19
th Century Japan: End of Tokugawa (We had reading on this, but IDs were back from Imperialism Unit)
Tokugawa Bafuku
Early 1800s – Tokugawa society was in turmoil (decline in agricultural productivity, crop failures, famines, harsh taxation)
1841-1843 – Chief advisor Tadakuni responds with conservative reforms. (cancel debts, abolish several merchant guilds, persuaded peasants to return to the land and cultivate rice)
His hugely unsuccessful reforms drove him out of office.
Commodore Matthew Perry
Tokugawa resisted and rejected all requests, sticking with the policy of excluding all European and American visitors.
Led US navy to Tokyo Bay in 1853, and won diplomatic and commercial relations with Japan.
Britain, Netherlands, and Russia soon followed, and Japan could not do much as they were inferior. (Military, Economy, etc.)
Choshu and Satsuma
Clans in the south of Japan which became centers of discontent and rallied against Tokugawa.
Won in a brief civil war with militia trained by foreign experts and armed with foreign weapons.
Tokugawa’s shogun resigned and the boy-emperor Mutsuhito was restored to the throne in 1868.
Meiji Restoration
Meiji = “enlightened rule”
Restored power to the Emperor, and ended military-style government which had dominated Japan since the 12th century.
Formed a new government with twin goals “rich country, strong army”.
Industrialization in Meiji Japan
Mutsuhito (reigned 1852-1912)
The boy emperor known as Meiji during his rule.
Took power after the resignation of the shogun and reigned in Japan’s most eventful period.
Fukuzawa Yukichi
Began studying English soon after Perry’s arrival. A member of the first mission trip to the US in 1860.
Later travelled Europe and published several popular books about foreign lands. Praised Constitutional Monarchy, and modern educational systems.
Ito Hirobumi
Traveled abroad on four occasions.
Played an important role in drafting a government document for Japan. Drew inspiration from the newly formed German constitution.
Diet
Legislative system composed of a house of nobles and an elected lower house. Limited the legislative powers (Diet), and gave significant power to the executive
branch.
Zaibatsu
The small number of wealthy cliques which had much of the economic power.
Resulted because of the government needing funds, and getting funds by selling most of its enterprises to private investors.
Battleship Island
Mitsubishi coal mine.
Mitsubishi was a Zaibatsu which had close ties with the government. On an island to prevent escapes of severely exploited workers.
Labor intensive industries like this one were needed to bring foreign goods into Japan.
Land Tax of 1873
Japanese peasants had to pay about 40-50% of their crop yields. Provided 90% of government’s revenue.
Rural populations suffered from malnutrition.
Benefits of rapid industrialization
Transformed Japan into a powerful industrial society which played major roles in world affairs.
Imperial Japan
Joi
“Expel the Barbarians”
Japan saw Korea and China being overwhelmed by Western enemies. Grew concerned that Korea would provide a route into Japan for foreigners.
Liaodong Peninsula
Became a colony of Japan briefly in 1895, and permanently in 1905.
In 1895, Russia felt threatened by Japan’s attack on Korea, and with the help of Germany and France, urged Japan to return Liaodong to China in exchange for more cash.
Japanese public showed their discontent to their government with riots.
Admiral Togo
Intercepted the Russian Baltic Fleet which had steamed all the way around Africa to reach the Pacific, and after both sides grew tired of the Russo-Japanese War, decided to make a treaty.
Under Roosevelt’s guidance, Japan gained Korea + Southern Manchuria, but no cash payments.
Japanese public felt mistreated again, and riots broke out.
Kokutai
“Uniquely Japanese”
An effective motivation to sacrifice and be patriotic for their country. The government “planted” this belief into many Japanese.
Amaterasu
The Japanese Goddess of the Sun
Many Japanese believed they had been gifted special warrior spirits that only Japanese possessed.
Some Japanese noticed the corruption and tried to have the inequality corrected, but found it hard to do so without a freedom of speech.
General Nogi
Hero of the war against Russia earlier.
Committed suicide along with his wife after the death of Meiji. Was widely admired for this act by the public.
Marked the end of an eventful era in Japan.
Emperor Taisho (reigned 1912-1926) Weak and unstable character.
