Militarist Japan was born at the beginning of the 20th century. The first prerequisites appeared as early as 1910, when Korea was annexed. The chauvinistic ideology finally took shape in the 1920s, during the period of the world economic crisis and the growth of totalitarianism. In this article, we will talk about the origin of militarism in this Asian country, its development and collapse.
First Prerequisites
The emergence of militaristic Japan was facilitated by the situation that developed in the first half of the 20th century. The Asian state successfully used the First World War for successful economic development. During this period, national we alth increased by a quarter. Japanese industry managed to develop through exports, taking advantage of the weakening of the previously powerful powers in the Far East. At the same time, the restoration of the pre-war situation led to the beginning of a decline in the Japanese economy due to the reduction of sales markets.
In 1920-1923, the economy of this country was in a crisis, which aggravatedthe earthquake that hit Tokyo.
It is worth recognizing that the Washington Conference played a role in the development of the militaristic regime in Japan. In 1921-1922, the issues of the post-war balance of forces in the Pacific Ocean were considered at it. In particular, they discussed the reduction of naval weapons.
The basis of the new alignment of forces was the partnership of the great powers, based on the guarantees of common principles of policy in China. In particular, Japan had to give up its claims in Russia and China, an alliance with England. In return, she was provided with naval security. As a result, she has become the main guarantor of the established system of relationships.
Another outcome of the Washington Conference was the "Treaty of the Nine Powers", the participants of which proclaimed the principle of China's administrative and territorial sovereignty. Japan also signed it.
New Emperor
At the end of 1926, the imperial throne in Japan was inherited by 25-year-old Hirohito. The entire first part of his reign was marked by increasing militarism. The army has played a big role in the country since 1900, when generals and admirals received the right to veto the formation of the cabinet of ministers. In 1932, the military took control of virtually all political life after the assassination of Prime Minister Tsuyoshi Inukai during a coup. In fact, this finally established a militaristic state in Japan, led to the Sino-Japanese War and entry into World War II.
A few years before inThe country has undergone another change of government. The new prime minister, General Tanaka Giichi, came up with a plan according to which, in order to achieve world domination, his nation would have to conquer Mongolia and Manchuria, and in the future, all of China. It was Tanaka who began to pursue an aggressive foreign policy. In 1927-1928, he sent troops three times to neighboring China, which was in a civil war.
Open interference in internal affairs has led to an increase in anti-Japanese sentiment in China.
Japan-China War
War with China did break out in 1937. A general mobilization was announced in the country. Parliament at an emergency meeting was forced to urgently adjust the budget. The financial situation was critical, since even without the war the treasury was provided with income only by a third, and it was planned to cover all other expenses through government loans.
The economy was urgently transferred to a military footing. The deputies passed laws on the control of military finances, which closed the free movement of capital, as well as other projects aimed at strengthening the defense complex.
Japanese troops led a successful campaign in China, occupying Beijing. After that, they launched a powerful offensive in three directions at once. By August, Shanghai had fallen after three months of heavy fighting. The Japanese created puppet governments in the occupied territories.
The turning point was outlined at the beginning of 1938, when in the battle of Taierchzhuang a 60,000-strong Japanese group was surrounded and lost a third of its personnel killed. Disappointingactions in China and the difficult economic situation inside the country forced Prime Minister Konoe to resign in early 1939. The army decides to move from active actions to the tactics of exhausting the enemy.
At the height of the conflict, Japan learns that Germany and the USSR have signed a non-aggression pact. This was seen as a betrayal. Since the Japanese considered Hitler an ally, and the USSR - a likely enemy.
When World War II began, Prime Minister Abe declared that Japan would resolve the Chinese conflict without interfering in European affairs. An agreement was concluded on the cessation of hostilities with the USSR on the border with Mongolia. Moreover, Japan tried to restore relations with the United States. But the Americans demanded compensation for violations of their rights in China, as well as guarantees of compliance with international agreements.
In China itself, the situation was aggravated by the fact that in the depths of the country the offensive was again stopped. By that time, the losses of the Japanese army amounted to about one million people. Within Japan, there were difficulties in providing food, which caused strong social discontent.
Characteristics of the political regime
Among modern historians, there are several opinions on how to characterize the regime that existed in the 20-40s. Among the options are fascism, parafascism, chauvinism and militarism. Now most researchers adhere to the latest version, arguing that there was no fascism in the country at all.
Supporters consider fascistmilitaristic Japan, they claim that organizations with this ideology existed in the country, and after their defeat, "fascism from above" was formed. Their opponents note that there were no typical signs of a fascist state in the country. This requires the existence of a dictator and a single ruling party.
In Japan, fascism existed only in the form of a political movement, which was liquidated by decree of the emperor in 1936, and all its leaders were executed. At the same time, the government's aggressiveness towards its neighbors is obvious, which makes it possible to speak of a militaristic Japan. At the same time, she strove for power superiority over other peoples, which is a sign of chauvinism.
The flag of militaristic Japan is the military banner of the empire. Initially, it was used as a symbol of wishes for success. It was first used as a military banner in 1854. During the Meiji period, it became the national flag. Currently, it continues to be used by the Japanese Navy almost unchanged.
During World War II, it was this flag that was used during the conquest and occupation of South Korea and the countries of Southeast Asia, which is why it is considered a symbol of Japanese imperialism and militarism. Its use is considered offensive in some countries. For example, in China and South Korea, which suffered from the occupation by Japanese troops.
In Japan itself today, the flag is used during protests by far-right organizations, as well as at sporting events. Histhe image can be found on some product labels.
