The Path to War: Japan (19.6)
The Japanese Path to War
 Japan needed natural resources to rebuild economy
+ expand military
 But where?- China (Manchuria)
 “Mukden Incident”: Japanese blow up RR line in
Japanese controlled area of China (blame Chinese)
The Japanese Path to War (cont.)
 Result: Japan invades & takes control of Manchuria
(rich in natural resources)
 USA + League of Nations upset, but did nothing
(appeasement)
Japan’s New Order
 New Order : Japan would take over E. Asia & “guide” its
Asian neighbors to prosperity
 Japan also wanted resource-rich Siberia (USSR), but
Nazi-Soviet non-aggression Pact forced Japan to look
elsewhere for resources (couldn't fight USSR alone)
 Result: SE Asia becomes focus (British & USA
territory)
TPS
 How was Japan’s expansion in Asia similar to
Germany’s in Europe?
Japan & SE Asia
 Japan demanded right to acquire French colony
Indochina (after France defeated by Germany)
 Result: USA ends iron and oil exports to Japan
(sanctions)
Japan & SE Asia (cont.)
 Japan faced w/ choice:
 1) attack SE Asia and risk war w/ USA
 2) do nothing and run out of natural resources + give
up goal of Japanese Empire
SUMMARY
 Summarize how Japan (like Germany) set itself on
a path toward war in the 1930s.