...Propaganda in the Second SinoJapanese War Submitted by Justin Choo How was propaganda utilised by China and Japan in the Second SinoJapanese War? Attacking the mind was an incredibly important Chinese military strategy and is highlighted in ‘孙⼦子兵法’1, a military treatise written by a high ranking military strategist, Sun Tzu. Propaganda was critical in keeping up the civilians’ spirits and preventing them from waning support which ultimately proved to be the ace in China’s victory against Japan. For example, the Chinese government imposed a strict media blackout on the whole nation throughout the Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese did not lack in this area of warfare either and held their own against the Chinese. Three main principles were instilled in citizens to assist the ruling government then. They are 国体, ⼋八紘⼀一宇 and 武⼠士道2 and ingrained the belief that the war was holy and that Japan would emerge victorious at the end no matter what kind of obstacles they may come across. The use of propaganda may differ considerably between these two nations at war but the results were exactly what the government had in mind - elevating the statuses of those who die for their country and glorifying the act of self sacrifice as patriotic. Japanese Propaganda Kokutai, literally “national body”, is translated simply as ‘sovereignty’ and in wartime Japan meant the Emperor’s sovereignty. Basically, the qualities that make a Japanese “Japanese”. The Ministry of Education then...
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...China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2010. Illustrations, maps. 664 pp. $65.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-8047-6206-9. Reviewed by Roger H. Brown (Saitama University) Published on H-War (December, 2012) Commissioned by Margaret Sankey The Sino-Japanese War of 1937-45 was immense both in its scale and consequences. Nevertheless, Western military histories of World War II have focused overwhelmingly on the campaigns of the European and Pacific theaters, and those specialized studies of the conflict that do exist deal primarily with such matters as diplomacy; politics; mass mobilization; and, in more recent years, Japanese atrocities and public memory. Indeed, as the editors of the volume under review attest, “a general history of the military operations during the war based on Japanese, Chinese, and Western sources does not exist in English” (p. xix). In 2004, Japanese, Chinese, and Western scholars gathered to remedy this situation and in the belief that such a close study of the operations and strategy of the Sino-Japanese War would “illustrate that, in this period, warfare drove much of what happened in the political, economic, social, and cultural spheres in China and Japan.” They further recognized that because “much of the best scholarship on WWII in East Asia is naturally produced in China and Japan,” there was a need to “bring the fruits of Chinese and Japanese work to the attention of a wider public”...
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...• The seed that planted the Chinese Civil war lies in its social, political and economic instability within the Chinese society. The Chinese civil war was an armed conflict between two ideologically opposed forces - the Nationalists Guomingdang (GMD) and the Communists People Liberation Army (CCP) – to see who could ultimately restore power and regain central control over China. As Historian Jonathan Spence argues, the Chinese Civil War should refer more narrowly to this latter conflict between 1946 and 1949, as this produced a decisive result. Although there are many causes to the outbreak of the war, the main long term, mid-term, immediate and catalyst causes will be discussed. The overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty coupled with the Warlord era, followed by the ideological divide between the CCP and the GMD during the First United Front led to the catalyst cause during the Sino-Japanese war, in which the two parties truly showed the extent to which they will go to, to become the leader and unifier of the country, unleashing the ultimate trigger to the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War. The most significant long term cause of the civil war in China was the collapse of the Qing Dynasty, as it played a fundamental role in creating the conditions for the event. The Qing government became weakened economically, socially and politically from internal and external threats by the end of the 19th century. European imperialist powers and Japan forced their way into China to take advantage...
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... The Domino Effect of the White Terror Have you ever tapped lightly against one domino and watched it knock down a whole line of these small squares? It is amazing how one single action can reciprocate so many other events. This is not only the case for dominoes, of course- everyday events have occurred like this too. A perfect example of the domino effect is the Communist split from the Nationalists, commonly known as the White Terror. This sudden purge only lasted around three nights, but the effects of the split would last for many decades in the future. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) split from the Chinese Nationalists in 1927 affected both China itself and other foreign nations through the triggering of major wars, changes in international relations, and the formation of modern China- one of the world’s leading economies. The effects of the split, both positive and negative, would last for many years to come. After splitting from the Nationalists, Mao Zedong led the legendary Long March- a campaign that would garner support for him and split the country into two parties. Although the route was extremely long and dangerous, the popularity gained along the way sustained the marchers. As Mao Zedong wrote in his 1935 poem The Long March, “the Red Army fears not the trials of the Long March, holding light ten thousand crags and torrents ... Min Mountain's thousand li of snow joyously crossed, the three Armies march on, each face glowing”...
