Relations Between the United States and Japan Before...

Relations Between the United States and Japan Before...

Relations Between the United States and Japan Before September 1941



Japan was no longer able to rely on itself for food and raw materials and, so, for Japan to survive and prosper it would have to modernise and adopt Western technology. Japan was a medieval country but had managed to beat Russia in the war in 1905. They joined Britain in the War against Germany. On the 7th September 1914, they took over Germanys interests in China, but weren't given any credit for the war. The Japanese demanded the right to send experts as 'advisors' to the Chinese Government.



Only 15% of Japan was habitable, they needed more living space but weren't allowed to emigrate to the U.S while the Washington agreement ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...However, they had fundamental problems. Economically, they had no farmland, there already increasing population was on the rise and there were no raw materials for them to use. The country was in a mess politically. There were fights against rival groups, and bribery and corruption among Politians. Most of the older Japanese people hated the idea of democracy including members of the Diet.



The impact of the Wall St. Crash hit Japan very hard. She was badly hit since her industrial strength depended on exports. These were cut by 50%. Declining trade hit workers such as the peasant farmers who cultivated silk. Many peasants had to take a two thirds cut in income. Without exports, Japan couldn't afford to buy the imports it needed like oil and coal. Workers tried strikes and riots. Militant army officers came from peasant homes and resented the circumstances which made their families poor.



The military became more powerful. It emphasised war as a way of solving problems. In 1930, the Japanese Prime Minister was assassinated at Tokyo's rail station. He signed the London Naval Treaty, this extended terms agreed at the Washington Conference. Extremists in the Japanese Army and Navy saw this as treason and he was killed. In September 1931, Japanese troops were in Manchuria to protect a railway system used to transport raw materials but seized control of

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