Kokuryukai
“Amur River Society”
Civilian organizations expressed nationalist passions through assassinations of those who did not meet the “Japanese” behavior and beliefs. (PM Hamagichi x.1930, PM Inuaki x.1932)
Ultranationalists
NOTE:
The WW2 notes are divided into Origins of WW2 in Italy, Germany, and Japan, then the actual WW2 in Europe and in the Pacific, followed by WW2 in Poland and the Allied viewpoints & Origins of the Cold War.
It is difficult to organize WW2 into clear-cut categories as it is one war that is split into two different parts of the world. Although Europe and Asia are separate here, other ways of organizing may be more effective, depending on the person.
Also, please also take a look at Mr. Norris’ timelines as only main points are included in the sections to follow.
Introduction to WW2
Revisionists
The powers who wished to “revise” the peace settlements that followed the Great War.
Compelled by economic distress, Japan, Italy, and Germany engaged in territorial expansion.
Eventually broke apart the international co-operations of the 1920s and led towards WW2.
Treated lightly by the Allies (see Appeasement) in the beginning, but later declared war on against Axis Powers.
Axis Powers
Germany, Italy, and Japan.
The term came from the name of alignment between Nazi GER and Fascist ITA that had been formed in Oct 1936.
Allied Powers
Everyone else!
Mainly France, UK, USSR, US, Canada, Australia, NZ, and China.
Victor Tolley
Went to Nagasaki and learned that the Japanese were also humans who had suffered the same as the Americans. (“these people did not want to fight us”)
Origins of WW2: Italy
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
A good precursor of WW2. (included brutality, air attacks, etc.)
Italy intervened on General Franco’s side and overthrew the republic government. Annexed Albania in 1939.
Mussolini’s Empire
Consisted of Libya, Ethiopia, and Albania.
Ethiopia was conquered in 1935-6 using excessive force and angering non-revisionists.
Pact of Steel (1939) (back from the dictators unit)
Origins of WW2: Germany
November Crime
Referred by Hitler as the signing of the armistice in 1918 at the end of WW1. Hitler blamed this on Jews, Communists, and liberals of all sort.
Saar Plebiscite (1935)
After being under control of the League of Nations for 15 years, voted on a return to GER.
Many consider this backing of Germany as the first step to war.
Rearmament of the Rhineland (7 Mar 1936) First March Surprise
Hitler placed soldiers in the Rhineland, breaking the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Was a huge risk which would have destroyed Germany if someone decided to take
action.
However, no one took action, and Hitler knew that he could get away with a lot now.
Anschluss (11 Mar 1938) Second March Surprise
Forced “union” with Austria. (Hitler invites the Chancellor of Austria and forces signing)
Hitler justified and said that it was an attempt to unite all Germans into a single homeland.
Hitler’s reputation grew as nobody took action again.
Most Austrians were happy because they were given a sense of nationalism by revisionism.
Annexation of Sudetenland (1938)
Western portion of Czechoslovakia inhibited largely by ethnic Germans.
Although the Czechs were willing to make concessions, Hitler demanded the return of Sudetenland and made it seem as if the “poor” Germans in the area were being abused.
Leaders of France and UK helped Hitler, as neither wanted to go to war just to defend Czech.
Munich Conference & Appeasement (Sept 1938)
European politicians from Italy, France, UK, and Germany met.
Appeased and gave Hitler Sudetenland, but warned that no more will be given. Chamberlain returned to England as a hero for bringing “peace for our time”.
Later, the Allies gave up on the policy of “appeasement” as Hitler continued towards Poland.
Annexation of Czechoslovakia (15 Mar 1939) Third March Surprise
Hitler attacked and took control over much of Czech.
Tiso, a priest, takes over Slovakia, and declares the nation Fascist, inviting Hitler to take control.
Most people in Britain now thought that war would be the only way to stop Hitler.
Treaty of Nonaggression / USSR-Nazi Pact (Aug 1939)
Signed between Hitler and Stalin despite their differences.
Did not really trust each other, but Hitler now did not have to worry of a Russian attack, and Stalin would have time to remilitarize and gain a lot of land from their secret pact.
Origins of WW2: Japan and the Pacific Front
Manshukoku
The name given for NE Chinese land called Manchuria when Japan deemed it independent.
Tokyo had no choice but to accept this new territory which the impatient army pursued.
Manchurian Incident (1931)
International committee including LON reacted against this aggression by Japan. Japanese delegates walked out of LON never to return.
Young Officers’ Coup (26 Feb 1936)
The Army first division’s attack on the heart of the civilian government. Assassinated high officials and held several blocks of the city for 3 days.
