA, but came to nothing. Japan felt surrounded. On 7th December Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor in an attempt to destroy the US aircraft carrier capability. Although it destroyed many ships, it failed to do the above. Japanese simultaneously attacked Hong Kong, Singapore, followed by the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines and Malaya on 8th December. By mid-1941 they had taken all these places. Historians have disagreed about the Hossbach Memorandum. Taylor says it was only to convince conservative and military experts to continue rearmament, not to discuss foreign policy. Others say while it was not a road-map to war, it clearly laid out Hitler’s central goal, “to make secure and to preserve the racial community and enlarge it”. It made clear Hitler’s war-like and expansionist tendencies and sense of urgency. In September 1939 Germany invaded Poland, followed by Denmark and Norway in April 1940 and on 10th May 1940 Holland, Belgium and France. France was defeated in 6 weeks. Plans were then made to defeat Britain in Operation Sealion. First the RAF had to be defeated, but the Germans was incapable of doing this in the Battle of Britain, which raged over the skies of Britain in the summer and autumn of 1940. Hitler switched strategies and started to attack British cities in the Blitz. He hoped this would break the morale of the British people, but it didn’t. Italian forces invaded Egypt from Libya and Greece from Albania, but failed to overcome British forces in both places. Hitler had to step in and German forces took Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941 and under General Rommel had advanced to El Alamein in Egypt by June 1942. In June 1941 Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa.