Figure 1.--Japan was the only industrial power in Asia. That gave the Imperial Japanese Army the ability to invade and occupy large areas of China, but not defeat the Nationalists who withdrew into remote regions. The Jaoanese militariss had little understabnding of Western countries, but they knew that America and Britain far surpassed their own industrial power. In launching the Pacuific War, the militarists were banking on two assumtions. First that Hitler would prevent America and Britain from deploying substabntial resources to the Pacifuic. They were right about Britain, but not America. Second that the fanatical commitment of the individual Japanese soldier would make up for any material inferiority. While it was true that the Japanese soldier was certainly the fierest combatabnt of the war, for the most part refusing to surrender despite the circumstabces. But in island after island, this blind devotion of the Japanese solduier proved no match for the massive, raw power American industry priovided the the better led American soldiers and marines. <

The major land operations of the Japanese were conducted in China. The first land operations were the Japanese invasion of Manchuria (1931). These were fairly limited operarions because the Chinese did not opose the Japanese invasion. Chiang was well aware of the Japanese superiority and did not to engage the Japanese. the war wih China bgan 6 years later at the Marco Polo Bridge just north of Peiking. The Japanese ininiate a police action and punishing the Chinese, but did not mean to launch a full-scale war. Chiang was heavily criticised for not responding in Manchuria, damaging the reputstion of his Nationlist government. He this had no choice to respond. Thus the Japanese encursion set off the War. Fir the first year of the War, The Nationaslist when toe- to toes with ghe Jspsnese and sufferdc badly. hey put up a substantial defense of Shanghai. The losses were horendous. After that first year, Chiang retired into the interior where the Japanese had trouble getting at them. The Japanese seized Chinese ports. The Chinese interior had little infrastructure that would aid the Japanese who had very limited logisticak capability. So after huhe successes, the war in China settled down to a long, slow conflict without any resolution in site. The Japanese were frustrated and the cost of the war was affecting the economy. They were furthe frusrsted by the increasing American pressure. The oil embasrgo was the final straw (Juky 1941). The war in China woukd gon on for another 4 years. The CBI campaign that began with the invasiin of makaya (Decenber 1941, took Singapore and Burma (1942). Finally the Jaoanese atte,oted toninvade Induia (1944). The actions were not cionnected with the war in China where the great bulk of the Japanese Army was committed. The Pacific War involved a range od island invasions, in both the Siuth pacific and than the Central Pacific leading tio the libration if the Philippines. The problem for the Japanese was that their army throughout the war was still in China, making it difficult to fight the Pacific War.

Manchuria (1931)

Japan had long desired to expand in East Asia. Its primary historic target, reflecting the geogrphy of East Asia, was Korea. Japan's ambitions were, however, limited by the tremenous power of China which for most of history dominated Korea and influenced client States. This changed with the Meiji Restoration and the development of Japan as an industrial power. The First Sino-Japanese war (1894) opened up East Asia to Japanese imperialism. After the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), the Japanese seized control of Korea. Pu Yi after being deposed and expelled from China began courting war lords and the Japanese (1924). The Russians still had interests in Manchuria. Japan wanted the entire territory. The Japanese Kwantung Army invaded and occupied Manchuria, a Chinese province, using as a pretext a faked incident on the main railroad--the Mukden Incident (1931). Japan then decalared 'Manchukuo' an independent state, setting up Pu Yi, the last Manchu Emperor of China as a puppet Emperor (1932).The Jaoanese latched on to him to give Japanese control of Manchiria a Chinese facade. Anti-Japanese disturbances broke out in Shanghai. The Japanese bombed the unprotected city to quell the disturbances. There was no real effort to hit military targets. This was the first of many Japanese terror bombings of civilian populations. The League condemed the Japanese invasdion. Japan withdrew from the League as a resulted of the criticism of her military operations (1933). The Japanese popultion rapidly increased. Many were Japnese civil servnts and their fasmilies. The Japanese encouraged Japanese 'colonizers' to emmigrate to Manchukuo offerung them rhe best land. Relatively few responded to the propaganda films depicting an Asian paradise. For the Chinese in Manchukuo, life became increasingly difficult as second-class citizens. Access to Manchria was at first limited to the Liaodong Peninsula in the Yellow sea. The seizure of Korea (1909) and Japanese territorial expansion as a result of World Wwar I, more fully opened up Manchuria to Japanese expnsion. Access to Manchria wss at first limited to the Liaodong Peninsula in the Yellow Sea. The seizure of Korea (1909) and Japanese territorial expansion as a result of World Wwar I, more fully opened up Manchuria to Japanese expnsion. The Japanese Kwantung Army occupied Manchuria, a Chinese province, using as a pretext a faked incident on the main railroad (1931). Japan then decalared "Manchukuo" an independent state, setting up Pu Yi, the last Manchu Emperor of China as puppet Emperor (1932). Anti-Japanese disturbances broke out in Shanghai. The Japanese bombed the unprotected city to quell the disturbances. There was no effort to hit military targets. This was the first of many Japanese terror bombings of civilian populations. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations as a resulted of the criticism of her military operations in Manchuria and China (1933). The Japanese encouraged Japanese 'colonizers' to emmigrate to Manchukuo, but few responded to the propaganda films depicting an Asian paradise. For the Chinese in Manchukuo, life became increasingly difficult.

Siberia (1939)

Resource poor Japan coveted the Resources of Soviet Siberia. Before World War I,. Japan launched the Russo-Japanese War against Russia, primarily over resources in Manchuria and Korea (1904-05). After World War I, Japan occupied areas in rsource-rich Siberia (1918), but were finally forced to withdraw, largely becausey American pressure. The seizure of Manchuria greatly expanded the border with the Soviet Union and Soviet-controlled Mongolia (1931). With the out break of World War II in Europe, the Japanese were unsure how to best take advantage of the oportunities presented. They saw the best option was to ally with the Germans because of the NAZI anti-Communist policies. The strongest faction in the military became the Strike North Faction. The Kwantung Army staged a series of imcident along the northrn and western Manchurian border. The resulting clash wirh Red Army forces commanded by Zukov at Khalkhin Gol (1939) demonstrated that Japan was incapable of fighting a land war with a major power. Then Hitler shocked the Japanese by signinging a non-aggression pact with Stalin--essentialy becoming a Soviet ally. This undercut Japanese diplomacy, but did not deter the Japanese militarists. The victory of the Strike South Faction, simply changed the Japanese target to America and Britain. Given that the Japanese failure against the Soviets was primarily the lack of modern industrial power, chosing America and Britain is a difficult to understand decision. Japan and the Soviets signed a non-aggressioin pact and Japan did not participate in the NAZI uinvasion of the Soviet Union (June 1941). This frustrated Hitler, especially the fact that the Japanese allowed American Lend Lease supplies to flow into Soviet Pacific ports, especially Vladisvostock, through Jaopanese controlled waters. The Soviets invaded Japanese occupied Manchuria in the final days of the War (August 1945).

Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-45)

The major land operations of the Japanese were conducted in China. The first land operations were in Manchuria (1931). These were fairly limited operarions because the Chinese did not opose the Japanese invasion. Chiang was well aware of the Japanese superiority and did not to engage the Japanese. the war wih China bgan 6 years later at the Marco Polo Bridge just north of Peiking. The Japanese ininiate a police action and punishing the Chinese, but did not mean to launch a full-scale war. Chiang was heavily criticised for not responding in Manchuria, damaging the reputstion of his Nationlist government. He this had no choice to respond. Thus the Japanese encursion set off the War. Fir the first year of the War, The Nationaslist when toe- to toes with ghe Japsnese and sufferdc badly. hey put up a substantial defense of Shanghai. The losses were horendous. After that first year, Chiang retired into the interior where the Japanese had trouble getting at them. The Japanese seized Chinese ports. The Chinese interior had little infrastructure that would aid the Japanese who had very limited logisticak capability. So after huhe successes, the war in China settled down to a long, slow conflict without any resolution in site. The Japanese were frustrated and the cost of the war was affecting the economy.

The Pacific War (1941-45)

The Japanese were further frusrsted by the increasing American criticism of their war in China. American diplomatic condemnation gave way to trade sanctions. This added to draining economic cost of the War. The oil embasrgo was the final straw (July 1941). The Pacific War was a a naval war, butb had extensive land components. The Japanese launched the Pacific War to obtain resource rich colonies. primarily British and Dutch colonies. Thevfighting would primarily involved the United States, although the Autralians played an impotant role in the South Pacific. While primarily a naval war, the Pacifuic War involved a range of land operations, primarily island invasions, in both the South Pacific and than the Central Pacific leading to the libration if the Philippines (1944-45). Opperatiions in New Guinea and the Philippines involved substantial land operations. The problem for the Japanese in these land engagements was not only thei industrial base a fraction of that of the United States, but their army throughout the war was still largely in China. And they did not have the logistiucal capability to move thev needed troops and supplies and this situatiin gotb much worse when the American sunmariners finally solved their torpedo problem. And at the same time the arrivalm of the Essex-class carrietrs changed the naval ballance of power decisevly. This made it increasingly difficult to fight the Pacific War. They could exact a high toll for the American marines and soldiers taking Pacific islands, but the casulaties were much higher for the Japanese.

The CBI Theater (1941-45)

The war in China would go on on for another 4 years. The CBI was a new theater the Japanese opented a theaterin Southeast Asia in conjuction with the attackn on Pearl Harbor. This is what was imprtnat to the Japanese. The whole purpse of the Pacuific-Asian War was to seize the resiurces of the Southern Resource Zone so Japan could comolete the conquest of Chuina. Unlike the Pacific War, the CBI was primarily fought British Empiire forces, especially the Indian Army. The campaign that began with the stuningly sucessful invasion of Malaya (Decenber 1941), took Singapore and Burma (1942). Finally the Japanese out od despeation attempted to invade India (1944). They did not have the needed logistical capability and now faced well armed Allied combat forces. Few of the Japanese forces invading India survived. The CBI actions involved some Chinese units, but were not connected with the war in China where the great bulk of the Japanese Army was committed. America involvement was primarilt to reopen the Burma War and support the air war in China.

Created: 4:30 AM 12/25/2023
Last updated: 4:57 AM 12/25/2023