Please post your responses to the Lesson 4 - Total War Illustration 2 questions that were distributed in class. You need to include detailed answers where applicable. The illustration questions can be found under the downloads section on the Whipple Hill homework plan.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Japanese Illustration Questions
Please post your responses to the Lesson 4 - Total War Illustration 2 questions that were distributed in class. You need to include detailed answers where applicable. The illustration questions can be found under the downloads section on the Whipple Hill homework plan.
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1. The United States was brought into World War II by the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. This attack took place because the U.S. put an embargo on oil/raw materials in return for Japan’s aggression against China. The Japanese were struggling to keep up with China and running low on resources, so they attacked Pearl Harbor. The U.S. then wanted to support Britain and other democratic nations in fighting Japan and other fascist countries.
ReplyDelete2. In the 1930’s Japan was a country eager to expand and conquer the world. The government created nationalistic people willing to use very brutal warfare to expand. I personally don’t think that this style government could be called totalitarian because the government didn’t control every aspect of citizen’s life, it simply brainwashed the citizens to turn militaristic. Also, the government seemed more focused on controlling people in other countries than controlling people of its own. It was way more focused on power and expansion than complete control of its people.
3. Japan’s leaders hoped to take over China and all of Asia because they were wanted to expand as much as possible. They wanted to do this to gain support for the empire’s name.
4. This photo seems not only typical, but it seems to be less harsh than other attacks from the Japanese. The Japanese were still using some of their Samurai techniques and often beheaded, raped and completely destroyed corpses. Though this picture is horrifying and shows the ruins of the city and the harmed citizens it doesn’t accurately depict the brutality in instances such as the ‘Rape of Nanking’.
http://www.history.co.uk/explore-history/ww2/us-entry-and-alliance.html
1. The attack on the United States’ naval base at Pearl Harbor was the major event that drew them into war. It was definitely significant and required retaliation against the Japanese. This attack by the Japanese was a result of the United States stopping their supply of oil and other materials to Japan. During the war, Japan needed these resources from the United States desperately because they didn’t produce enough on their own. The banning of trade with Japan greatly angered them, and they plotted this attack, hoping to damage American ships, weapons, etc. for a period of time, delaying them in attempts to help other countries during the war.
ReplyDelete2. After the Great Depression, military leaders who served under Emperor Hirohito took over control. They were extreme nationalists, and wanted to expand and conquer. This government can definitely be considered totalitarian (even though it wasn’t a single ruler) because it had many of the “requirements” for being a totalitarian state. Japanese military leaders arrested critics of their leading style, censored most to all of their media (or other information), and had secret police that tracked down enemies and rebels.
3. Japan’s leaders hoped to conquer more territory and therefore natural resources that they lacked. They ultimately wanted to strengthen their country and government.
4. This photo is definitely typical. It shows the ruins that the Japanese left behind after their attacks, and a crying child. However, it does not show the true horror and pain that the people endured during these attacks. Women were raped, people were beheaded, and babies were stabbed with bayonets and swords. Those are only a few examples of how people were killed. It was far more extreme and brutal than this picture lets on.
1. Franklin Delano Roosevelt cleverly named it “the day that will live in infamy.” We of course, also know it as the attack on the military base on Pearl Harbor, which occurred on December 7, 1941. The Japanese chose pearl harbor as their target due to the fact that it was the main naval base for the United States during the time period, it was close (relative to the rest of the USA) to the Japanese mainland, and as retaliation against the oil embargo placed upon Japan by the United States as response to the Rape of Nanking. President FDR promptly requested declaration of war against Japan after the attack, and thus, the USA was thrown into WWII.
ReplyDelete2. I think that the Japanese Dictatorship was a very loose form of totalitarianism. The japanese people generally accepted the emperor as part of their culture, and were generally a loyal people. Additionally, they were brutally nationalistic, and were very willing to fight for their country. There was a secret police force, known as the Kempetai, however, their primary role was foreign affairs and maintaining support within Japan for the war, rather than hoping to maintain the emperor’s pseudo-power. Also, the emperor was governed by a group of military officials, and he often acted as their puppet. A totalitarian government generally is ruled by the top of the line people, as opposed to a puppet.
3. The Japanese were after resources and territory during their wars in Asia, 10 years before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese had industrialized extremely quickly, and in order to fuel the newfound manufacturing output of Japan, they needed to find resources, such as iron and oil. These resources would also help fuel their war-machine, and their conquest of Asia. Additionally, the Japanese leaders probably attacked Asia in order to gain territory for a fairly dense island nation. This would allow more space for the Japanese people to inhabit.
4. I think that this picture is a fairly typical and accurate depiction of the brutality of the Japanese armed forces. This could be supported by the Rape of Nanking, where the Japanese army tortured, raped, or killed as many as 200,000 people in one invasion. This was a brutality where even infants were not exempt from the atrocities committed by the Japanese army. As such, I think that this picture is an accurate depiction of the brutality of the Japanese army.
1. Japan bombed the US military base in Pearl Harbor to prevent the American fleet from interfering with Japanese conquest in the East. It was also used as a way to buy Japan time to increase naval position and strength. The United States stopped exporting oil to Japan in 1941, so Japan began a conquest of the oil-rich Dutch East Indies. Either Japan could withdraw from China and lose face or it could conquer other territories to satisfy its need for resources. This attack was a way to get back at the Americans for hindering Japan’s plans.
ReplyDelete2. The military had staged a coup against the Japanese Parliament. Tojo, the general of the Imperial Army, was clever and let Emperor Hirohito maintain power. The Emperor was seen as the main leader and the citizens were indoctrinated to believe that they did everything to honor the Emperor. The Fascist military rule was disguised by the Emperor’s status, but the Japanese people were under totalitarian rule. They were taught to submit personal desires to the benefit of the government. As a result, many Japanese people believed that sacrificing their lives during WWII was more honorable than being captured or killed by the enemy. The Fascist society Japanese people lived under during the 1930s was definitely totalitarian.
3. The Japanese people needed more resources to fuel their rapid economic growth and maintain national integrity. Many of their resources came from the United States. They felt the need to acquire resource-rich territories so they could become independent and economically stable. The Great Depression hit the Japanese just as hard as it the Americans. Much of the issue was from the industrial revolution Japan was enacting. It looked to its nearest neighbor, East Asia, especially Manchuria, for natural resources.
4. These kinds of photos are typical of war-ridden countries or conquered areas. All people are the same, and there is no need to single out the Japanese people for wanting to expand their country and become more powerful. They are not the only ones looking for expansion and power. There are many other instances where conquering forces have mistreated the civilians living in the territory. US soldiers have likely raped women and abused childr in territories they are passing through or are fighting in.
1. What brought the US into the war was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Japan bombed Pearl Harbor because the US restricted Japan's supply of raw materials such as oil. Japan thought that the only way to have enough time to conquer the Dutch East Indies and absorb its resources was to disable the American fleet for a few months by bombing Pearl Harbor. The bombing destroyed almost the entire American navy and thus, that day, brought the US into World War II.
ReplyDelete2. Military rule in Japan in the 1930s consisted of the assassination of many political enemies, as well as persecutions of communists. Indoctrination and censorship in education and media was further intensified. Navy and army officers soon occupied most of the important offices, including the one of the prime minister. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2129.html) This government could be considered a totalitarianism government, despite not having one single ruler, because people who had opposing views to the government were arrested, most of the media was censured, and because enemies were sought out to be persecuted.
3. Japan's leaders hoped to gain more territory through the war. In doing this, Japan would get more resources and thus expand their kingdom.
4. I believe this photo is typical and considerably less harsh than what really happened during this waring state. The photo shows a baby surrounded by rubble, but that is only a mere fraction of the horrors that went on during that time period. Some of the other horrors included rape, torture, murder, the stabbing of babies, etc. Therefore, overall, this photo is accurate in illustrating that Japan was in a state of turmoil. However, it does not even come close to portraying the atrocities the people of Japan faced during that period.
1. The US was brought into the war by the bombing of Pearl Harbor.This took place between the Japanese and the US. Oahu has home to "United States Pacific Fleet and about 50,000 American troops." In Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Japanese aircrafts carriers and other ships we close to the shore of Pearl Harbor when they sent their (Japanese) fighters for their first attack. After that they sent their second wave of fighters. "The entire attack lasted only about an hour and fifty minutes." This attack killed 2,400 Americans, and injured 1,200.
ReplyDelete2. In the 1930's, Military rule in Japan was basically assassinations of a majority of political enemies. Fascist military rule was hiding by the Emperor's reputation. The Japanese people had to go through totalitarian rule. Navy and Army generals soon took over the country one step at a time. They started by taking offices, then having that government arrested.
3. Because of the rapid growth in Japan's society, they needed resources to keep up with their improvements.
4. I think that this photo of the little child sitting on a street with things torn down in the background, is portraying a "waring state". This picture of this poor child sitting by his lonesome is not the worst thing that happened at this time. There were stealing, abuse, rape, murder, and much more. This sort of reminds me a little about the Holocaust. There was torture and killing. They put the Japanese through Hell. I feel like this photo is probably one of the "nicer" photos.
Illustration Discussion Questions
ReplyDelete1)While Japan was brutally attacking and conquering the surrounding countries, the US stayed out of the war, but placed economic sanctions of Japan in an effort to deter them. By 1941, there was an absolute halt of all trade between the two countries. While this was harmful to both countries, the impact on the Japanese was much greater as the almost completely depended on the US for oil import. Without oil they would be unable to stay in the war. Fearing upcoming humiliation and defeat, Japan launched into a fury of diplomatic disputes that resulted in nothing. In a final effort to get revenge on the US the Japanese launched the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, finding war to be the only option and the US naval base a threat.
2) After an attempted coup d'etat in the February of 1936, national unity turned towards support of military power. Then in May enough power was transferred to the military, giving it both power over the cabinet and government. General Hideki Tojo came in power in the October of 1941, turning Japan into a military-bureaucratic regime. A totalitarianism government is one that controls all aspects of life and takes away individual freedom. And as the Japanese government forced economical expansion upon its people and brainwashed them into becoming completely nationalistic it was very much totalitarian.
3) Japan remained relatively untouched by World War I. Because of this its manufacturing industry was able to advance and expand without halt or damage. However, the need for resources to supply this growing industry expanded as well. The natural resources of Japan did not provide enough, and the only logical answer was expansion. More land meant more power, influence, and resources. And as population soared as well, more land and food was needed. Emigration was made nearly impossible as the US denied the Japanese fearing unskilled workers taking many jobs. Japan therefore saw the only logical answer to conquer the surrounding land, including countries and places rich in resources, especially Manchuria China.
4)While this photo is displays a drastic example of Japanese violence, this photo is typical of what sort of things normally happened. Events similar to and including the Rape of Nanking were full of senseless violence. Innocent people and soldiers were ruthlessly slaughtered. The were shot, decapitated, raped, tortured, and imprisoned. All ages and genders were subject to a ruthless extermination.
1. The United States was brought into the Second World War because of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. They were attacked because the Japanese wanted to control the Pacific, and because the United States wasn’t prepared for war, the Japanese took it as their window of opportunity to gain total control. Prior to the attack, the Untied States put an oil embargo on Japan in July of 1941. This threatened to destroy Japan’s entire military and economy. Realizing that the US was powerful, Japan decided to strike them first before they could attack them. This act of violence was the cause of the US entering the third world war.
ReplyDelete2. The military rule in Japan could defiantly be called a totalitarian government. The Japanese leaders wanted all of their people to be loyal, and if anyone was found criticizing their ways they would be sent to jail. Media was censored as well. However because of the military rule during this time period, people were very passionate about fighting for their country. They wanted Japan to be the best it could be and would do anything to help it expand. There was a secret police during this period in time as well that would enforce nationalistic beliefes and turn in anyone who was going against the way of the emperor and the group of leading military officials.
3. The goals of the Asian wars were for Japan to gain more resources to support their rapidly growing population and economy. To achieve this goal, they would have to conquer other territories.
4. This incredibly sad photo of a small child crying in the street would be a typical sight of Japan’s wars of conquest. The destruction of buildings and the separation of families and loved ones were only a few of the horrible things that occurred during this time. Other events included rape and the brutal treatment of women and children. I believe that there are many more horrors that are occurring than just the ones that the photo depicts. This picture is just a tiny insight to life during the time of war in Japan.
1. The USA entered World War II because of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Pearl Harbor attack occurred on December 7th, 1941 in response to America cutting off all trade with Japan earlier that year. America stopped exporting oil to Japan in response to the Rape of Nanking which became a rising issue for the Japanese in the war. Japan could not continue to fight without the oil supplied by the US. Because the Japanese did not want to be humiliated and defeated due to lack of oil, they tried to make a deal with the US in an effort to receive oil from USA once again. This attempt failed miserably for the Japanese and they became very desperate. They got angry at the Americans and decided to attack their most established naval base (Pearl Harbor) near the Japanese mainland. This triggered FDR to declare war on Japan.
ReplyDelete2. The Japanese dictatorship was partially a totalitarian rule. The Japanese during the 1930's craved ultimate power and domination over the world. The General of the imperial army, Tojo, ruled through Emperor Hirohito. The people of Japan thought that they were honoring and worshipping their Emperor. To be honest, Hirohito acted as Tojo's puppet who yearned for ultimate power through a dominant military. The citizens were deceived by who was the true ruler at this time. To me, Tojo truly leaded Japan during the World War II era. This is the biggest difference from a totalitarian rule. Totalitarianism always has a single leader that is followed by a large group of supporters. In this case, the puppet was the figure that was followed by the citizens of Japan, yet he wasn't the true leader of Japan.
3. The Japanese leaders wanted to expand their territory in order to increase the amount of land that the citizens of Japan were able to inhabit. They were also in search of natural resources such as iron, coal, and oil in order to fuel their newfound industrialized lifestyle. Also, Japan was in need of more resources for weaponry after the Americans cut off their oil exportation with them. They had a greed for power as does any dictatorial nation. They truly wanted to expand their control, and the only way they could do that would be to conquer bordering lands.
4. Though this photo is quite drastic, I believe that this was the norm during Japanese attacks in Asia. These attacks by the Japanese were brutal yet effective. The violence was hard to bare for anyone that live there at the time. Innocent children and adults alike were murdered, tortured, raped, and abused. These were dire circumstances, therefore that is why I believe this image is an accurate portrayal of how the conditions truly were. No matter your age or gender, all were violently affected by these tragedies.
Discussing the Illustration
ReplyDelete1. The U.S. entered World War II in response to the surprise aerial attack by Japanese Forces on the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japanese bombed the base after a decade of tension between Japan and the U.S. Following its invasion of China, alliance with Germany and Italy, and occupation of French Indochina, the U.S. severed commercial and economic relations with Japan. They froze Japanese assets and stopped the free flow of petroleum shipments. These actions prompted the Japanese to declare war.
2. While military rule in Japan in the 1930’s did not give any power to the people and was focused on raising its international status through the use of nationalism like other totalitarian regimes, it lacked the personality cult and control of daily life that defines totalitarian countries. Japan had an emperor and a parliamentary system that was controlled by the military. The government did not interfere in the lives of individuals or use fear to instill nationalism; rather, nationalism was taught from a young age and enforced through public education. The classes were supposedly equal, with samurais and lords losing feudal privileges while merchants gained respect. The government put forth efforts to improve the lives of the country’s people in order to modernize like the Western world instead of focusing purely on economic gains and working the people to death, as did Stalin. Overall, Japan’s government was too mild and not controlling enough to be considered totalitarian.
3. Japan’s leaders hoped to gain a higher international status in the Asian wars in order to better the unfair conditions of its political and economic relations with the Western world. As Japan gathered more land and victories, such as gaining Taiwan as a colony, winning a war against Russia, and signing a treaty with Britain, its status increased, but Japan was still not equal with the rest of the world. This was made evident in the Treaty of Versailles when Japan was not granted any land for their participation on the side of the Allies. Another goal of the Asian wars was to help Japan’s economy. The Great Depression struck Japan soon after America. Conquest brought more land, and with it, more resources, which helped right the Japanese economy.
4. This photo is typical of the wars the Japanese waged on the land they wanted to conquer. Japan showed an utter disregard for the rights of the populations they took control of, often not even thinking of them as human. The Japanese army murdered millions of people during their conquests. One of the most infamous massacres is the Rape of Nanking, where the army killed tens of thousands of civilians and troops. Japanese war crimes were terrible and many. Other than the massacres, Japanese soldiers experimented on victims and prisoners, used chemical and biological warfare, tortured prisoners, forced labour upon them, practiced cannibalism, and kept women in brothels where they were constantly raped. Throughout the war, the Japanese showed only severe brutality, no mercy, towards their enemies.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/448010/Pearl-Harbor-attack
http://www.shikokuhenrotrail.com/japanhistory/showahistory.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes#Mass_killings
1. The US joined WW2, because Japan attacked US on Pearl Harbor. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the trigger for US to enter the war. However, US had stayed neutral for the beginning of the war because it did not know what to do. Then during the middle of 1941, US and Japan stopped trading with each other. US had made the decision to stop temporarily. Unfortunately for Japan, they did struggle because they were not getting oil (which was a key thing to stay in the war) and they did not want to lose. Japan tried to reason with US, but US did not back down in saying no. Japan out of rage and insecurity bombed US, because they needed to show the world that they were also not backing down.
ReplyDelete2. The military rule in Japan in the 1930’s was terrible. The military had so much power over everyone. It even had control over the government. What ended happening was that japan was turned into a totalitarianism government, because of how much the military (new government) was controlling them. The people were constantly watched and had no freedom. The government did a lot of propaganda making sure that people hated US and making sure that every person was proud of their country and wanted to go to war.
3. Japan’s leaders hoped to expand, by gaining more land from other parts of Asia. Japan’s industry was on its way to the top, when Japan realized that they needed more resources. Not only did the extract land mean more resources, but also power and money. Japan was not really getting help from any other country, so they decided to try tot conquer areas around Japan. The area that they tried to conquer first was Manchuria China, which had an effect on a lot of people.
4. I believe that this is a typical photo, because this is only one of the harsh things that Japan did to China. The attack of Manchuria China was very similar to what happened to Nanking. Innocent people were tortured and killed for no reason. Innocent woman were raped and beaten for no reason. Innocent children like this little boy were abandoned and traumatized for the rest of their lives for no reason.
1. Japan was one of the US' major sources of income because they bought immense amounts of oil. When Japan invaded China they stopped buying oil from us, so we froze all their banks in the US, which caused both countries to be agitated. They then attacked pearl harbor and that was the final event to cause us to declare war on them.
ReplyDelete2. During the 1930's in Japan, the military had complete control over the government. This caused Japan to take on a more violent approach when confronted with conflict. Political enemies were assassinated, and communists were executed. High ranked military officials were then given most of the important offices, including the one of the prime minister. This is why I do not think that this would be considered a totalitarian rule because there was not one single dictator. Although there was not a democracy, or anything of the sort, technically there was no dictatorship.
3. The reason that Japan wanted to be at war with Asia is because they hoped to take over East Asia and the Pacific. They had already failed at trying to regain China, and were still hoping to take over these territories.
4. I think that this photo is typical. I would say this because Japan was so desperate to take back the land they had lost in East Asia that they were dehumanized to the extent of their crimes. While reading Night, by Elie Wiesel, in English, I have learned that not only can power dehumanize people, but fear can also. This child could have been left out of the fear for the lives of his family members. Maybe that was their only way to survive. Maybe a Japanese soldier threatened them if they didn't leave their child. There are so many different situations that could have occurred to lead to this result, but one thing will always prove to be true: power and fear of survival can lead people to do things that they never could have imagined they were capable of.
