9/5/2019 1 How did it come to this? What do we already know about Japan, leading up to the war with the U.S. during WWII? Some Background • Western countries have been exploiting Asia and treating Asia’s peoples with great prejudice for centuries. • The 19 th century Western carving up of China had been a warning to Japan. • Japan realized that to retain their independence and national character they had to adopt some Western ideas, and quickly. • In particular, Japan copied Western military ideas. • Japan’s modern military then set about finding ways to promote Japanese interests abroad. • China was defeated in battle in 1894-5 and Japan got influence on the mainland and Taiwan. This was the First Sino-Japanese War. (Sino=Chinese) The Japanese Empire • Japan has a severe lack of natural resources. • Prior to 1941, the U.S. had been selling fuel and metal to Japan, which Japan was using to build its military. • Nearby Manchuria had plenty of coal, plus industries and ports. • China had already been carved up by the Western powers; why shouldn’t Japan do the same? The Emperor Hirohito 1926-1989 • The Emperor Showa of Japan. • He had complete control over and commanded complete loyalty from his subjects. • It was his responsibility for starting and ending the wars against China, USA, Britain etc. • He was protected from prosecution in 1945 by the US who needed him to keep Japan from collapsing.
Transcript
9/5/2019
1
How did itcome to this?
What do we already know about Japan, leading up to the war with
the U.S. during WWII?
Some Background
• Western countries have been exploiting Asia and treating Asia’s peoples with great prejudice for centuries.
• The 19th century Western carving up of China had been a warning to Japan.
• Japan realized that to retain their independence and national character they had to adopt some Western ideas, and quickly.
• In particular, Japan copied Western military ideas.• Japan’s modern military then set about finding ways to
promote Japanese interests abroad.• China was defeated in battle in 1894-5 and Japan got
influence on the mainland and Taiwan. This was the First Sino-Japanese War. (Sino=Chinese)
The Japanese Empire
• Japan has a severe lack of natural resources.
• Prior to 1941, the U.S. had been selling fuel and metal to Japan, which Japan was using to build its military.
• Nearby Manchuria had plenty of coal, plus industries and ports.
• China had already been carved up by the Western powers; why shouldn’t Japan do the same?
The Emperor Hirohito 1926-1989
• The Emperor Showa of Japan.
• He had complete control over and commanded complete loyalty from his subjects.
• It was his responsibility for starting and ending the wars against China, USA, Britain etc.
• He was protected from prosecution in 1945 by the US who needed him to keep Japan from collapsing.
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The “Rape of Nanjing”
Yangtze River, Nanjing, 2009
Yangtze River, Nanjing, 1937
Should the US have intervened in Japan’s imperialism in the 1930’s?
a) The US has a moral obligation to help China. We must stop Japan’s human rights abuses.
b) The US should intervene to protect US economic interests in China. Continued trade with China is essential, especially during a depression.
c) America does a lot of trade with Japan; they purchase oil, lumber, and steel from us. We need to stop Japan to protect our trade with them.
Should the US have intervened in Japan’s imperialism in the 1930’s?
d) Any aggressive country is threat to US security. We must stop Japan for our own protection.
e) The US has no right to intervene. Japan is simply doing what European countries are doing in Africa and the US is doing in Latin America.
f) We should be isolationist. Staying out of the affairs of Asia is the best approach for the well-being of the US.
What did the US actually do?
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Trade Embargo Against Japan
• Starting around 1940, the U.S., Australia and the U.K., began an embargo against Japan
• Japan obtained the majority of its resources (especially fuel and oil) from other countries
• By blocking trade to Japan, who was already suffering from sever economic recession, they economically drained Japan
• This backfired and enticed Japan to use its military force to get the resources it wanted
Was the U.S. Seen as a Threat?
• July, 1941, U.S. moved the Pacific fleet toward Japan and stationed long range bombers in Pearl Harbor and Wake Island
• Also, U.S. moved fleets to San Francisco Bay and increased military presence in the Philippines
Wake Island Hawaiian Islands
Japan
San Francisco Bay
Philippines
Japan Takes the First Shot
• December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, U.S. military base in Hawaii– Surprise!
