the rise of germany and japan

The Rise of Germany and Japan

A Comparison

Tokugawa Shogunate Japan

• For almost 300 years the shogunate ruled Japan

• Its later years were marked by bad harvests and increasing corruption

• Samurai lashed out at the incompetence of the central government

• Japan was very isolationist and only rarely traded with Korea…but this changes in 1853

Commodore Matthew Perry

• Westerns nations began approaching Japan and trying to open it up to trade

• In the summer of 1853, Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay with 4 heavily armed guns ships.

• He asked for the opening of trade• Japanese leaders argued over what to do• Finally, weary of US military power the

Tokugawa Shogunate agreed to open Japan up

Japanese upset

• Many Japanese living far from Tokyo were upset that Japan gave in

• Felt it showed weakness and demanded the resignation of the shogunate and restoration of the emperor to his rightful place

• In 1868, the emperor is restored

Meiji Restoration

• The emperor took the name Meiji which means enlightened rule

• Embarks on a transformation of Japanese society

• Begins to modernize Japan

Political

• Created a legislative body to help rule Japan, modeled on the West

• Power still rested in the hands of the ruling oligarchy

Economic

• Land taken away from Daimyos and given to peasants who had to pay a 3% tax

• When peasants could not pay they sold their land, by end of the century 40% of farmers were tenants

• Needed industry - universal education with emphasis on applied science -provided subsidies to industry -Key industry is weaponry and shipbuildingFunds provided locally and not by Westerners thus keeping

out western money

Social Structure

• 1871, abolition of hereditary rights• Increased military and did away with samuari

soldiers. Also had conscription• Education based on Western models,

especially the US• Western clothing became popular, along with

ball room dancing. Baseball became popular

Militarism

• Where does it get the money?• Through exports of textiles the government

gained revenue to spend on military equipment and heavy industry

• Textile industry was dominated by a women workforce

• Irony, women had few rights yet it was their labor force that allowed Japan to become a military world power.

Japanese Imperialism

• In 1895 they take over Taiwan and forced Korea to open 3 ports to Japanese goods

• 1895, Japan and China joined in a peasant revolt in Korea, on opposite sides. Japan will annex Korea in 1908

• Japan gains Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur. Due to European pressure the Japanese gave it back

• The Russians took Port Arthur in 1898 from China. In 1904, Japan makes a surprise attack on Port Arthur

Russo-Japanese War

• Japanese destroy the navy of Russia• An Asian country defeated a European power• Japan regains Liaodong peninsula and the

southern Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands

Siege of Port Arthur and its bombardment

Retreat of Russian soldiers

Culture in Transition

• European and US teachers flood Japan to teach modern skills

• Western architecture is on the rise in Japan• Japanese art and gardens also influenced

Western artists• Many Japanese still revered the traditional

Japanese ways and values. There was tug-of-war between modernity and tradition

Japan and Germany

• Asian Fascism: feudal and warrior ethic combined with modern capitalism

• Both engaged in repression at home and expansion abroad to achieve national objectives

• Took defeat in war to disconnect the feudal ethic and bring about the transformation to a pluralistic society dedicated to living in peace and cooperation

Germany and Otto Von Bismarck

• Prussia refused to levy taxes for military• Bismarck: “Germany does not look to Prussia’s

liberalism but to her power…Not by speeches and majorities will the great questions of the day be decided-that was the mistake of 1848-1849- but by blood and iron.”

• He governed Prussia by ignoring Parliament• Advocated Realpolitik – “politics of reality”

Otto Von Bismarck

Imperial Germany

• Bicameral legislature• Lower house was known as the Reichstag,

which gave universal male suffrage• Chancellor was responsible to the emperor

not the Parliament• Chance for democracy to grow but it failed

because of army’s independence and Bismarck political tactics

Imperial Germany

• Germany was an authoritarian, conservative, military-bureaucratic state

• Had the strongest military, Britain had the strongest navy

Industrial Powerhouse in Europe

• Strong industry – see notes• Over 50 percent of German workers were in

industry• Over 30 percent of workforce was still in

agriculture• Society was torn between traditionalism and

modernization• There were demands for more democracy with

Germany