Cites:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2129.html
1. The Japanese army attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Japan hoped to cripple the Pacific Fleet located in Hawaii because they were worried that they would not be able to conquer Asia with the U.S. navy in the way. They had a feeling that the U.S. would enter the war anyway, and hoped to weaken the Pacific Fleet. In doing so, Japan actually caused the U.S. to enter the war more quickly, and ultimately, the Pearl Harbor bombing did not help the Japanese cause. Japan also attacked Pearl Harbor for other reasons. The United States, when Japan conquered northern French Indochina, placed an embargo on Japan. This embargo prohibited the exportation of aviation fuel, scrap iron, and steel from the U.S> to Japan. When Japan took over southern Indochina, the U.S., along with Britain and the Netherlands, froze Japanese assets. The Japanese could no longer buy oil and supply their army and navy. The attack on Pearl Harbor was an attempt at lifting this embargo, and it was successful in crippling the Pacific Fleet, but it also brought the U.S. into World War II.
ReplyDelete2. The military rule in Japan was totalitarian in many ways, but had one difference. Instead of having a single leader that controlled all of Japan, there were a select military leaders that led the country. Even so, they made the Emperor the symbol of state power, and the military ruled in his name. The Japanese military censored the media, arrested those who criticized them, and even had a secret police to find those who opposed the military leadership. In many ways, Japan was similar to Italy under the rule of Mussolini, Russia under the rule of Stalin, and Germany under the rule of Hitler. Overall, the Japanese military rule was closer to a totalitarian regime than a non-totalitarian regime.
3. During the Asian Wars led by Japan, the Japanese leaders hoped to conquer the Asian continent and stay in power. Japan wanted to conquer Asia for a couple reasons. For starters, the Japanese took over Manchuria in 1939 and set up a puppet government. They did so because of the rich minerals in that area of land. China had plenty of iron, tin, copper, zinc, gold, silk, coal, and oil, whereas Japan had very little of these resources and luxuries. Japan also wanted to control all of Asia because the military leaders were extremely nationalist. They believed that their country was the best, and wanted to spread their culture to the other countries in Asia.
4. This photo accurately portrays the brutality of the Japanese wars. This child is abandoned on the ruined streets, and their parents were probably killed by the Japanese military. This occurred daily during the Japanese wars, and much more happened to the Asian inhabitants. There were many instances that were worse than this. Japanese soldiers raped women, tortured many, rounded up and killed citizens with machine guns, used them for bayonet practice, and committed many other violent war crimes. All of these acts, and even more brutal ones, were visible in the “Rape of Nanjing,” which is rightfully named due to the immense amounts of rapes during that particular war.
Sources:
http://www.pearlharbor.org/history-of-pearl-harbor.asp
http://www.worldwar2history.info/Pearl-Harbor/
http://fresno.k12.ca.us/divdept/sscience/history/totalitarianism.htm
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=17177
http://www.ncs.net.au/history/essay_13.html
1. The United States’s involvement in World War II was due to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This was caused by a turn of events that start with the japanese invasion of continental asia. When in China the Japanese went through Nanjing the army spared no expense to make it a horrific massacre of everyone in the city. The Japanese spared no one, women, children, and the elderly were slaughtered without mercy. In the end, over 300,000 were left dead. When the US heard this they slapped an oil embargo on Japan to stop the war effort. This made Japan very mad and then sent a preemptive strike to the US to cripple their Pacific fleet and send a message to the White House. This just woke a sleeping giant and brought the US into WWII and winning the war for the allies.
ReplyDelete2.During the Meiji period which was in the 1930’s many leaders, weather it be leaders of businesses, military or politics had a set of values that were reminiscent of the samurais of futile japan from mid fifth century all the way to the seventeenth century. The way of the samurai or bushido was a strict guideline of respect, honor, and victory or death. This influenced the japanese population heavily. This bred a breed of soldiers that were willing to never lose moral, faith, or obedience. This would definitely be totalitarianism because the government is enforcing their rule over the general populations lives by brainwashing the leaders which people look up to and those people to follow.
3. The reason that Japan invaded asia was because of the vast mineral reserves in manchuria and thin population density in southeast asia. Japan being an island, land and raw materials are very big carrying capacity determinants. They could also get
4. That photo definately shows the brutality of the japanese occupation of china and southeast asia. This photo is definitely typical. We learned about the Rape of Nanjing and we learned at the atrocities that the Japanese armies caused. Many of the people that i have met over my experiences with ARCC in China and Lingo Online with students from South Korea I have heard how much stigman the Japanese get from these two groups of people that this must have happened more than this one instance.
1. A major factor that brought the US into the war was the attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor on the morning of Sunday December 7th 1941. The Japanese wanted to control the Pacific and the United States were not prepared for war. This allowed the Japanese the perfect opportunity to attack the United States. The attack by the Japanese was made due to the United States cutting off their supply of oil and other cargo to Japan. The Japanese did not produce their own resources so they were desperately in need of the United States for assistance. Once the United States banned the trade with Japan it caused problems and angered them. By angering the Japanese it caused them to plot the attack in hopes of damaging America’s ships and resources. This would prevent them from going to war and helping other countries by giving Japan more time and delaying the United State’s arrival to war.
ReplyDelete2. The military rule in Japan during the 1930s could be called totalitarian. The military leaders ruled under Emperor Hirohito. The emperor was the symbol that the military ruled in his name. The only thing that was different was that Japan didn't just have one leader that controlled the whole country but instead it was a select group military leaders. They were very nationalistic and strived to expand. The Japanese leaders wanted all of their people to be loyal to them and if any would disobey them or criticize their ways they would be sent to jail. The leaders censored the criticism through the media and had secret police to find enemies and rebels.
3. Since many of their resources were supplied from the United States they felt that the way to gain what they needed was to conquer more territory. By conquering they would become more independent and wouldn’t have to rely on the United States help. Their goals were to gain the resources that they lacked to support their growing population along with strengthening their government.
4. This photo would be considered a typical photo during the Japanese wars. This photo portrays a child abandoned on the streets and surrounded by destruction. This photo shows the tragedy that the people faced during the hard times. Many faced these hardships everyday during the Japanese wars.The Japanese army murdered millions of people during their conquests. Women were raped, babies were killed with swords and others were beheaded. Due to all of these horrible acts this name “Rape of Nanjing” was given because of all the rapes during this war.
