Hist 104, Lecture 14:
Japanese Empire Building
(PDF)(DOC)

South Manchurian Railway Company, The Manchurian Incident, The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-45), The Nanjing Massacre, Tripartite Alliance, Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere

1. Foundations for a New Japanese State and Empire

a. From “Leaving Asia” to “Entering Asia”
b. Toward a “Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere”

2. Korea

a. Institution-building and military rule, 1910-1919
b. Economic development and cultural persuasion, 1919-1936
c. Totalitarian control and Japanization, 1936-1945

3. Manchuria

a. South Manchurian Railway Co. and Japanese settlers, 1906-
b. Kwantung Army’s political control of Manchuria, 1928-
c. Manchurian Incident (Sept. 1931); establishment of puppet state of Manchukuo, 1932

4. Aggression on the Continent and the Undeclared War against China

a. Marco Polo Bridge Incident, July 7, 1937
b. The Nanjing Massacre, December 13, 1937 (+ several weeks)
c. Japanese southern advance into China

5. War against the Allies

a. Tripartite Alliance with Germany and Italy (fall 1940)
b. U.S. embargoes steel and demands withdrawal of Japanese from China
c. Japan attacks U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941