The High Command reluctantly had reinforcements round up the young leaders. Ultranationalists lost support, but the army remained deeply involved with politics.
Anti-Communist Alliance (1936)
Signed between Japan and Germany, in an attempt to squeeze the Soviet Union. Axis alliance helped prevent British, American, or USSR forces in East and SE Asia which
Japan claimed as their area of influence.
Marco Polo Bridge (July 1937)
Battle between Chinese and Japanese troops which opened Japan’s undeclared war with China.
Japan eventually went on to take Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing (capital).
Rape of Nanjing (1937)
China became the first to suffer from major aerial attack and experience the brutality of WW2.
The rape of 7000 women, murder of 100,000 unarmed civilians, and the burning of 1/3 of the homes in Nanjing.
400,000 Chinese lost their lives as Japanese soldiers used them for practice targets.
Tripartite Act (Sept 1940)
A 10 year economic and military pact between the 3 Axis powers/revisionists.
Neutrality Pact (1941)
Signed between Japan and USSR to avoid hostilities on their front (especially in Manchuria).
WW2 in Europe (this sections is a general overview and there is a separate section for Poland)
Attack on Poland (1 Sept 1939) (this could be considered as a step to war as well)
Polish speaking Germans sneak into Poland in Polish uniform, and attack Gleiwitz, seizing a radio station and spreading Polish propaganda.
This way, Hitler made sure that it’s Poland who started WW2. (remember GER was blamed for starting WW1)
Sept 1 – Hitler attacks Poland
Later, USSR attacks Poland (Sept 17).
Phony War (3 Sept 1939)
Britain and France declare war on Germany, but then don’t do much…
Panzer
German armored columns/tanks which had unmatched mobility and speed. Along with the air-force, made the German forces strong.
Blitzkrieg
“lightning war”: Used their fast pace and element of surprise to achieve sudden victory.
U-Boats
German submarines which confronted British ships at sea.
In a battle that could have gone either way, UK intelligence cracked Germany’s secret code but failed to pinpoint locations of submarines, and moreover U-boats began travelling in packs.
Winston Churchill & Attack on France
May 10, 1940 – Becomes British Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, Germany attacks France through Belgium. (French forts had been built after WW1, so had to attack through Belgium again)
Dunkirk (May-June 1940)
A port city to which UK retreated right before the fall of France in an attempt to salvage some Allied troops. (suspicion as to if Hitler let them escape…)
Could not hide the bleak defeat of the allies. Britain now stood alone in Europe. France signs an armistice in June 1940.
Fall of France (June 1940)
France signs an armistice.
Charles de Gaulle is noticed as the Free French leader by Britain. (Anti-Nazi Resistance)
German backed Vichy government breaks relations with Britain. (Collaborationists)
Battle of Britain (From July 1940)
Germany planned to win solely on air attacks, but the Royal Air Force survived the attacks, and forced Hitler to give up on his plan to conquer Britain.
Rained bombs on heavily populated areas such as London to try and install fear in the public which would lead to surrender. (Lesson of WW2: This actually leads to a spirit to fight on)
Luftwaffe
German air force which led the attack on Britain.
Lebensraum
Living space for Germans could be created by taking over USSR and expelling Jews/Slavs/etc.
Operation Barbarossa (June 1941)
Code name for the invasion on USSR.
Hitler said the whole “rotten structure” would crash down if Germany “kicked on the door”.
Most powerful invasion force in history including 3.6m soldiers, 3700 tanks, 2500 planes, etc.
Took Stalin by surprise and caught the Red Army off guard.
Aug~Oct: Stalin moves 80% of war manufacturing power to the East.
Dec: Germany seemed assured of victory having reached the gates of Moscow.
Stalingrad (Sept 1942)
USSR survives thanks to a harsh winter (1941).
Germany struck back in the spring, and came upon Stalingrad.
Stalin orders “not one step back” and calls on his troops to fight a patriotic war.
Fall of Fascist Italy (1943)
July 25 – Mussolini is arrested! Marshal Badoglio takes over and begins talks with the Allies.
Sept 12 – Mussolini is rescued by Germany, and re-establishes a Fascist government, but no one listens.
Oct 13 – Italy declares war on Germany!
Normandy Landing (6 June 1944)
Commonly known as “D-Day”. (D in D-Day stands for Day! This was a “code”.) Two front attacks and round-the-clock strategy overwhelm the Germans.
