Japanese Political Timeline (1919).

c. “All li! I agree! But only up to here!

 

Timeline: 1933, Truce of Tanku

        The tiger stands for the Japanese and the human prey was the Chinese. The person was half swallowed already by the Japanese, and he was in a no situation to defend himself, therefore was forced to make a deal with the tiger. In 1931-1932, the Chinese were incapable of defending Manchuria when it was invaded in the by the Japanese. After Manchuria was conquered, The Chinese were left without option but to sign the Truce of Tangku, in order to prevent further expansion by the Kwantung Army (Japanese). The League of Nations and foreigner with their investmens in China (represented here by the scared “foreign interest” man), did nothing to help discipline Japanese’s act of aggression and was scared.

II. Rise of Militarism                                                                                                    .

a. Political Development in Japan during 1920s to 1930s

Early International Agreements

        After the Great War (WWI) ended, the allied won and at the Treaty of Versailles (1919) the Japanese was granted her position at Shantung, and the acquisition of former German Colonies. In 1921-1922, the concern of Japanese’s expansionist policy was brought up in The Washington Conference. Two most important treaties signed were “The Four Power Treaty” which ended the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and an agreement United States, France, Britain and Japan to maintain respect for each other in the Pacific region. The other treaty was “The Five Power Naval treaty” which fixes the ratio between the world powers. These peaceful policies in the 1920s were done in the Party Government Era.

The army takes control

1929, The world-wide depression had begun and the exports fell by 50% which especially hit the Japanese’s silk market—on which small farmer relied on—was no longer affordable. The civilian government weakened, The Party Government Era had ended. Many were convinced that this is the failure of the peacekeeping policies, because otherwise, Japan would have had more colonies to supply her needs. The people turned to the ultra-nationalist (-militarist) movements. The Hamaguchi Government stepped in 0n 1929, and tried to keep the peace policies. Hamaguchi announced “The Improvements of our financial position depends primarily upon the peaceful developments of commerce and of overseas enterprises… At this time we must co-operate with other powers, and… promote the establishment of an international agreement…” This, angered the military. Hamaguchi was shot in 1931, thus ending the Japanese’s liberal years and beginning the decade known as the “Dark Valley”.

The Dark Valley

Now with more influence, more and more of the government were made of the extreme nationalist and militarist whom began to pursue the Japanese expansionist foreign policies again. Their attention was focused on Manchuria, which was valuable as the natural resource of iron and coal, wheat, barley and soy beans and a possible place to migrate Japanese’s overpopulation.

        To begin the war—but not to be blamed for it—Japanese started the Manchurian Incident. On 18 September 1931, The South Manchurian Railway blowed up, The Japanese were blaming the local Chinese to have started it, although the evidence of who had done it were that of Japans. This was used as an excuse for the Kwantung Army to start invading Manchuria.

“I believe that international justice and good faith are important, and I am striving to preserve world peace. [The Japanese invasion of Manchuria] causes me no end of anguish. This could result in intervention by the major powers and the destruction of our nation and people… When I think of all these problems I cannot sleep.” 

-- Emperor Hirohito, regarding the Manchurian incident

“The army’s interference in domestic and foreign politics is a state of affairs of which… we must view with apprehension.”

-- Emperor Hirohito, regarding the army’s involvement with Manchurian Inccident

 

Lead up to Sino-Japanese War II

        

b. Changes in Economy

The Economic Expansion

        The Japanese economic expansion was a continuing development from the modernization previously achieved in the Meiji Restoration. The economy establishes and was soon rapidly growing, and the rulers adopted the slogan, “Rich Country, Strong Army”. They want Japanese to flourish financially to be able to build the military, to retain their independence and to finally to expand. Statistically Japanese’s growth was incredible, “From 1890 through 1938, Japan’s GDP grew 3.3 percent each year.”  In comparison to United States and other Western European countries in the same stage, the Japanese was much faster. The most noticeable of these growth patterns were made by the manufacturing industries “from 8 percent of GDP in 1888 to 32 percent by 1938.”  The Japanese manufacturing industry involves iron and steel works, ship-building, chemicals, cotton and silk production, brewing and distilling, paper making, and making matches.

        The industrialization experienced by Japan increase the level of industries’ production rate, and therefore adds to the growth of Japanese economy. The focus of industrialization is the centralized mass production in factories instead of rural home production, and mechanized agricultural farming which increase the production to enable the support of a larger population. In factories, the use of machinery also decreased the need of manual labour, while maintaining the same level of production. As seen on the table below (Japanese Industries 1918 to 1940), the total workers only multiply by 3-4 during the 1918-1940 periods, compared to the number factories that multiply by 6-7 times.

