A History Of Knowledge What The Modern Age Knew
Part 1: The Age Of World Wars
Chapter 8: Japan
Piero Scaruffi (2004) www.scaruffi.com Edited and revised by Chris Hastings (2013) “We are not shooting "Pacifism is objectively enough professors” pro-Fascist.” - Lenin’s telegram “An eye for an eye - George Orwell, 1942 makes the whole world "The size of the lie is a blind” definite factor - Mahatma Gandhi “What good fortune for in causing it to be governments that the believed” people do not think” - Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf - Adolf Hitler Japan
Economic boom of 1905-13
Mostly driven by military expenses
2 Japan
Economic boom of 1915-20
Fueled by World War I and maritime trade (European shipping was destroyed by war)
3 Japan
Stagnation of 1920-1932
Collapse of banking system in 1927
Great Depression of 1930
4 Japan
Economic boom of 1932
Fueled by devaluation of yen (cheaper exports) and military expenses
5 Japan
Most exports are manufactured goods competing with European goods
Economy controlled by small number of business leaders, "zaibatsu" (Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Yasuda)
6 Japan
Industrialization
Urbanization
Higher education
7 Japan
"Ero, guro and nansensu:” Western-inspired lifestyle
8 Japan
Power shared by
Oligarchs of Meiji Restoration
Military commanders
Zaibatsu (business leaders)
9 Japan
Country of powerful earthquakes and storms
Theocracy that borrows political and economic elements from China and West
10 Japan
No system of law (system of consensus among elite)
Bushido code rules army
11 Japan
After 1931, military dictatorship under nominal imperial rule
Parliament “is” opposition
12 Japan
“Kodoha”/“The Imperial Way” (1932): Shinto revived as military expansionist ideology
Booming population (64 million in 1930, growing by one million per year)
13 Japan – Western Influence
Large industrial groups created within two generations: Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Yasuda, etc.
14 Japan – Western Influence
Evolution of British-style “democracy” (1920s), but…
Largely symbolic vs military power
Universal male suffrage (1925)
15 Japan – Western Influence
Fascist/communist-style military violence and rationalization of mass murder
General Sadao Araki’s (1931- 34) fanatical opposition to communism
16 Japan – Western Influence
Territorial expansion viewed as essential to modernization (mimicking European powers)
17 Japan
1922 treaty with Britain and USA
Elevates Japan’s status as power
Guarantees Japan naval superiority in Pacific
18 Japanese Liabilities
35.9% of Japan’s trade is with USA (1929)
Manchuria’s resources essential to sustain Japan’s industry
Scarce natural resources and booming population
19 JapanJapanese – Liabilities Liabilities
Booming economy depends on foreign raw materials (notably USA oil)
Ambition to create self-sufficient empire on model of Western ones
20 JapanJapanese – Liabilities Liabilities
Nobody in charge
Unlike Germany, Russia, and Italy where one man is in charge
21 JapanJapanese – Liabilities Liabilities
Nobody in charge cont’d
Unlike Britain, France, and USA, where democratically-elected government is in charge)
22 JapanJapanese – Liabilities Liabilities
Nobody in charge cont’d
1931: War with China initiated by low-level officers
1932: Murder of prime minister by nationalist officers
23 JapanJapanese – Liabilities Liabilities
Nobody in charge cont’d
1934: Puppet state of Manchuria established by army
1936: Attempted putsch by nationalist officers
24 JapanJapanese – Liabilities Liabilities
Nobody in charge cont’d
1937: War with China initiated by troops
1938: Military law grants power to generals
25 JapanJapanese – Liabilities Liabilities
War economy de facto run by army
26 Japanese Public
Less nationalistic than army
Fascists lose election of 1937, unlike Italy in 1922 and Germany in 1933
27 Japanese Public
Views Japanese military actions as legitimate
Hypocrisy of Western powers that condemn Japanese actions in China after having conquered most of planet
28 Japanese Public
Views Japanese military actions as legitimate cont’d
Need of Japanese economy for resources of Southeast Asia, which is occupied by European powers (Holland, France, Britain)
29 Japanese Public
Views Japanese military actions as legitimate cont’d
Japan helped Chinese revolutionaries of 1911 and even trained its army
30 Japanese Public
Views Japanese military actions as legitimate cont’d
Atrocities in China not well known
USA embargo that cripples Japanese ambitions viewed as unfair 31 Japanese Public
Very little internal dissent to actions of military
At end of World War II, very little sense of individual guilt
32 Japan
1931: Invasion of Manchuria from Korea
1933: Invasion of China’s Hebei province
1934: Establishment of puppet state in Manchuria
33 Japan
1934: Japan repudiates London Naval Treaty
1937: Full-scale war with China (“Rape of Nanjing,” 350,000 dead)
1938: Japan seizes Canton
34 Japan
1940: Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy
1941: Japan attacks USA
1945: Japan surrenders to China and USA
35 This is a chapter in Piero Scaruffi’s “A
History Of Knowledge:”
http://www.scaruffi.com/know