A week later, in desperation, Germany launches a rocket on Britain in a last ditch attempt to terrorize the British.
Battle of the Bulge (Dec 1944)
A last ditch attack by the Germans, which would not have allowed them to win the war, but could’ve changed the outcome of the war for the Allies.
Dresden (Feb 1945)
British firebombing raid which “cooked” Germans in their bomb shelters, killing 135,000.
Victory for the Allies (1945)
April 30 – Hitler commits suicide.
WW2 in Asia
Vichy Government (once again all the events before Pearl Harbor could be considered as a step to war)
The French government after the takeover from Germany.
German-backed Vichy Government meant Japan could begin to occupy French Indochina.
The government of the US responded with the oil embargo.
Tojo Hideki
Defense minister general who became Prime Minster in October 1941. Set in motions war plans against Britain and the US.
Admiral Yamamoto
Japan’s finest Admiral at the time of the US oil blockade. Was trained in Japan.
Was asked to draw up a strategy for destroying US power in the Pacific, but tried to persuade his superiors that Japan could never match the industrial might of the US. When his elites disagreed, he went ahead with his job as a good soldier and patriot.
Pearl Harbor (7 Dec 1941)
The center of the Pacific fleets of the US.
Yamamoto decided it could be destroyed by air if done in surprise.
Destroyed much of the American battle fleets, but unfortunately, the US aircraft carriers were on maneuver and escaped damage.
Japan began its expansion and went onto size lands from Singapore to Alaska. Dec 8: Britain and America declare war on Japan.
Hitler believed that the Axis Powers would now surely win, whereas Churchill expressed relief, and said the Allies would win after all.
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
Japan required the region’s resources, and sought to create a “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” in order to appeal to Asian independence.
Soon became clear that the brutal occupation was for the “Japanese” and not the “Asians”.
Relocation Centers (Mar 1942)
War Relocation Authority in the US rounded up 120,000 Japanese-American and transported them to relocation centers. (like a concentration camp)
Despite this, over 17,000 Japanese-Americans chose to fight on the US side.
Military was not in favor of this as it needed soldiers to run the centers… (rascism?)
Bataan Death March (April 1942)
April 9: US forces on Bataan surrender unconditionally.
April 10: 76000 Allied forces are forced to walk miles without food to their new camp. Exemplified the horrible conditions for the US. (During the war, 50% of the prisoners
died in Asia, whereas 90% survived in Germany)
Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942)
First time in history that the entire battle was in the air. Showed the important presence of the US navy to the Japanese.
Battle of Midway (June 1942)
Turning point of the war as US code breakers discover Japan’s plan to attack Midway. This code-breaking operation was known as Magic.
4 Japanese carriers were sunk in one day.
Guadalcanal, Saipan (August 1942)
Aug 8, 1942: US Marines take Guadalcanal, Saipan.
Aug 9, 1942: US disaster as Japanese warships raid and cause great damage to US fleets/crew.
Aug 21, 1942: US Marines repulse first major Japanese ground attack.
Leapfrogging / Island Hopping
US tactic of hitting Japan where weakest rather than taking every island in the Pacific Basin.
US needed certain bases established to attack mainland Japan, and tried to take these areas.
Death of Yamamoto (April 1943)
US code breakers pinpoint location of Yamamoto, and shoot him down.
Iwa Jima and Okinawa
Island regions south of the Japanese mainland which became two crucial areas for the US.
The rigorous and determined Japanese defense convinced many Americans that Japan would never give in. (see kamikaze below)
Kamikaze
First introduced in Okinawa on October 25th, 1944.
Japan grew desperate and used suicide attacks which drove poorly armed ships into enemy ships.
Succeeded and terrorized the Americans, but did not stop their advance.
Over the course of the war, Japan sent about 2000 kamikaze missions which sunk dozens of ships and killed over 5000 soldiers.
Tokyo Fire Bombing (Spring 1945)
At first, the ineffective and imprecise bombings on Tokyo brought a change of tactics. Despite risks, the planes flew lower (which actually terrorized the Japanese more) and
used fire bombs rather than explosive bombs.
Mar 9/10, 1945: Tokyo erupts into flames, and kill over 100,000 in a single night.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945)
June 9: Japanese Premier Suzuki announces Japan will fight to the very end. (Why didn’t the Emperor surrender? To fend off opponents and keep power?)
July 16: First Atomic Bomb successfully tested. Aug 6: First Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Aug 9: Second Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki; immediate peace with the Allies sought.