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...Invasion and Migration by Japan on the Chinese Society Introduction The Sino-Japanese Wars were the largest wars in the Asian battlefield during the World War II. The Sino-Japanese Wars were conflicts between China and Japan in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There were two Sino-Japanese Wars: the first one lasted from July 1894 to April 1895; the Second one, which was known in China as the war of resistance against Japan, lasted from the outbreak of the fighting on 7 July 1937 to 14 August 1945—although recent Chinese historiography tends to date the war from the Japanese occupation of Manchuria in 1931. Both wars were crucial in the formation and ultimate defeat of Japanese imperial expansion in East Asia and in the development of a sense of Chinese nationalism. Although the Sino-Japanese Wars were end in 1945 with the victory of China, it made up more than 50% of the casualties in the Pacific War if the 1937–1941 periods are taken into account. The impacts of invasion and migration by Japan on Chinese society are various. This essay will present these impacts on three aspects, which are politics, economy and culture. The Impacts on the Chinese Politics During the invasion and migration of Japan, Sino-Japanese War broke the confrontation between pre-war China's major political parties and other parties. As the Japanese attempt to monopolize China and launch a comprehensive war against China, it made a fundamental change among the class relations in China;...
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...WHAT CAUSED THE CHINESE CIVIL WAR? Cases of Chinese Civil war can be divided into long and short term causes. 1. Struggle for power since 1927 between Nationalists and Communists 2. Chiang Kai-shek had tried to eradicate members of CCP 3. Japanese War unite CCP and GMD. However, Chiang Kai-shek couldn't accept Communists as his partners so he attack Communist forces in the south. 4. Polarized society Short term: 1. Divided country 2. Revolutional spirit 3. The Chinese Civil War (1927 – 1949/1950) was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang (KMT or Chinese Nationalist Party), the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China (CPC) (also known as CCP - Chinese Communist Party),[6] for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China (ROC) and People's Republic of China (PRC). The war began in April 1927, amidst the Northern Expedition,[7], and essentially ended when major active battles ceased in 1949-1950. However there is debate on whether the war has officially ended. The conflict continues in the form of military threats and political and economic pressure, particularly over the political status of Taiwan. The continued tension is described in cross-Strait relations. The war represented an ideological split between the Nationalist KMT, and the Communist CPC. In mainland China today, the last three years of the war (1947–1949) are more commonly known as the War of Liberation, or alternatively...
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...Why does Japan become involved in World War Two? Japan’s involvement in World War II was not focused on the conflict in Europe; rather it was focused on its own expansion into surrounding countries and the consequences that arose from this. More specifically Japan entering World War II was caused due to Japan’s attempt to conquer China and its continued march on East and South-east Asian territory. Japan’s expansion and entering World War II is closely linked due to key reasons including: Japan’s need for resources/land, imperialism/expansionism and military control. Japans need for natural resources in early war years is one of the driving factors in why they became involved in World War Two. Japan is a highly populated island country with little to no resources and also with a rapidly increasing population. This made Japan very trade reliant with other countries mainly consisting of the United States for oil and raw metals. The constant reliance of importation of raw materials to maintain its economy worried Japan. When the depression hit in the late 1920’s “more than forty countries raised tariffs on Japanese goods”. Since Japan was so reliant on trade they were forced to act in the form of securing natural resources for themselves. This meant the expansion into China. In 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria. Japan believed Manchuria offered many natural resources and it boasted nearly 200,000 square kilometres for her growing population. The Mukden Incident was the excuse the...
