Japan’s path to war

With the circumnavigation of the globe by Ferdinand Magellan’s crew, the far east began to open up to trade with Europe. Japan was in a

medieval state which was ruled by a military dictator known as a Shogun. These Shoguns allowed trade and the introduction of the

Christian religions to Japan.

After about a century of trade with Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and England, the Shogun Tokugawa closed Japan to the Europeans. This was due to shady dealings and interference in Japanese politics.

Japan would remain closed or isolated from the West for 250 years.

Although the Japanese had learned some of the technology that the Europeans brought to them in the 1500’s, they remained basically a

medieval society.

In the 1850’s, U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry steamed into Tokyo harbor with 4 warships. The Japanese had no choice but to begin trading with the west

again. They had missed 200 years of technological advancements in industry and armaments.

Japanese leaders quickly realized that if they did not quickly learn from the west, then they would be little more than a colony or minor trading partner. For the next 50 years Japan tirelessly worked on learning about the modern world

and improving their industry.

In addition to building up their military forces, Japan sent its officers abroad to other Western Countries to learn about modern warfare. Admiral Yamamoto who would plan the attack on Pearl Harbor attended Harvard University and was the Japanese Naval

Attaché to the United States.

At the turn of the 20th Century, Japan realized her need for raw materials and turned to the Korean peninsula and Manchuria for them. In 1904 Japan would

fight the Russo-Japanese War and surprise the world by beating the mighty Russian Empire. Japan had arrived on the scene of the world stage.

In World War I the Japanese agreed to join the war effort on the side of the allies by attacking German colonies in the Pacific and South East Asia. Japan’s price for this collaboration was that the allies not interfere with its goals in China

and South East Asia. Into the 1920’s-30’s. While conquering huge areas in China, Japan committed numerous atrocities on civilian populations, such as the Chinese city of Nanking. Estimates put civilian deaths (executions) in Nanking at

between 150,000-300,000.

As Japan expanded, they continued to look for sources of fuel and turned to the islands of the Pacific. Additionally, they continued to purchase petroleum and coal from the United States. In the late 30’s and early 40’s the United States began an oil & steel

embargo to Japan in response to their violent expansion. As a result, Japan decided to alter its fate and course in history. Securing a defensive alliance with the fascist powers

of Italy and Nazi Germany, Japan…

Brought the US into the Second World War by using a surprise attack on the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Within 24 hours,

America’s entrance into the war was official.