Japan and World War II The rise and fall of Imperial Japan日本和二戰(zhàn)日本帝國的興衰(-96)

TheriseandfallofImperialJapan.(byKA)ThePacificOcean.Thebackground.WesterncountriesmerelywishedtoexploitAsiaandshowedmuchprejudiceagainstherpeoples.The19thcenturyWesterncarvingupofChinahadbeenawarningtoJapan.JapanrealisedthattoretainherindependenceandnationalcharactershehadtoadoptsomeWesternideas,andquickly.InparticularJapancopiedWesternmilitaryideas,forexamplehernavystartedbuildinga‘dreadnaught’battleshipin1905-ayearbeforeHMSDreadnaughtwasstartedinBritain.Japan’smodernmilitarythensetaboutfindingwaystopromoteJapaneseinterestsabroad.Chinawasdefeatedinbattlein1894-5andJapangotinfluenceonthemainlandandTaiwan.ThiswastheFirstSino-JapaneseWar.(Sino=Chinese)AJapaneseprintoftheSino-Japanesewarof1895.TheJapaneseareinwhite.HowaretheChinesesoldiersportrayedhere?OneWesternpower,Russia,daredtochallengethisnewJapan.TheysentafleetofpowerfulshipstoestablishorderintheEast.TheRussianfleetwasdecisivelysmashedatTsushima1905.ThisgaveJapancontrolofManchuriaandknockedoutRussianinfluenceintheEast.ImperialRussia-