An Economy to supports Military

The rise of the economy benefited the militaristic government of the 1930s. The government started to pass laws to promote heavy industries required by the military. Industries such as petroleum, machine tools (see the table: Japanese Industries 1918 to 1940), aircraft, automobiles, iron and steel flourish under this period. The extraordinary growth achieved by the Japanese’s economy as discussed above provides sufficient foundation for the military to build the army.

These combinations of factors give the military a financial and political freedom to build Japan’s army, navy and air force to prepare for their war ambition. In 1936, “Hirota Government raised the expenditure on the modernization of the military forces to just under 50%”.  By 1938—after the Japanese declared the Sino-Japanese War II—“the military absorbed 70% of the total government spending”.

Japanese Industries 1918 to 1940

*The total numbers include other production of gas & electricity, ceramics, textiles, woods, foods & kindred, printing & bookbinding, and chemistry.

Source: “Twentieth Century History” Photocopied Handouts

Notably, the Japanese industrial production, especially the metals production, had followed the militaristic trends. From various goods that increased in numbers of their manufacturers, metals and machine tools are increasingly became a popular commodities. Just looking from 1918-1930, in a period less than 15 years, the number of metal factories leaps from just 6 to 4,004 factories. The growth of machine-tools companies were most noticeable at the 1935-1940 where in 5 years the number of factories producing them doubled.  

III. Comparison with Hitler’s Germany                                                                         ..

        The development in 1930s for both Japanese and the Germans were similar that both countries had managed their country as a totalitarian state. The preconditions that they begin with was: an economic slump and chaos. On different corners of the globe, this application of the totalitarian idea gave rise to a strong militaristic and expansionist idea which brought them together as allies in the World War II.  

         

        To begin with, the first thing they need was a leader, a strong, charismatic leader that is capable of uniting the people. The Japanese had Emperor Hirohito, although he does not directly involve in the politics, the Japanese worshipped him as the semi-divine descendant of the Gods. In Germany, Hitler had risen into a strong undisputable leader, feared and respected for his vision of Germany.

        

        The Japanese believed themselves to be superior, and hold the code of honour “it is better to die in the battlefield than surrendering”. And kill their enemies and prisoners of war without any second thought. Similarly the Germans claimed themselves as Aryans, and thus deserve Lebensraum (living space). Both create a Nationalistic pride toward themselves.    

        

What came out from the nationalistic prides was the desire for both countries to rule over others, to expand. The military created more and more army, navy and air force to meet with the needs expansion. The aim of the Japanese is to establish a “Co-prosperity Sphere” for the Asian countries, which is basically, is intended to colonize Asia Pacific. The Germans, believing that they were superior, would conquer the world on the base of Lebensraum: that in the world, there should only be Aryans. In addition, the Germans had the secret police Gestapo who ensure the obedience by terror. And for these reasons, the people had accepted the militaristic government.

As one thing leads to another, a controlled economy is also a crucial part. A stable economy provides the capability to build and upkeep the army, to be commercially productive, and most of all, to keep the population content. Also, a centrally controlled economy gave the government the advantage to concentrate their resources on the military productions and or projects.

        Both Japanese and Germany had their previous government—which were badly affected by the 1929’s Great Depression—ready to blame. Hitler had the Jews as the scapegoat for the problems experienced in the post-WWI.

Last, but not the least of the totalitarian-state feature is control of the mass communications. Mass media communications ranged from newspaper, books, magazines publications, radio broadcasts. The sources of information were censored to favour the government (or the ruling-party Nazi in Germany). The impact was that it directs the citizens of both empires to believe and support the acts of the government.

A leader, an ideology, an army, the economy, the scapegoats and the communications, each had been taken to extreme and became the features in the creation and the existence of a Totalitarian state.

VI. Bibliography

1. “Japan” (1993-2002) Microsoft Encarta Library 2003 (computer software) Microsoft

Corporation.

2. “Industrialization” (1993-2002) Microsoft Encarta Library 2003 (computer software)

Microsoft Corporation

3. Koutsoukis, A.J. (1992) From Samurai to Sanyo: A History of Modern Japan. Perth:

Bookland Pty. Ltd.

4. Rich, Joe. (1969) Asia’s Modern Century. Hawthorn: Longman Australia

5. Condon, .Christopher. (1987) The Making of the Modern World. South Yarra: Macmillan

Education Australia Pty Ltd.

6. History class photocopied handouts.

7. History class video presentation “Road to War”

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