1. A couple different things brought the US into World War II. The US was a big distributer of oil and some other materials to Japan, but in order to try and pressure Japan to stop fighting, the US stopped selling oil and some other goods to Japan which was a big problem for them because it froze their banks. This made Japan angry, and they were also worried that the US fleet in Hawaii was a threat to their expansion. So as a result, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, which was really what pushed the US to go into the war.
ReplyDelete2. I think that the rule was a totalitarian rule, because the military leader, Tojo, made every decision about everything, and the people of Japan did everything that he said, in the name of Japan. They thought of the emperor, Hirohito, more as a god than a leader, and would kill others and even themselves in his name and in the name of Japan. Hirohito was a puppet for Tojo, who in truth made all of the decisions regarding the war, and such. But the people followed Hirohito, and would do anything for him. They would even kill others and themselves in his name. He controlled every aspect of their lives, and they were almost brainwashed to believe that he was almost like a god.
3. Japan’s leaders hoped to conquer land and expand their empire in the Asian wars. This was one of the biggest reasons that Japan was so involved in the war. Japan is a relatively small island, so the leaders were thinking that they could take this opportunity to expand their territory in order to have more resources, and consequently become more powerful. However, the US fleet was standing in the way of Japan accomplishing this goal, so they knew that they would have to deal with the US sooner or later, but when they did attack, they underestimated the forces of the US, and had to surrender.
4. I think that this photo is typical, based on the brutality of Japan’s wars of conquest. The Japanese had no fear or regrets of killing people, and they would do crazy things in the name of Hirohito and their country. The Rape of Nanjing is one of the greatest examples of this. The Rape of Nanjing was the barbaric capture of China’s capital city. This terrible violence included killing and raping of innocent people, which included children, woman and even babies, which resulted in an estimated 300,000 deaths of Chinese civilians and soldiers. People who were there at the time say that seeing dead bodies and blood was very common. This event is also known as The Nanking Massacre, The Chinese Holocaust and The Forgotten Holocaust. Kamikaze attacks, which are suicidal missions, were also common. People would get into planes and fly them straight into enemy ships, knowing that they were going to die. People would also jump off cliffs instead of being captured by American soldiers so that they could die with honor to their country instead of being taken away in shame.
1. The majority of Americans had wished to remain isolationist after WW1 and saw WW2 as a European issue, however on December 7th, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise bombing raid at the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. Over 2,300 Americans died and many battleships were damaged or sunk. This event lead to congress declaring war on Japan on December 8th 1941. The attack came as a result of deteriorating relations between Japan and the United States. As Japan, continuing their expansion, moved south to occupy French Indochina, the United States provided assistance to the Chinese Nationalists and placed an embargo on the sale of oil and scrap iron to Japan. This made Japan even more focused on securing oil reserves in the Netherlands’ East Indies. Now Hawaii and the Philippines were the only threat to Japan’s pacific rule, making them targets for attack.
ReplyDelete2. Totalitarianism, defined as “Of or pertaining to a system of government which tolerates only one political party, to which all other institutions are subordinated, and which demands the complete subservience of the individual to the State.” by the Oxford English Dictionary could be considered the government of Japan. After Japan’s Prime Minister Yuko Hamaguchi was shot in 1930 militarists took control of the Japanese government using the emperor as a puppet. Obeying the “emperor’s” wishes was mandatory, and no opposition or other political parties were tolerated. Although it may not have had as strict of censorship or as brutal punishments as Stalinist Russia, it meets the requirements of totalitarianism fully.
3. The leaders of Japan said that the distribution of natural resources in the world was unfair and by taking areas of China they could reach a fair balance and bring land and goods to their nation. Starting in September 1931 Japan began their attacks on Manchuria that was rich in raw materials and very sparsely populated. They continued to extend their influence to all of China and throughout East Asia and the western Pacific looking for space and resources for their growing population.
4. During their Asian expansion the Japanese were found guilty of many war crimes. This picture is typical in that it shows Japan’s brutality, which can be seen in many events, most notably the Rape of Nanking where soldiers tortured, beheaded, raped, looted, imprisoned and killed thousands. During the Nanking War Crimes Tribunal those found guilty were executed. However, many feel that the events of the Rape of Nanking may have been exaggerated or invented to seem worse than events of normal wars.
1. The entered the war in late 1941 because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Japan had started to invade French Indochina in an effort to stop all trade to China, which they were also in the process of invading. Due to the cut-off, the United State’s military supplies was not able to reach China, prompting the United States to implement oil trade embargos. These trade embargos forced Japan to plan to attack the Dutch East Indies for more oil, which meant that the American owned Philippines were a target. Japan knew that invading the Philippines would drag the United States into the conflict, which would ensure a battle. So, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor to rid of the American forces that would stop the Japanese from taking the Philippines.
ReplyDelete2. The military was totalitarian because at the heart of every decision, was just one person. Tojo, the military leader and so called Prime Minister. As the prime minister, he also acted as the Home Minister, Foreign Minister, Education Minster, and Minister of Commerce and Industry. He was head of all major departments, making all major decisions including the bombing as Pearl Harbor. He was not however the public figurehead of Japan as they had an emperor. The emperor essentially acted as a nationalistic symbol of Japan’s roots.
3. Japan wanted to conquer all of Asia for a few reasons. Firstly, the invasion of Manchuria was to gain rich minerals. Manchuria had a history of cultural conflict as it was under a number of outside powers, and Japan wanted to decisively show that their culture was the best. In terms of other areas such as the former European colonies in the Asian Pacific, the Japanese wanted both their resources and the fact that it showed that they had conquered the Europeans. The main reason behind the conquests was nationalism.
4. This photo does not exaggerate the brutality of the Japanese conquests. As shown in the Rape of Nanjing, the Japanese were brutal and intense. They would rape, kill, and torture innocent civilians. The Rape of Nanjing killed hundreds of thousands. The Japanese did not target troops or men, they targeted the whole population. The Japanese had hatred for everyone who was not Japanese.
1. World War 2 began in 1939, but the United States did not enter until 1941 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Only after the attack on Pearl Harbor did the United States decide to engage in World War 2 militarily; however, what caused the Japanese to attack pearl harbor? Some reasons that may have caused this was that the U.S. was supplying the alliance before they entered the war with weapons and technology. The U.S. also put an embargo of oil on Japan in order to try and get them to stop there totalitarian ways. Lastly, the Japanese saw the U.S naval fleet as a threat and wanted to eliminate it before the U.S. joined the war.
