Japan’s Japan’s Modern Modern HistoryHistory

►The emperor through out most of the twentieth century was __________________

Emperor Hirohito

Japan = Very Mountainous: Little Japan = Very Mountainous: Little Arable LandArable Land

Japan and the United Japan and the United StatesStates

• How might the fact that Japan is mountainous, with very little arable land have had an influence on Japan’s goals?

• How might the size of Japan have influence Hirohito and his goals?

Japan does not have a lot of usable landJapan does not have a lot of usable land

Japan’s Goal

• Japan did not have a lot of natural resources or space

• Wanted to gain natural resources to gain wealth and power

• Where should they go? Who has resources?

Japan expands

• Japan took over parts of China’s east coast.

• Japan also took over all of Korea, as well as other areas in the Pacific.

• Why did Japan want all of this area?

Japan Annexes KoreaJapan Annexes KoreaJapan Annexes KoreaJapan Annexes Korea

But then…

Japan sees competition from Japan sees competition from

Another “Pacific” Power Another “Pacific” Power

Japan sees competition from Japan sees competition from

Another “Pacific” Power Another “Pacific” Power

The U. S. “Great White Fleet”The U. S. “Great White Fleet”The U. S. “Great White Fleet”The U. S. “Great White Fleet”

►Emperor Hirohito was the man that ordered the attack on __________ which forced the US to join WWII.

Pearl Harbor

Japan’s Vision of the WorldJapan’s Vision of the World

United StatesUnited States

JapanJapan

Germany & Italy

Germany & Italy

Japanese things that were potential war winners.

The ‘zero’ fighter plane.

• Much faster and more maneuverable than any other fighter at the time.

The two biggest battleships ever!

The aircraft carrier.

• Only a few people realized that old battleships were finally made obsolete by the aeroplane.

• Pacific naval wars were to be decided by planes from ships, not by big guns.

Massive American industrial resources are brought against Japan.

Modern business techniques produce huge amounts of warships, guns, planes and everything else.

Modern design technology means that Japanese know-how was rapidly outstripped.

Both Britain and the US send war material to help Chiang Kai-shek fight the Japanese in China.

8/1942-4/1945: Island Hopping: US moves from island to island, establishes airbases as they go.

Japanese Kamikaze Planes:

The Scourge of the South Pacific

Japanese Kamikaze Planes:

The Scourge of the South Pacific

Kamikaze Kamikaze PilotsPilots

Suicide Suicide BombersBombers

All of 1945: Japanese Firebombing: US bombs Jap. cities, 80,000 to 100,000 each run.

7/1945: Atomic Bomb: US Pres. Truman notified $2 bil (08: $25 bil) bomb project successful

• The first Atomic bomb to be used in war… ‘little boy’.

• This bomb was shipped from the US a mere 4 hours after the ‘Trinity’ A-bomb test in the US.

• The actual radioactive material inside was the size of an orange.

The Atomic Bomb

Col. Paul Tibbets & The A-BombCol. Paul Tibbets & The A-Bomb

Title: “WWII: Asia” 8/06/1945: Hiroshima:

Hiroshima – August 6, 1945

Hiroshima – August 6, 1945

70,000 killed immediately.

48,000 buildings. destroyed.

100,000s died of radiation poisoning & cancer later.

Nagasaki – August 9, 1945

Nagasaki – August 9, 1945

40,000 killed immediately.

60,000 injured.100,000s died of

radiation poisoning& cancer later..

Japanese A-Bomb Survivors

Japanese A-Bomb Survivors

After the DestructionAfter the Destruction

Japan surrenders one week after the Hiroshima bombing

MacArthur is named Supreme Allied Commander of the Pacific and begins the occupation of Japan

US Occupation-MacArthurUS Occupation-MacArthurDoes not try Hirohito for

war crimes because he is a popular figure for the people of Japan.

Begins food relief efforts for the people of Japan at the cost of over a million dollars a day.

Helps set up a democracy by helping draft a US style constitution-Hirohito is a figure head but has no real power.

Insist that Japan be allowed into trade alliances.

•The Allies, under the command of US General Douglas MacArthur, oversaw Japan and the drafting of a new constitution after WWII.•The new constitution established a democratic government, reduced the size of Japan’s military to a defensive force, and allowed for a modified version of the emperor. It also guaranteed certain human rights and extended women the right to vote.•In 1951, Japan became independent again. However, it kept a close relationship with the US.•The US poured lots of money into rebuilding Japan and helped it grow economically. Today, Japan is one of the wealthiest and economically strongest nations in the world.

Outcomes for JapanOutcomes for JapanJapan has a modern

economy

Best educated work force in the world.

Women granted rights

Old power structure, and class system broken down and replaced.

Peasants could and did own property.

Democracy still reigns to this day.