WW2 in Poland (there’s a lot more on this on the PPT…just trying to cover what I think is important)
Katyn Forest
Stalin puts 10,000-15,000 leaders in 3 camps in Eastern Poland.
After a few months, the prisoners disappear. (Stalin: “Maybe they walked to Mongolia”) During Barbarossa, Germans find mass graves with a single German bullet in each head. Hitler blames USSR, Stalin blames GER. (Russia admits decades after the war)
The Big Problem
What would Hitler do with the Jews (and the Poles)? (Steal? Work them? Let them rot?)
Eventually formed ghettos temporarily.
And did Hitler attack USSR to make “living space” and expel the Jews east?
Ghettos
Areas where Jews were enclosed and treated badly in.
400,000 people were crammed into 4 square kilometer, and 85,000 died "natural deaths”.
Jews were required to wear the Star of David.
Judenrat
The Jewish government set up by the Nazis and led by Czerniakow.
Rescuers
Many Poles threw bread over the walls, and numerous adopted Jewish children. Jan Karski snuck into Auschwitz and back out, then tried to persuade England, but
failed.
Roundups
Bored soldiers would surround Poles and machin gun them to death for no real reason.
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz: Polish Army barracks which Germans transformed and used for slave labor. Birkenau: A bigger Birkenau added later. (Auschwitz = 10,000 cap. Birkenau =
100,000)
US and UK criticized for lack of commitment against the Holocaust.
Wannsee Conference (20 Jan 1942)
Nazis finalize plans to exterminate all Jews in death camps.
Treblinka
One of the death camps. 300,000 were sent here. (5,000-10,000 a day)
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (April-May 1943)
Jews who don’t have anything else to lose hold off Germans for a month and a half. Ghetto eventually destroyed afterwards.
Warsaw Uprising (Aug-Oct 1944)
Poland want to liberate itself, and begin fighting when they see Stalin across the river. Stalin lets stops there and lets the Poles and Germans fight it out.
Poland surrenders and Germans dynamite everything. (residents given 3 days to evacuate)
Stalin enters and “liberates” Poland.
Allied Viewpoints & Origins of the Cold War
1941
Stalin: We’re getting attacked! Open up a second front please! (Remember WW1 when we jumped to France’ rescue?...but then again, this is Stalin…he trusted no one)
Roosevelt: We’ll be right there! (WW1 was easy! We went in and won in less than half a year!) Churchill: Wait a minute! Let’s wait until we’re ready, and then attack Italy! (In WW1, we
jumped in too early and ended up in trenches for 4 years! Attack the soft under belly! It worked in WW1!)
Roosevelt: OK…let’s wait… (After all, it is Fascists attacking COMMUNISTS!)
1943 Jaunary
Churchill and Roosevelt meet up at Casablanca. (Stalin wasn’t even invited!) It becomes clear that the Axis Powers will lose.
Roosevelt: The war can only end with an unconditional German surrender!
1943 November
Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin meet together for the first time in Tehran. Stalin finally given a promise of opening up a second front.
Opposing viewpoints give life to some dissent and problems to follow after the war… Churchill: We absolutely CANNOT appease Stalin! (We want to keep some sort of
empire, and maintain a balance of power, which Stalin is threatening!)
Stalin: We need warm water ports, and a big buffer zone in case of another attack as well as friendly trading partners (FTPs).
Roosevelt: We also need FTPs! (Otherwise we’ll have another depression and another war!)
Roosevelt: And how about a 4 “policemen” idea! (US, UK, USSR, and China!)
Roosevelt secretly to Stalin: I’ll give you Eastern Europe…after my re-election. (Lots of Poles in the US!)
1945 February
Second meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin at Yalta. Made more confirmed results.
Divide Germany up for 10 years into 3 parts.
Shift Poland to the West! That makes everyone happy! (Germans in East Germany move west, Polish from East moves into this new territory, and Stalin regains the Eastern part of Poland)
Chruchill: Free and unfettered elections in Poland! Stalin: Communism!
(UK suggests the official London govt. which had fled to Paris, and then to London after German takeover of France…USSR says the official government was hiding in USSR! And they are Communists!)
USSR will attack Japan within 3 months of the German surrender. (Stalin: We want the Kurile Islands to have access to the Pacific from Vladivostok!)
1945 Summer
Potsdam Conference held. (Last wartime summit conference)
Some Places…