During World War II
Describing briefly the militaristic regime in Japan, it is worth noting that by 1940 a fundamentally new system was created, in which the government took full control of the economy.
In the same year, the Triple Alliance was concluded with Germany and Italy, which provided for the division of the occupied territories.
In April 1941, a non-aggression agreement was signed with the USSR. Thus, the government hoped to protect itself from the east. Itself expected to suddenly attack the Soviet Union, capturing the entire Far East.
Japan was playing a cunning and slow war game. The largest operation was the attack on the American base at Pearl Harbor, which forced the United States to enter the war.
War crimes
The Japanese army in the occupied territories has been repeatedly seen in cruel crimes. They were of the nature of genocide, as they were aimed at the destruction of representatives of another nationality.
At the end of 1937, civilians were brutally murdered in Nanjing. Only about 300 thousand people. At the same time, at least 20,000 women aged 7 to 60 were raped.
In February 1942, an operation was carried out against the Chinese population of Singapore. Basically, the participants of the defense were destroyed, but many civilians were also shot. Soon the boundaries of the operation expanded to the entire Malay Peninsula. Often interrogations were not even carried out, andthe native population was simply annihilated. The exact number of deaths is unknown. According to various estimates, this is from 50 to 100 thousand people.
In February 1945, Manila was actually destroyed during the retreat of the Japanese army. The death toll of civilians exceeds 100,000.
USSR enters the war
The Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8, 1945, just a few months after the defeat of the Nazi troops.
A few weeks earlier, the United States, China and England put forward the terms of surrender to Japan. In case of refusal, she was threatened with complete destruction. On July 28, Japan officially refused to surrender.
Already on August 6, the United States detonated an atomic bomb over Hiroshima. The day after the Soviet Union entered into conflict with Japan, an atomic bomb was detonated over Nagasaki. This predetermined the defeat of militaristic Japan.
Soviet-Japanese War
At the same time, the Red Army attacked military targets in Xinjing, Harbin and Jilin. The troops of the Transbaikal Front went on the offensive from the territory of Transbaikalia and Mongolia. Powerful forces were sent to defeat militaristic Japan. Military operations were carried out against the empire itself and the puppet state of Manchukuo, created by the Japanese in the occupied territory in Manchuria.
The First and Second Far Eastern Fronts were at war with militarist Japan. Almost immediately, they occupied Harbin, forced the Ussuri and Amur rivers.
By August 19, Japanese troopseverywhere began to surrender. Emperor of Manchukuo Pu Yi was captured in Mukden.
Victory over militaristic Japan was just around the corner. As a result of the actions of the Soviet troops, the Kwantung Army, which numbered one million people, was finally defeated. About 600 thousand of them were taken prisoner, 84 thousand were killed. The loss of Soviet troops is about 12 thousand people. After that, Manchuria was finally occupied.
USSR launched the Kuril landing operation. Its result was the capture of the islands of the same name. Part of Sakhalin was liberated during the South Sakhalin land operation.
As part of the defeat of militaristic Japan by Soviet troops, military operations on the continent itself were conducted only for 12 days. Separate clashes continued until September 10. It was this date that went down in history as the day of the complete surrender of the Kwantung Army.
Surrender
On September 2, an act of unconditional surrender was signed. After that, it became possible to officially talk about the defeat of fascist Germany and militaristic Japan. The act was concluded aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
Telling briefly about the defeat of militaristic Japan, it is worth noting that, along with the surrender, the totalitarian system was eliminated in the country. Since the beginning of the occupation, trials of war criminals have been organized. The first official tribunal was held in Tokyo from May 1946 to November 1948. It went down in history as the Tokyo Trial. A specialjudicial body, which included representatives of 11 states, including the Soviet Union.
The defendants were 29 people, mostly representatives of the highest civil and military leadership of the empire. In total, more than 800 open court hearings took place. Seven of the accused were sentenced to death and hanged. Among them were two former prime ministers - Hideki Tojo and Koki Hirota. Another 15 people received life sentences, three were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment. Two defendants died during the process, one committed suicide, another was declared mentally insane.
At the same time, the actual cessation of the state of war between the USSR and this Asian country occurred only in December 1956, when the Moscow Declaration came into force.
The results of the victorious war are reflected in the national culture. For example, already in 1945 a documentary film called "The Defeat of Militaristic Japan" was filmed. The summary of this picture gives a complete picture of how World War II ended.
Consequences of the existence of a totalitarian system and participation in the war
For Japan, the consequences were very depressing. By the time of the capitulation, the economy was almost completely destroyed, and full-scale inflation began in the country. At the same time, political relations within the state actually needed to be built anew.
In addition, all major cities were destroyed by the Allied forces. Transport, industrial and information networks were badly damaged. The army was almost completely destroyed at first, and then officially liquidated.
War criminal trials continued until 1948. At the same time, more than five hundred officers committed suicide immediately after the announcement of surrender. Hundreds were under the tribunal. Emperor Hirohito was not declared a war criminal, so he was able to continue his reign, although he was deprived of many powers during the occupation.
The occupation authorities established in Japan carried out reforms in the political, economic, cultural and social fields. The main goal was to eliminate any elements of the past totalitarian system, to prevent the likelihood of a recurrence of an armed conflict. The result of the reforms was the transformation of an absolute monarchy into a constitutional one. The paramilitary elite was eliminated. This finally destroyed the traces of militarism in Japanese politics.
The occupation lasted seven years. It was removed only in 1952, after the official signing of the peace treaty.
