During the Meiji Restoration of 1868,the Japanese modernized and industrialized Japan.

Of course, industries required resources.Unfortunately, Japan lacked natural resources.

The Japanese, like the WesternEuropeans, began to conquer

and colonize land for

resources and power.

The Japanese defeated the Russiansin the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.

Japan gained Korea.

The Japanese conquered Manchuria.Manchuria was located in northeasternChina and was rich in resources.

Like Western European

imperialists,Japan sought colonies to

gainvaluable natural

resources.

As the years passed, the Japanesegovernment became more and moremilitaristic.

Between 1937 and 1938, theJapanese army attacked the cityof Nanking in China. Many Chinesecivilians were killed.

Japanese forces massacred between250,000 and 300,000 Chinese. Thisbrutal attack on civilians is known asthe Rape of Nanking.

Japanese troops raped 20,000Chinese women.

Believing in racial superiority, theJapanese terrorized the Chineseinhabitants of Nanking.

The militarist, Tojo, became Japan’sPrime Minister in 1941.

Tojo ordered the surprise attack onthe U.S. naval base at Pearl Harboron December 7, 1941.

The emperor of Japan, Hirohito,

followed the policies of militarists.

Japanese militarism, imperialism,and ethnocentrism paved the wayto world war.