ReplyDelete2. In the 1930’s, the whole world suffered through the great depression after the U.S. stock market crashed. In Japan, the people blamed the new parliamentary system in the government for the problem. The people started to view the military as heroic and soon the military took over the parliamentary system in order to enforce old traditions. Japan before the great depression had been doing well, so the old monarchy style of rule was viewed as an improvement. The military placed emperor Hirohito as the new leader of Japan; however, the military general, Hideki Tojo, was thought to have manipulated the emperor as a puppet emperor. I believe this style of government should be considered a totalitarian rule because the government and people are ruled by a puppet emperor who is being controlled by the military and their ideal ways.
3. Japan wanted to accomplish many things through their Asian wars. Japan wanted to increase its territory because it wanted to support a large growth of people with new land and raw materials. Japan also wanted to expand and conquer other nations so it could have a larger military force and have more power than any other country in the world at the time.
4. I believe this photo portrays the Japanese conquest of Asia well because we know from history that all kinds of wars leave excessive destruction and unbearable sadness to anyone who is affected by them, so why should this one be different? This photograph emits a sense of sadness and the viewer can not help but sympathize for the poor baby who had to experience the brutality of war and the pain it brings upon those who witness it.
Discussing the Illustration
ReplyDelete1. The U.S. started fighting in WWII in 1941 because Japan attacked in Pearl Harbor. This attack affected the U.S. a lot and was very important. Theodore Roosevelt said that the day Pearl Harbor was attacked was “a day that will live in infamy”. The U.S. wanted Japan to stop fighting, so they placed an oil embargo on Japan. This put the economy of Japan at risk and angered them. The Japanese to attacked Pearl Harbor, the U.S.’s main naval base, and the U.S. began fighting in WWII against Japan.
2. In the 1930s, Japan was ruled by a dictatorship of the military leaders that worked under Emperor Hirohito. The dictators were nationalistic and wanted to expand Japan. Their methods had some aspects of totalitarianism to them, such as suppression of trade unions and censoring the media. Although these leaders were not ruling in a complete totalitarian way, for example, there was more than one leader, they still commanded with some totalitarian ideas.
3. The Japanese hoped to expand their country and obtain more territory during the Asian wars. This would allow them to get more resources and to strengthen the government. The resources would help with their quick industrialization and they would also be able to make better weapons for war.
4. This photograph is not exaggerating the events that happened between Japan and China. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese people were brutally murdered by Japan in Nanking and Shanghai. This is the aftermath of the chaotic and savage attacks that happened. There are ruins and fear from the baby, which shows how people were feeling and the results from the tragedy.
http://www.history.co.uk/explore-history/ww2/pearl-harbor.html
http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch18.htm
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ReplyDelete1. There’re several reasons that brought American into the war, but the most important and direct reason is the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Before the Attack of Pearl Harbor, the relationship between Japan and America got worse because Japan joined the axis power and conquered French Indochina. Americans’ response to this action is that they gave Japanese trade sanction which made Japanese government nervous about American army, especially Pacific Fleet. In order to gain advantage, the Japanese attacked America preemptively by surprise attacked Pearl Harbor which bombed up 14 American Naval warships and 188 planes. The American Navy lost over two thousand soldiers as well. American was not able to counter fight immediately when the raid came, thus they did not make big damage to the Japanese army. The whole America was shocked and they decided not to stay neutral anymore. Few days after the Attack of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt declared war to Japan.
ReplyDelete2.The military rule in Japan during that time is basically totalitarian. Although many people think that the military government is the actual ruler of the country and the Mikado is just the symbol of the nation, Emperor Hirohito is still the real leader of the nation, just like his alliances, Hitler and Mussolini. In some point of views, the Emperor Hirohito even had more power than Hitler in the nation, because due to the bushido during that time, every soldier would be honored if they died for their great Mikado. When Hirohito’s grandfather died, who was also the emperor, his teacher suicided for the emperor with his wife when Hirohito was still very young, we can tell how high the emperor is in Japaneses’ heart during that time. People are told that the Mikado is not human, he is god and has superior power.
3.They want natural sources in Asia including oil, coal, steel, labor force and everything they don’t have a lot in their main land... This is because Japan is a small island that they don’t have the ability to produce many weapons and machines for their ambition to be one of the most powerful country in the world. However even though they did very well on invading the most part of Asia at first, the Japanese army were stuck in China because of China’s big population and rich natural resources. Japan had to keep a huge troop in China, however what they gained from the colonies are comparably little.
4.As a Chinese, I strongly believe this photo is typical. I also have the right to say that what the Japanese have done are inhuman. I’ve seen the pit they dug to bury hundreds of thousands Chinese alive; I’ve seen the newspaper published the news about the killing Chinese peasant competition between two Japanese military officials; I’ve seen the crater on my ancestor’s house wall; I can still remember the 300,000 innocent souls crying in heaven... This history should never be forgotten.
1. Pearl Harbor was an event that brutally woke up the sleeping giant and brought it into the War. The reason why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor is because the U.S had placed embargos on trading steel, aviation fuel and scrap iron to Japan. This angered the Japanese military very much as they needed the materials to supply themselves to invade Asia. This is why on December 4, 1941 they attacked Pearl Harbor. On the day of Pearl Harbor attack around 3,500 Americans were killed. Out of the ninety two ships that were docked forty nine ships were destroyed and the rest were damaged. The devastation of this attack was a great wake up call for Americans and four days later on December 8, 1941 the U.S declared war on Japan.
ReplyDelete2. The military was in full control of the whole government. One can say that it was a totalitarian state as the one emperor that was leading the military, became the person who had all the power. Like Hitler and Stalin the emperor put great importance in the military and wanted Japan to become a great empire.
3. Like France and England, Japan wanted to have its own colonies. It knew to that to become a world power it would need more natural resources to fuel its economy and more land to feed its people . In addition the emperor saw that in the future if the emperor did not expand, the country would depend on other countries in Asia to supply it with food and natural resources. This is why Japan first attacked the north eastern part of China as they wanted to dig up minerals like coal that would help continue to power through the rapid industrial revolution.
4. Yes the photo of the little child all alone surrounded by rubble was a common scene in many cities in the mid to late 1930s. When Japan attacked China they left no mercy and bombed cities day and night. In addition the Chinese were tortured, raped and brutally killed by Japanese. As bad as this image may look in Shanghai the worst was the rape of Nanking where 300,000 Chinese were killed. Young children, parents and old men and woman were all victims in the horrible massacres that happened in many Chinese Cities.