somearmyofficers.BattleofTsushima1905OftheRussianfleetof11battleshipsand8cruisers,plusotherships,only2destroyersandayachtmadeittosafety!!TheJapaneselost4smallgunboats.That’sa‘slam-dunk’foryou!TheJapaneseEmpire.Japanhadaseverelackofnaturalresources.NearbyManchuriahadplentyofcoal,plusindustriesandports.ChinahadalreadybeencarvedupbytheWesternpowers.Whyshouldn’tJapandothesame?1910JapanmovedintoKorea.TheJapanesearmyconquerGermanTsingtao1914JapanastutelyjoinedBritainandFranceforWW1andtookoverGermanChinesepossessionsassoonasshecould.In1915JapanpresentedChinawiththe21Demands,takingevenmorepowerfromChina,andindirectlydeprivingChinaofherbestleaderYuanShikai.AfterWW1JapanwasnotaskedtoreturnanyChineseland,despiteChinasupportingtheBritishandFrenchinthewar.ThiscausedtheMay4riotsinChina1919.ThelocalChinesewarlord.ZhangZuolinwastheChinesewarlordofManchuria1928.HebegantoshowsympathyforChiangKaishekandthenewChinaTheJapanesearmyplantedabombinhisprivatetrainandkilledhim.TheManchurianIncident1931TheGreatDepressionintheUSAwasdevastatingtoJapan.Manypeoplewereinpoverty,andhalfthefactorieshadclosed.TheJapanesearmysawconquestasawayoutofthis.ThearmywasalsoafraidofChiangKaishek’smovestounifyChina.TheythoughthewouldtakeManchuriafromthem.ClaimingChinesesabotageofarailway,theJapanesearmyoccupiedManchuria.TheyrenameditManchukuoandputthedeposedChineseEmperorPuYiupasafigurehead.Thiswastherun-uptotheSino-Japanesewar1937-45JapanesetanksoftheKwantungArmyinManchuriaAJapanesepropagandaposterNoticetheflags-Japan,ManchukuoandChina.Whatisthepurposeofthisposter?ThedeposedChineseEmperorPuYiwasnowseizeduponbytheJapaneseasthenewpuppetrulerofManchukuo.Manchukuomeanslandofthe‘Manchu’.WhatmorefittingthanaManchuleader?ExplainwhytheJapanesewouldwanttodothis.TimemagazinewithPuYi.Whopublishedthismagazine?Why?TheEmperorHirohito1926-1989TheEmperorShowaofJapan.Hehadcompletecontrolover,andcommandedcompleteloyaltyfromhissubjects.ItwashisresponsibilityforstartingandendingthewarsagainstChina,USA,Britainetc.Hewasprotectedfromprosecutionin1945bytheUSwhoneededhimtokeepJapanfromcollapsing.GeneralHidekiTojoPrimeMinisterofJapanandprimarymilitaryleader.RosetopowerintheManchukuo‘Kwantung’armyNicknamedthe‘razor’Keenonultranationalisticsecretsocieties.Responsiblefor8mciviliandeaths,countlessdeathsandexperimentsonprisonersofwar.CommemoratedattheYasukuniShrine.Apologizedformilitaryatrocitiesonhisdeath.Executedforwarcrimes1948GradualJapaneseadvances.TheJapanesearmygraduallycreptSouthward,throughChina,fightingalltheway.Japanesesoldiers‘conquer’theGreatWall19331937theJapanesearmyclashedwiththeChineseatthegatesofBeijing(theMarcoPoloBridge).Thisphotoisjustafterthefightinghadfinished,leavingtheJapaneseincontrol.JapaneseoccupationofChina.By1938Therewere1millionJapanesetroopsinChina.By19412milliontroops-butthiswasstillnotenough.Japancouldoccupyonlykeyareasandcities.OutoffeartheyadoptedThe‘ThreeAllCampaign’(‘Killall,burnall,destroyall’)Shesimplydidn’thaveenoughsoldiershowever.By19454millionChinesepeoplehaddiedand60millionhadbeendisplaced.ManyChinesecitieslayinruins.AbabycaughtupinthebombingofaShanghairailwaystationAJapanesetankinthestreetsofShanghai.Chinesesoldiers1939JapanesetroopsatNankingTheJapanesearmyrapidlyadvancedthroughChina,Indo-China,Malaya,andIndonesia.- SomeAsianpeoplewelcomethemasliberatorsfromwesternImperialists-Soontheyweregenerallyfearedasnewimperialists,notasAsianliberatorsTheytreatednon-Japanesepeopleswithruthlessness,crueltyandseverity.Greatcruelty.ImperialJapaneseexpansionupto1941(inbrown)Japanesethingsthatwerepotentialwarwinners.The‘zero’fighterplane.Muchfasterandmoremaneuverablethananyotherfighteratthetime.Thetwobiggestbattleshipsever!Theaircraftcarrier.Onlyafewpeoplerealizedthatoldbattleshipswerefinallymadeobsoletebytheaeroplane.Pacificnavalwarsweretobedecidedbyplanesfromships,notbybigguns.Thebicycle!NBThisisanactualJapanesearmybike.Thearmycouldmoveveryquicklythroughtheregionwhetherornotroadswere‘goodSoldiers.Soldiers,highlyskilledinattack,defence,andjunglewarfare.HighlymotivatedtodefendtheirEmperorandtheirlandtothedeath.ByNovember1941theJapanesewerepoisedtoevenstrikeAustralia!CampaignstoattackBurmaandMidwayIslandweretobeapreludetothis.ThebombingofDarwinwasaprecursorofinvasion..