• Intended to prevent the U.S. from interfering with Japan’s imperial plans in Southeast Asia– Whoops!
• Direct cause for U.S. entry into WWII– December 8, U.S. declared war on Japan
American Opinion of Japanese
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“Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips”
Japanese Internment
SHORT VIDEO!
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Why Internment?
• Many Americans thought Japanese-Americans were planted here in case of war
• Many Americans saw all Japanese-Americans as potential collaborators
• Interning Japanese-Americans was seen as a “military necessity,” despite there being no evidence to suggest so
Executive Order 9066
• Signed by Roosevelt in February, 1942
• Authorized the military to designate areas from which certain people could be excluded
• And to designate certain areas as military zones
– War Relocation Authority, Relocation Centers
• Paved the way for internment of about 110,000 Japanese-Americans
• ≈70% of those interned were American citizens!
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Korematsu vs. United States
• Fred Korematsu was a Japanese-American man who decided to stay in California and knowingly violate internment laws
• Korematsu argued that the Executive Order 9066 was unconstitutional
• He was arrested and convicted
• In 1944, Supreme Court sided with the government, ruling that the exclusion order was constitutional and that the need to protect against espionage outweighed Korematsu’s rights as an individual and the rights of Japanese-American citizens
9066 Rescinded
• January 2, 1945, internment was officially ended
• Last camp closed in 1946
• The freed internees were given $25 and a train ticket to their former homes
• Most remained in the US, some immigrated to Japan
Apology
• In 1988, congressed passed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988
– The legislation said that government actions were based on "race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership”
– Awarded $20,000 to each surviving internee (80 people), totaling $1.6 billion in reparations of Japanese-Americans
In 1998,Fred Korematsuwas awarded thePresidential Medal of Freedom Island Hopping
Less Fun Than It Sounds
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Battle of Midway(June 1942)
Naval Battle: US lost 1 aircraft carrier, Japan lost 4 aircraft carriers
Battle of Iwo Jima(Feb. 1945)
70,000 Marines sent to invade the island
Vs.
22,000 Japanese soldiers
Results: US wins
(takes a month)
About 7,000 US dead
About 20,000 US wounded
Only 212 Japanese soldiers taken prisoner
Island was 4.5 Miles x 2.5 Miles
Battle for Okinawa(April 1945)
180,000 US troops
Vs.
120,000 Japanese troops
Results: US wins
About 12,000 US dead
About 38,000 US wounded
36 US warships destroyed
About 110,000 Japanese soldiers dead
50,000-150,000 Japanese civilians dead
60 Miles x 2-18 Miles
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The Firebombingof Japan
“[We] were behaving as war criminals.”
– Robert McNamara
Firebombing
• 67 Japanese cities were firebombed by the United States during WWII
• As many as 500,000 Japanese killed (mostly civilians), and as many as 5 million left homeless
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Name of Japanese CityFirebombed
Percentage of City Destroyed
Equivalent American City
Yokohama 58 Cleveland
Tokyo 51 New York City
Toyama 99 Chattanooga
Nagoya 40 Los Angeles
Osaka 35.1 Chicago
Nishinomiya 11.9 Cambridge
Siumonoseki 37.6 San Diego
Kure 41.9 Toledo
Kobe 55.7 Baltimore
Omuta 35.8 Miami
Name of Japanese CityFirebombed
Percentage of City Destroyed
Equivalent American City
Wakayama 50 Salt Lake City
Kawasaki 36.2 Portland
Okayama 68.9 Long Beach
Yawata 21.2 San Antonio
Kagoshima 63.4 Richmond
Amagasaki 18.9 Jacksonville
Sasebo 41.4 Nashville
Moh 23.3 Spokane
Miyakonoio 26.5 Greensboro
Nobeoka 25.2 Augusta
Name of Japanese CityFirebombed
