Combined Humanities Revision – 7.30am to 8.00am slot (3 Slots)
Slot 1 (Monday)
Fascist Japan: Reasons for the Rise of the Military
Slot 2 (Wednesday)
Fascist Japan: Impact of Militarism on the Japanese people
Slot 3 (Friday)
Short 23 minute SEQ test on EITHER Rise of the Military OR Impact of Militarism on the Japanese people
Slot 1 Notes
Reasons for the Rise of Militarism in Japan:
1. The Diet’s Limited Power
2. Corruption Damaged Democracy’s Reputation
3. Democratic Leaders Failed to Solve Economic Problems
§ The farmers’ difficult living conditions
§ The workers’ difficult living conditions
§ Trade Imbalance
§ Great Depression 1929
4. The Showa Restoration
5. Patriotic Societies
6. Army’s & Navy’s Great Influence over the Government
7. Military Take-over of Japan
8. American Expansion in the Asia-Pacific Region Threatened
Japanese Plans to Control the Region
9. Worsening Relations with the West:
§ Paris Peace Conference, 1919
§ Washington Naval Conference, 1921-1922
§ London Disarmament Conference, 1930
10. Immigration Laws in the USA in the mid-1920s
11. Resurgence of Chinese Nationalism
1. The Diet’s Limited Power:
The Diet had limited power and could not make important decisions but the Army and Navy were more powerful than the rest of the Diet and had direct access to the Emperor. They also had veto power, so that they could veto any policies which were unfavourable to them, including recommended cuts to the military budget by the Diet. The Democratic Government in Japan thus failed because it was powerless and was unable to command the clout carried by the military with the Emperor and were unable to do anything to curb the military’s growing power.
2. Corruption Damaged Democracy’s Reputation:
As the election campaigns of democratic leaders were financed by Zaibatsus, many people believed rumours that democratic politicians were corrupt because over the years some Zaibatsus had been able to make the government pass laws to benefit their companies. While some of these rumours were true, some were made up by political rivals. At Diet meetings, these accusations would continue and fights would break out. As a result, the Democratic Government failed because the Japanese people did not support them as they thought they were corrupt and did nothing but fight during Diet meetings instead of helping the people.
3. Democratic Leaders Failed to Solve Economic Problems:
Democratic leaders were unable to solve the problems of farmers who suffered because they could not make profits from their small fields. Tenant farmers also suffered from high rentals and low productivity. Workers in Japan also suffered from poor working conditions and felt that the government did not care about them.
Japan also suffered from a trade imbalance due to its lack of raw materials and had to import food to feed the Japanese people. After the WSC, many Japanese became unemployed because factories shut down due to a fall in demand for goods. Japanese farmers who had always grown fewer crops in order to concentrate on producing silk for the factories were badly hit by the drop in demand for silk.
Due to their failure to solve the problems of the farmers and workers, the Democratic Government was not supported by the people. Furthermore, the economic crisis which followed painted the Democratic Government in a bad light as it was powerless to make any decisions that could save the country. Coupled with a lack of faith in its abilities, the Democratic Government’s failure of solve all these problems lost it valuable support and steered the Japanese people to the arms of the military.
Economic Disaster after the Wall Street Crash (WSC)
After the WSC, many Japanese became unemployed because factories shut down due to a fall in demand for goods. As a result of falling unemployment, there was great suffering. As the democratic government had been unable to solve their problems, they gave their support to the military who promised effective solutions to their problems. Japanese farmers who had always grown fewer crops in order to concentrate on producing silk for the factories were badly hit by the drop in demand for silk. Hit by a drought and with low production, the farmers made less money. As a result, many suffering farmers saw democracy as a failure as it could not do anything to help them. They joined the army and patriotic societies and agreed with their stand on national reconstruction, military strength and respect for authority, giving the military movement added strength in numbers.
4. Patriotic Societies
A growing number of patriotic societies associated with the Army and the Navy were formed in Japan. These societies and their members were extremely nationalistic and believed in Japan’s superiority. They also believed in adopting an aggressive foreign policy. These societies led to the rise of militarism in Japan because many people who were disillusioned with the democratic government and its failure to solve the nation’s problems, joined the patriotic societies and gave them their support.
5. Showa Restoration
The Showa Restoration, which emphasized nationalism, loyalty to the Emperor, self-sacrifice and obedience, was Japan’s response to the Great Depression and foreign opposition of Japan’s growing empire. The movement rejected Western influences and produced youths who were blindly loyal to the Emperor and Japan. These youths also believed in militarism and an aggressive foreign policy which led to a rise in support for militarism which was seen as a solution to end the economic problems associated with the Great Depression.