TheBritishgovernment-alarmedattherapidJapaneseadvance-decidedtosendsomebigwarshipstoshowstrength.Theyignoredtheadviceofthenavythatalreadyknewthataeroplanescouldnowsinkshipseasily.Bothshipsweresunkbyover100Japaneseplanes.ItwasamajorblowtoBritain.Anotherpointertothenewnatureofnavalwarfare.ThePrinceofWales,andtheRepulse-bothsunkDec1941.TheJapanesecaptureHongKong.PearlHarbour(Hawaii)ThemajorfleetbaseoftheUSnavyinthePacific.ItwashometoallthemajorUSwarshipsinthePacific.DestructionoftheseshipswouldtakeoutalltheresistancetoJapaneseexpansiontotheEastandSouth.7thDecember1941-the‘dayofinfamy’.TheJapaneselaunchasurpriseattack.TheJapanesehadbeenshownhowtoattackaharbourwithplanesbytheBritishattackontheItalianfleetinTaranto11.11.1940.TheUSnavyhadchosentoregardthefeatasa‘fluke’.USwarshipssinkingatanchor.Japanesecarrierplanesreadytotakeoff.TheUSfleetliesdestroyed.UnfortunatelytheJapanesedestroyedbattleships,butnoUSaircraftcarriers.Theyalsofailedtoeitherdestroyorcapturetheharbour.TheUSSEnterpriseOnlyluckkeptthisshipoutofPearlHarbouronthe7th.Shearrivedthefollowingday.ShewastoleadtheUSNavybackintothefightinthePacific.GeneralPercivalcomesouttosurrendertotheJapanese.ItwasBritain’sgreatestevermilitarydefeat.Burma-1942-3Heavyfighting.TheJapanesepushedoutBritishforcesbysuperiorjunglefightingtechniques.TheBritishrelianceonmotorvehicleswasexploitedasaweaknessbysimpletree-felledroadblocks.TheJapanesepreparedtoattackIndiaTheBritishcounterattackedinArakanbutwereagainbeatenTheinfamousBurmarailway.ThisiswheretheJapaneseputcivilianandmilitaryprisonerstoworkintherainforest.Hugenumbersdied.Burma1944-5TheBritishadoptednewtechniques.Insteadoftryingtoholdterritorygenerallytheymadesureofholdingwell-defended‘boxes’ofstrategicallyimportantland.TheJapanesefoundthemselvesunabletodefeattheirenemyandunabletoutilisethelandtotheiradvantage.Theyalsonowfoundthemselvesdependentonhugelylong,andveryvulnerable,supplyroutes.Battleofthe‘AdminBox’wasaBritishvictoryin1944.TheJapanesearmyhad,atlast,toretreat.TheBurmaroad-alifelinetoChinaBuiltathugeeffortthisroadwasalinkbetweenthealliesinBurmaandChina.VastamountsofsuppliesweretruckedoverthemountainstohelpthefightagainsttheJapanese.TheRapeofNanking

Dec1942-Feb1943.TheJapanesearmywereallowedtorunriot.Upto300,000civilianChinesedeaths1,000rapesadayHospitalpatientstortured.Soldiersbayonettedandshotpeopleatwill.FiveChineseciviliansbeingburiedalive.Japanesesoldiersuseprisonersforbayonetpractice.UptoMay1942theJapaneseareunstoppable.TheypossessterritoryfromtheborderofIndiatotheSovietUnion,andfromtheAleutianIslandstonearlyAustralia.

Theyhavenotdefeatedtheirenemies’forceshowever.TheBritishArmyisretraininginjunglewarfare.

TheUSAandBritainjoinforces.

TheUSnavyisquicktorealizetheimportanceofcarriersandsetsup‘navaltaskforces’.

TheUSmarinestraintofightinjunglesandattackislands.