Percentage of City Destroyed
Equivalent American City
Miyazaki 26.1 Davenport
Hbe 20.7 Utica
Saga 44.2 Waterloo
Imabari 63.9 Stockton
Matsuyama 64 Duluth
Fukui 86 Evansville
Tokushima 85.2 Ft. Wayne
Sakai 48.2 Forth Worth
Hachioji 65 Galveston
Kumamoto 31.2 Grand Rapids
Name of Japanese CityFirebombed
Percentage of City Destroyed
Equivalent American City
Isezaki 56.7 Sioux Falls
Takamatsu 67.5 Knoxville
Akashi 50.2 Lexington
Fukuyama 80.9 Macon
Aomori 30 Montgomery
Okazaki 32.2 Lincoln
Oita 28.2 Saint Joseph
Hiratsuka 48.4 Battle Creek
Tokuyama 48.3 Butte
Yokkichi 33.6 Charlotte
Name of Japanese CityFirebombed
Percentage of City Destroyed
Equivalent American City
Uhyamada 41.3 Columbus
Ogaki 39.5 Corpus Christi
Gifu 63.6 Des Moines
Shizuoka 66.1 Oklahoma City
Himeji 49.4 Peoria
Fukuoka 24.1 Rochester
Kochi 55.2 Sacramento
Shimizu 42 San Jose
Omura 33.1 Sante Fe
Chiba 41 Savannah
Name of Japanese CityFirebombed
Percentage of City Destroyed
Equivalent American City
Ichinomiya 56.3 Sprinfield
Nara 69.3 Boston
Tsu 69.3 Topeka
Kuwana 75 Tucson
Toyohashi 61.9 Tulsa
Numazu 42.3 Waco
Chosi 44.2 Wheeling
Kofu 78.6 South Bend
Utsunomiya 43.7 Sioux City
Mito 68.9 Pontiac
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Name of Japanese CityFirebombed
Percentage of City Destroyed
Equivalent American City
Sendai 21.9 Omaha
Tsuruga 65.1 Middleton
Nagaoka 64.9 Madison
Hitachi 72 Little Rock
Kumagaya 55.1 Kenosha
Hamamatsu 60.3 Hartford
Maebashi 64.2 Wheeling
The Fog of War
• Robert McNamara discussing the firebombing of Japan– “[General Curtis LeMay said that] if we'd lost the
war, we'd all have been prosecuted as war criminals …. And I think he's right. …He, and I'd say, I, were behaving as war criminals. …LeMayrecognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side had lost. But what makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win?”
Potsdam Declaration
“The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction”
Potsdam Declaration
• Proclamation Defining the Terms for the Japanese Surrender – July 26, 1945
• Developed at the Potsdam Conference
– U.S., Britain, and U.S.S.R participated in the conference; held in Germany
– Decisions were made as to how the Allies would deal with the Axis powers after Allied victory
Potsdam Declaration and Japan
• Elimination of Japanese authorities who led Japan to world conquest
• Parts of Japanese territory are to be occupied; Allies get to pick which parts
• Japanese sovereignty is limited to the 4 main islands and a few other tiny ones
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Potsdam Declaration and Japan
• Elimination of Japanese authorities who led Japan to world conquest
• Parts of Japanese territory are to be occupied; Allies get to pick which parts
• Japanese sovereignty is limited to the 4 main islands and a few other tiny ones
• Japanese military will be completely disarmed
• All (Japanese) war criminals will receive “stern justice”
Potsdam Declaration and Japan
• Japan will not be enslaved or destroyed as a nation
• Freedom of speech, religion, and thought, along with fundamental human rights, shall be established
• Japan will have access to—but not control of—resources that they need to rebuild and sustain their economy, and will be free to maintain industries as long as they are not re-arming
• Allies occupying forces will be withdrawn as soon as all of these objectives are met and Japan has established a peaceful, responsible government
Potsdam Declaration and Japan
• "We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction.”
Potsdam Declaration and Japan
• Despite a growing number of Japanese leaders who wanted to negotiate for peace, Japan’s military leadership was unwilling to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.
• However, it is known that Japan’s Foreign Minister, Shigenori Togo, sent a message to Russia stating: “Unconditional surrender is the only obstacle to peace….”