Colton Bancroft
ReplyDeleteIllustration questions
1. The reason that the United States joined WWII was not due to fighting in Europe but due to Japan’s attack on pearl Harbor December 7th, 1941. Like WWI the U.S attempted to stay neutral, however after the attack they were basically forced to enter they war. So why did the Japanese attack? In 1940, the U.S had prohibited exports of steel, scrap iron, and aviation fuel to Japan because of Japan’s successful invasion of northern French Indochina. To further add problems, in June of 194 the U.S, Britain, and the Netherlands froze Japanese assets preventing the purchase of oil. It is arguable, however it seems that the reason the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor was in retaliation to the embargo and to get a head start on the U.S before they joined the war. The reason I say “head start” is because the Japanese assumed that the U.S was going to join the war anyway, with the United States pacific fleet being a severe threat, this attack would attempt to weaken the fleet.
2. During the 1930’s in Japan, the Japanese had the belief that militarism should be their main political and social focus of the nation. They thought that the strength of the military was equal to the strength of the nation. Army and civilian extremists looked to Japan’s samurai military traditions. These men began to form groups and by the 1930’s were even assassinating politicians, businessmen and even armed service leaders to prove their point. By 1931 militarist had completely dominated the imperial government. For citizens during this time, it was a decade of fear. In addition press was censored to keep the Japanese public from hearing about attempted assassinations or other radical events that took place involving militarism extremists. For these reasons I think that this could be considered a totalitarian rule. The citizens were in fear due to violence and in addition they were being censored so that they would believe what the extremists wanted them to believe. This seems totalitarian to me.
3. With the Asian wars, Japan aimed to conquer land and gain resources, which they lacked. With their depression in 1926, it was especially crucial that they gained these resources. In addition more land and resources would fuel the government and help with developing industries.
4. This photo is no exaggeration. The war was truly brutal. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed and tens of thousands of women were raped. Children were abandoned and killed in these horrible battles. There were mass executions, looting, and many burned to death from horrific napalms.
Sources:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_did_the_US_enter_World_War_2
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1661.html
http://www.pearlharbor.org/history-of-pearl-harbor.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_militarism
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2129.html
http://www.pacificwar.org.au/historicalbackground/JapMilaggro.html
http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=2767#450
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1900_power.htm
http://www.cnd.org/mirror/nanjing/NMNJ.html
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ReplyDeleteKayla Causey
Delete15 April 2013
Japanese Illustration Questions:
1. The U.S entered World War II after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, the location of one of their strongest naval bases. The next day, America disclaimed their isolation policy and declared war on Japan. The attack transpired due to the strict embargo the United States had placed on Japan and its restriction on their plans to expand into Asia. Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack that the Japanese launched instead of reforming to the U.S’s demands.
2.The 1930’s in Japan were turbulent and laden with political affairs. The decade included assassination and injury of two prime ministers, the killing of two prominent political figures, the planning of two failing military coups, and the ending of a government headed by party politicians. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after they were blamed for the events that went down at Manchuria. In 1937, trade unions were suppressed and replaced by an Industrial Association for Service to the Country. Indoctrination and censoring of the media and education were further extended. Navy and army officers held most of the high up positions including the position of prime minister. Japan could be considered a totalitarian government because of its censorship, secret service that kept tabs on enemies and rebellious citizens, and the extreme loyalty of politicians in the high-ranking positions in the government.
3. Japan’s leaders aimed to take over China, and ultimately all of Asia in order to strengthen the empire’s name and obtain natural resources.
4. Based on knowledge, the picture of the Japanese child is typical. Hunger was a major issue in Japan and it wasn’t surprising to see children left alone on the street. It also represents the ruins and destruction left behind and the atrocities experienced during the “Rape of Nanjing” where women and children were often tortured and raped leaving no one unaffected.
http://www.historytoday.com/richard-sims/japanese-fascism
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2129.html
http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwarii/a/Attack-PearlHarbor.htm
1) Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War I, which was an attack by Japan to neutralize the US fleet which was launched to prevent Japan from reaching Malaya and the Dutch East Indies in an attempt to get oil and other natural resources.
ReplyDelete2) The Japanese army seized control in the 1930’s and withdrew them from the League of Nations. Trade unions were suppressed and political parties were removed so it did become totalitarianism, which is where one political party is in complete control with no one opposing them. In that time period, they also started a war with China.
3) Japan was at war in Asia because Japan’s leaders at the time probably wanted Japan to be self-sufficient so their conquest was for resources and goods so they could live without needing supplies from the rest of the world.
4) The Japanese carried out brutal warfare in their conquest of Asia and the photo of the baby is not an exaggeration of this. To start off with, Japan didn’t sign the Geneva Convention in 1929 that says what you can and can’t do in war. They participated in mass killings that involved them killing about 3,000,000 people. They experimented on humans and forced women into sexual slavery. Knowing this, it would be no surprise to me that they wouldn’t think twice about a small child in their march through Shanghai.
Sources:
http://www.historytoday.com/richard-sims/japanese-fascism
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq66-1.htm
http://www.archives.gov/iwg/japanese-war-crimes/introductory-essays.pdf
Ben Gottesman
ReplyDelete1. U.S. involvement in World War 2 is due to many factors but mainly the bombing of the U.S. naval base in Hawaii. The U.S. was strongly against Japanese conquest in Asia and sanctioned oil imports and exports to try and force the Japanese to stop. This did not work out well for the United States, Japan not only continued t invasion of neighboring Asian countries, but now also held animosity towards the United States. Japan saw the U.S. as a threat and decided to bomb a major naval base with a huge fleet in Pearl Harbor. The attack on U.S. soil was enough alone to bring the United States into the war but the will to stop Japanese conquest powered the U.S. further to want to enter and quickly end World War 2.
2. When the military took over power in Japan, the emperor became a dictator who ruled over the country with a seemingly iron fist. But, Japan was not controlled by a totalitarian. The military power brought about honor, nationalism, and traditions into the countries culture but they did not control every aspect of the citizens everyday life. The emperor was truly just a figurehead and did not hold the same god-like deity view from his people as did rulers like Stalin, Mussolini, or Hitler, but he still maintained power and extreme loyalty from his people.
3. The goal of the Asian wars for Japan was to help expand borders and spread their fascist regime. They were grounded in ideas of immense nationalism and they believed that they needed to expand their borders to achieve the glory they deserved. They also wanted to spread their ideas and culture to neighboring countries and thought by doing so with force they were doing the world a favor. Some blame can also be put into greed, the Japanese wanted more resources and more importantly, power.
4. Based on the stories I have heard, the picture of the baby is not just usual, but just at the surface of how atrocious the Japanese invasions were. You can tell just by the names of some of the events like the “Rape of Nanjing”. They used brutal tactics to impose their ideas and take the land they thought they deserved. The military government based it’s beliefs heavily in traditional ways that turned invasions into killing spree competitions and forced the soldiers to have a “take no prisoners” attitude.
