U.S/Japan Foreign Relations WWII 1

U.S/Japan Foreign Relations WWII 1

Ryan Pryor, Lincoln County High School

Lesson Title: Japanese Imperial Expansion and America’s Entry into World War II

Course: United States History and Geography (11th Grade)

Standards:

Between the Wars and World War II (1927 – 1945)

• US.55 Gather relevant information from multiple sources to explain the reasons for and consequences of American actions in foreign policy during the 1930’s, including the HooverStimson Note, the Johnson Debt Default Act, and the Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1937, and 1939. (H, P)

• US.58 Explain the reasons for American entry into World War II, including the attack on Pearl Harbor. (H, P)

Student Objectives

• Analyze and understand U.S./Japan foreign relations during the 1930’s and their impact on the Second World War.
• Explain Japanese industrial, economic, and imperial expansion following the Meiji Restoration period.
• Identify and understand Japan’s need for resources and relative geographic restrictions of the Japanese home islands.
• Analyze the Japanese decision to strike at Pearl Harbor in an attempt to make the United States sue for peace.

Introduction:

Students may have little to no knowledge of the rise of Imperial Japan, so it is imperative to begin the lesson by posing a question about the student’s knowledge of Japan’s history. It may come as a surprise to them that Japan was one of the most powerful imperial forces during the early part of the 20th century, capitalize on this and transition into the first portion of the lesson which focuses on Japanese industrial development.

Geographic Component:

Using a geographic map of Japan, ask the students to explain the Japanese home islands and discuss the limitations that the islands have. Allow the students to discuss the map and allow them to come to several conclusions. Help the discussion by posing lead questions that will push them towards the concept of resource availability and the necessity for expansion. Allow the students enough time to grasp the concept of geographical limitations and compare the size of Japan to other states in Asia, including relative distances and resource availability throughout Asia. Transition into the small group activity.

• “Map of Natural Resources in Japan”, accessed March 24, 2016,
• A fine description of Japanese geography can be found on the same website on the sidebar to the left.

Small Group Activity:

Have the students pair up and provide them each group with one of ten “key points” outlining the rise of Japanese industrialism and imperialism following the Meiji Restoration. Each group will analyze the points and present the information to the class in an informal manner. If working on a block schedule, this should take no longer than 20 to 25 minutes. If not, this activity can be done as a whole group and the key points can be summarized beforehand for faster analysis. Be sure to correct any misunderstandings the students have and also make sure the students present their “key point” in sequence so that an accurate timeline is maintained.

• Asia for Educators: Columbia University. Japan and the West: The Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), accessed March 24, 2016,

Primary Source Analysis

The second portion of the lesson deals with U.S/Japan foreign relations in the years leading up to the Second World War. Discuss with your students the development of Japanese expansion in the 1920’s and 30’s. Focus on the Japanese acquisition of the northern portion of China and the creation of the Manchukuo puppet state. Present the students with selections from the “Stimson Doctrine” as well as the Japanese replies. Have the students dissect the documents and make assertions about how it affected U.S/Japan relations in the pre-war years. Begin transition into the Second World War.

• Note: This lesson is most useful after having begun a unit on the Second World War and establishing the context of the war in Europe and the Pact of Steel. However, it can also be useful in a unit designed around interactions between Japan and the United States up to and including the Second World War.

• To access the Stimson Doctrine you can use the following link:
• Department of History: Knox College, “The Stimson Doctrine”, accessed March 24, 2016,

Conclusion

End the lesson by introducing the factors that lead up to the American entry into the Second World War, including the American embargo of Japan in 1941, Japan’s need for necessary materials like oil, and the Japanese invasion of Indo-China. Include visual representations of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Japanese strategy to neutralize the American fleet and force the United States to sue for peace. This is an excellent opportunity to pull the lesson back to the beginning and tie into the discussion about geography and natural resources of Japan.

Assessments

• Formative: Continually monitor student progress and adjust instruction based on student’s prior knowledge. At the beginning of the lesson, any knowledge gained from question and answer should be used to modify the instruction for stronger students and allow you to focus on students with less content knowledge.

• Summative: Have students submit an exit ticket at the end of the class that include 2 to 3 questions from the lesson about information that was covered throughout. These questions can be generated at the instructor’s discretion based on preference. Have students include a three sentence summation of Japanese advancement from industrialization to the beginning of World War II.