MassiveAmericanindustrialresourcesarebroughtagainstJapan.Modernbusinesstechniquesproducehugeamountsofwarships,guns,planesandeverythingelse.ModerndesigntechnologymeansthatJapaneseknow-howwasrapidlyoutstripped.BothBritainandtheUSsendwarmaterialtohelpChiangKaishekfighttheJapaneseinChina.USaidtoChinaincludedtheseCurtisfighterplanes,the‘FlyingTigers’TheyactuallyhadsharkmouthspaintedonbecauseitwasthoughttheJapanesewereafraidofsharks!FantasticindustrialoutputallowstheUStopournewshipsintothePacific.MidwayIsland.May1942USaircraftcarriersoutclasstheJapanesecarriersandcatchthemoffguard.TheJapanesenavyloses4ofitpreciousaircraftcarriersinthisonebattle.Japancannotreplacethelossquickly-unliketheUS.Itistheturningpointofthewar.AJapanesecarrieronfireandsinking.TheJapaneseShinano.-tomakeupforlosses,theJapanesebuilttheworld’slargestaircraftcarrier.Duetobombingithadtoputtoseawhilststillunfinished,andwithworkersonboardstillbuildingit!-itwassunkbyaUSsubmarineshortlyafterwards,stillincomplete.MightyJapanesebattleshipsarepoundedtopiecesbyUScarrierplanes.Theyareobsolete.TheUSSIOWA.BattleshipsfoundanewroleinbombardingJapaneseheldislanddefences.Tarawaatoll.DespitebattleshipstheJapaneseweremastersofdefence.USmarinecasualtieswerehorrendousateveryislandattacked.Japanesedefendersinevitablyfoughttothedeath.IwoJimaTheislandwherethefilm‘flagsofourfathers’wasset.HorrendouscasualtiesonbothsidesAUScarriersinks.Carrierbattleswerefierce.JapaneseislandsactedaspermanentaircraftcarriersIfyoucrashedinthePacificyouwereunlikelytobefound/rescued.Kamikaze.Kamikaze-‘DivineWind’.ItbecameobviousthattheUSpossessedmoreandbetterwartechnologyIndesperationJapanorderedheryoungmentobeattheenemybyflyingbombsintotheenemy(anddyingintheprocess)Thesesuicidebombersflewplanes,ormannedsuicidetorpedoes.TheUScarrierSt.Lo,attackedandsunkbyKamikaze.A‘Kaiten’-orsuicidetorpedo.USshipsablazeafterkamikazeattacksAnotherKamikasehitonaUScarrier.AUSsailorcommented‘thefightmightbetoughonland,butyoucan’tdigfoxholesinthesea’!Whatdoyouthinkhemeant?AnotherUSshipinflames.Butreplacementswerealreadyonthereway.USanti-aircraftfirebecamemonstrous.Kamikaseattacksoccurredalldayandallnight.Nerveswereworntoshredsascombatantswereunabletorest.AttackingOkinawaisland.OkinawaIsland-May1945ThisislandiswithinbomberrangeofJapan.IfitfallsJapanwill,atlast,bevulnerable.Kamikaseattacksreachtheirpeak.EventheYamatobattleshipissentonasuicidemission(andissunk)CivilianscaughtupinthefightingAUSsoldierusesaflamethrowerAUStankliesupsidedownafterbeingblownupThe‘Ohka’ThisisanunusedJapanesesuiciderocketbombfoundonOkinawa.TherewerenomoreJapaneseplanestolaunchit.ThefirstAtomicbombtobeusedinwar…‘littleboy’.ThisbombwasshippedfromtheUSamere4hoursafterthe‘Trinity’A-bombtestintheUS.Theactualradioactivematerialinsidewasthesizeofanorange.TheAtomicBombTheUSSIndianapolisDeliveredthefirstatomicbombtotheUSairforceinTinian.July301945sunkbyJapanesesubmarineoffthePhilippinesonthewayhome.Becauseofher‘specialmission’herjourneywas‘secret’.Of1200crew,900survivedthesinkingonlytofindthemselvesatseawithnorescuersevenlookingforthem.Sharkswerequicklyattractedandafter4daysonly300menwereleft,mostlyterrifiedoutoftheirminds.ItwastheworstUSNavydisasterinhistory.TheEnolaGay.TheUSplanechosentodroptheAtomicbombonJapan.Hiroshima-Aug61945Theeffectof‘littleboy’NagasakiAug101945.AtomicBombnumber2.ThishadoncebeenNagasaki.TheSovietUnioninvades1945TheSovietarmy-havingdefeatedGermany,nowcameeasttosharein