1) The United States joined the war not because of the turmoil in Europe, but because of Japanese aggression. Japanese Bombers flew over a military base in Hawaii named Pearl Harbor. They bombed and destroyed the base and killed many soldiers and civilians. This caused an outrage in the US. Only through tangled alliances, the US was drawn into the war in Europe since Japan was allied with Germany.
ReplyDelete2) Military dictatorship in Japan could be considered totalitarian and it could also not be. It had many aspects of a totalitarian state and yet it still didn’t completely force totalitarian ideals. Japan’s government had complete control of many private enterprises such as agriculture and manufacturing. It also had very strong social ideals the Japanese people were expected to adhere to. The Japanese people however, did not always follow the social ideals set and the Japanese government did not strictly force them with a secret police. Since the Japanese government did not force these ideals in the social realm, it could be said that Japan was not a totalitarian state. On the other hand, it was expected that a man behave in a certain way, and certainly everyone in the capitol observed those social norms, regardless of a secret police. In essence it could be argued either way.
3) The Japanese leaders hoped that they would conquer all of Asia through these wars. The purpose of conquering all of Asia was specifically for the land and resources.
4) This photo described the brutality in some areas, such as the rape of Nanjing. Not all of the Japanese soldiers were extremely brutal. These brutal events are hard to forget though, so it makes sense to show the pain and suffering in some areas to represent the wars in Asia as a whole.
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ReplyDeleteTai Eubank
ReplyDeleteHistory Illustration 2
1. World War II in Europe began in 1939. But the United States did not enter the war until late in 1941. When it did, it was not due to the fighting in Europe. Can you explain what bought the U.S into World War II? The United States seemed to have the unofficial pledge of isolationism until it was challenged during World War II. What enraged the United States and caused it to go into World War II was the bombing of Pearl Harbor from Japanese “Zero” planes. The base was on low alert as there was little expectation of direct attack.
2. In the 1930s, military rule had turned Japan into a dictatorship. What do you think you know about military rule in Japan in the 1930s? Do you think it could be called totalitarian? Why or Why Not? I think that while it was an extreme totalitarian government, it was slightly different than other totalitarian countries because there were multiple rulers. However, most of the symbolic power went to the Japanese Emperor who the people regarded with God status. There was a lot of nationalism and strong factory production that allowed them to have advanced military weapons/vehicles. The people had unified thinking and a ton of nationalism with traditional pride rooting back to ancient times. Nationalism played a key role in the ferocity of Japanese fighting in World War II.
3. For 10 years before Pearl Harbor, Japan was at war with Asia. From the map and your knowledge of this era, can you explain what Japan’s leaders hoped to accomplish in their Asian wars, and why? A lot of Japan’s wars with Asian countries root back to ancient times when it was commonplace. From taking colonies in ancient times in Korea to attacking China in modern times, it was only pattern for Japan to remain imperialistic. Japan hoped to conquer more territory and expand their resources.
4. Based on what you know, do you think this photo is typical? Or does it exaggerate the brutality of Japan’s wars of conquest? Explain your answer. This was is definitely not an exaggeration. Bombings completely devastated towns and left them in ruins. The horrific atrocities done by the Japanese to the Chinese could be clearly marked in not only the bombing of Shanghai (and many other attacks), but also the “Rape of Nanjing”. During the “Rape of Nanjing”, an estimated 1,000 Chinese people were killed from Japanese attacks. From shootings to bombings to beheadings with Sumarai swords, the Japanese army was incredibly cruel to the Chinese which at the time if WWII had an extremely weak army.
Therefore, having a baby left alone in the bombed out city was for sure real.
1. The United States attempted to stay neutral for as long as possible, similar to the situation in World War I. However, the main reason for the US entrance into the war was not the fighting in Europe, but instead was the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7th, 1941. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor because the US helped Chinese Nationalists by placing a trade embargo on the Japanese once they had conquered French Indochina. The Japanese thought that the attack in Hawaii would prevent the US from fighting in the war because it would cripple the navy size. However, this was the complete opposite, as the US declared war the next day, on December 8th, 1941.
ReplyDelete2. Although Hirohito was Japan’s emperor during the 1930s, he really did not have any control of the government, and instead was just a figurehead. Alternatively, Hideki Tojo, or the Prime Minister of Japan during World War II, was actually the one who held all the power in this government. Although only a few people ruled Japan during the 1930s (but mostly Tojo), I think it is a bit of an overstatement to say that the government was totalitarian because Tojo did not run the government all by himself, like in Nazi Germany. Even though Tojo made all of the decisions, he still needed to receive Hirohito’s consent.
3. The main reason for Japan’s conquest of Asia was for economic security and control of the trade in Asia. Japan aimed to be like one of the great powers by having special economic rights, and to revive their economy by using different trade tactics. They invaded different parts of Asia, such as the Dutch Indonesia and the British Malaya for oil and rubber, some very important raw materials that were not available in Japan’s sphere of influence.
4. This photo is most likely typical because it clearly illustrates how brutal the Japanese attacks were, especially in cases like the Rape of Nanjing, which was a six-week period where many Chinese were raped and/or killed. This photo is supposed to illustrate the devastation that occurred after these sorts of attacks, and I think it does this very well.
1. The reason for the US's involvement in World War II is oddly similar to World War I. For some reason, it seems as if acts of violence that have to do with boats and sinking sets off the US. In my opinion, the US is selfish when it comes to war. They only enter if someone hurts them. They obviously didn't care enough to help fight off the Holocaust earlier on. It was not until December 7th, 1941 that the US would seek any side in the conflict. On that day, Japanese planes were purposely crashed into Pearl Harbor, an important US naval base in Hawaii. The Japanese wanted to scare away the US, but instead the US instantly declared war!
ReplyDelete2. In the 1930's, Japan was somewhat totalitarian. Japan was ruled by a dictator, Hirohito. Like Stalin, Hirohito was worshiped like a God. The difference was that he was not the only one making the decisions. People were expected to live a certain way, and the government had control over things like agriculture. However, government wasn't as strict as it was in Russia. Japan didn't have a secret police and the people weren't observed so closely.
3. The Japanese fought the rest of Asia simply for territory. By conquering Asia, the Japanese would be powerful, richer, and own more resources from other parts of the world to trade.
4. The photo is definitely not an exaggeration. The Japanese were known for their brutal and merciless attacks such as the Rape of Nanjing and the attack of Pearl Harbor. It was the fact that they were so nationalistic that allowed them to be so vicious. The picture shows the truth 100%.