6. Army’s & Navy’s Great Influence over the Government
Due to the limited power of the Diet, the military could wield considerable power and had considerable influence over political decisions. Having this influence allowed the military access to large budgets from the government. Furthermore, the Japanese Army had been successful in World War I and as a result, was popular and gained considerable support. The Japanese Army also made use of their influence to assassinate leaders who opposed them, gaining even more power through fear.
7. Military Take-over of Japan
The military assassinated two Prime Ministers between the years of 1930 and 1932 when they criticized the actions of the military. The murderers were also let off with very light punishments. By 1932, the government began to closely follow the aims of the Army as they felt pressured to support the Japanese army’s actions. This enabled the military to rise as they were able to gain some form of support from the Japanese government.
8. American Expansion in the Asia-Pacific Region Threatened Japanese Plans to Control the Region
The Americans began to expand in the Asia-Pacific region and Japanese militarists believed that Japanese and American economic and military interests would bring them into conflict over who would control the Asia-Pacific region. This belief in a potential threat led to a rise in militarism as Japanese militarists believed that conflict would take place between the two countries.
9. Worsening Relations between the West and Japan
Due to their military success before and during World War I, the Japanese believed that they should be treated on equal terms with the Western nations. However, the Japanese were disappointed with the absence of a racial equality clause in the League of Nations. At the same time, Japan was very angry with the Washington Naval Conference because they could only build 3 warships for every 5 warships Britain and the USA could build. The Japanese were angry that they were being discriminated against and not respected for their military achievement. As these agreements were presided upon by the democratic government, they were seen as weak. The democratic government was seen as having ‘betrayed’ Japan and being too ‘soft’ in handling relations with the West. This gave the military faction a cause to rally discontented Japanese who were already unhappy with the government for having been unable to solve their economic problems.
10. Immigration Laws in the USA in the mid-1920s
Due to its isolationist and protectionism policy, the USA tried to prevent Asian immigration. It forbade the entry of all Asians except Filipinos. There were also restrictions placed on existing Asian migrants in the USA. These policies angered the Japanese who saw them as discriminatory. Coupled with the problems caused by the Great Depression, many Japanese turned away from Democracy and supported an expansion of Japan’s empire.
11. Resurgence of Chinese Nationalism
Previously, Japan had benefitted from a weakly ruled China and managed to obtain many concessions and territories in North China. However, when a united front was formed by the KMT and CCP to fight the warlords, they gained control of China and the Chinese demanded an end to all “special concessions” to foreign powers. Strikes, demonstrations and boycotts of Japanese goods hurt Japanese interests in China and Manchuria. As it was feared that a stronger China would harm Japanese military ambitions in the area, the Kwangtung Army (Japanese Army in Manchuria) urged an occupation of Manchuria before the Chinese grew stronger. This was supported by many Japanese and gave a rise to militarism in Japan.
Slot 2 Notes
Fascist Japan: Impact of Militarism on the Japanese people
Positive Impact:
· Providing Worko Employed people by expanding building programmes generating much needed jobs and helping Japan recover economically from the Great Depression.
o One year of military service took young men off unemployment for one year, reducing the strain and allowing them to contribute financially towards their families.
o Women were given the opportunity to work adding much needed workforce to the economy and helping Japan recover economically from the Great Depression.
· Controlling Education
o Japanese children were given 6 years of compulsory free schooling allowing the Japanese nation to educate children and generate talent. This also relieved the financial burden of Japanese families who might not have sent their children to school. The free education also equipped the children with the necessary basic skills to contribute to the economy in the future. / · Controlling of Women
o Women who were working lived in special flats so that they could be monitored and controlled
· Controlling Workers
o While trade unions were not banned, various workers’ groups were provided but all they did was to work towards brain-washing them and turning them into obedient workers willing to work for the common good of the country. This did not solve the earlier problems of poor working conditions faced by the workers. Instead, it taught the workers to put their right second and the nation first, making them accept the poor conditions instead of fighting them so that the country could progress.
· Controlling the Opposition
o Peace Preservation Law allowed the government to arrest and imprison people who were a danger to the government or who were critical of the government suppressing political freedom and allowing the military to gain more power and act unopposed.
o People who were critical of the government also lost their jobs which suppressed the peoples’ freedom even more.
· Controlling Education
o Infused military training and brainwashed the children with traditional ideas of self-sacrifice and total obedience allowing the Japanese military to have a ready supply of patriotic soldiers willing to lay their lives down and sacrifice themselves for the good of Japan and to help build the country into an empire.