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...has sovereignty over the Senkaku islands. * Chinese believe the islands were unlawfully seized by Japan in the war 1895. * Japan argues that possession is nine-tenths of the law and that there can be no dispute since they have occupied the Senkakus for the past over 100 years. For the past 40 years Japan has managed to avoid the conflict over the islands by not raising questions of sovereignty and not engaging in any economic development. * China fully expected that the islands would be returned to them in 1972 when the United States gave up its occupation of the Okinawan chain. * As Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda purchased the islands by buying them for Japan , the Japanese illusion that “ no territorial dispute exists” was undermined. * This offended China and immediately made violent protests for the purchase of the islands. * The Noda-decision and the Chinese protesting response mean that Japan can no longer adhere to the view that the islands are not dispute. * The challenge facing both countries is what to do about this, so they requested negotiated solutions to the dispute. * The questions now are whether or not both countries are hostage to extreme nationalist agendas and what conditions will be helpful to successful negotiations. 1. There has to be an acknowledgement of a divisive territorial dispute. As the Japanese government bought the islands, they acknowledged that the islands were contested and now both countries need to decide...
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...always at the same time as an end”. On the retributivist view, legal punishment is justified as a means of making those who are responsible for a crime or harm pay for it. According to the retributivist view, payment must to be made in some way that is equivalent to the crime or harm done. There are two arguments, proportional equivalency and egalitarian equivalency. For proportional equivalency, one is required to pay back something proportional. Egalitarian equivalency which is another view of retributivist holds that what is required in return is something identical or almost identical to what was taken. 2. First particular case to be examined (Case 1) 2.1 Case description The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) was a military conflict fought primarily between China and Japan. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in...
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...The Sources of Japanese Militarism Source: J.B. Crowley, “A New Deal for Japan and Asia: One Road to Pearl Harbor” (1970)1 Introduction While the events of Pearl Harbor (1941) became “a date which will live in infamy” for the Americans, it is doubted by many if the attack was to be expected due to the rigid U.S. policy toward Japan. Crowley argues that by not acting against the 1931 Japanese intervention in Manchuria the U.S. “condemned itself to Pearl Harbor and the Pacific War”. In the perspective of the Vietnam War the aspects of Asian nationalism, the heritage of colonialism, communist ideology & national movement emerged. America’s role in Asia should be reassessed, and a better understanding of Asian racism and nationalism is needed. In this perspective Pearl Harbor will be seen as a by-product of Asian nationalism and as a conflict between an Asian country and the Occidental nationalism. As he assumes for the Japanese Pearl Harbor portrayed “a blow against the efforts of the Occidental powers to strangle Japan”. He quotes Tokutomi Sohō’s comment on the Imperial Declaration of War: “We must show the races of East Asia that order, tranquillity, peace... can be gained only by eradicating... [the Anglo-Saxons] ...and by making Nippon the leader of East Asia.” The essay of Crowley aims to help the better understanding of nationalism, colonialism, communism and imperialism in the Asian setting. The post-WW1 situation 1 Besides this essay, I relayed on the Wikipedia...
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...The Long March Part A Practice The Long March took place in China from October 1934 to October 1935. It was a strategic retreat from Jianxi province in the south, all the way to Yan’an in the north of China. The Long March began Mao Zedong's ascent to power, whose leadership during the retreat gained him the support of the members of the party. The bitter struggles of the Long March, which was completed by only about one-tenth of the force that left Jiangxi, came to represent a significant event in the history of the Communist Party of China. This sealed the personal prestige of Mao and his supporters as the new leaders of the party in the following twenty years, creating the new party elite. Some historians, such as Spence, are sceptical about the significance of the Long March on the CCP. However it is clear that at the time it was an incredibly significant event for the communists. This is shown by Sources 2 and 6, both intimating that the Long March was crucial. The success of the Long March created propaganda for the communists and helped to spread the communist message amongst the population of China. One short term effect of the Long March was that communism was spread around China and events during the Long March were mythologised and used as propaganda against Chiang and the KMT. It was vital in helping the CCP to gain a positive reputation among the peasants due to the determination and dedication of the surviving participants of the Long March. Source 7 is a drawing...
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...last time that there were any concessions made in regards to the atrocities in China were during and after World War II. Much of the historiography has been limited due the amount of silence that has been present throughout the world. Because of this, research about the atrocity had just recently begun to surface. Due to this fact, there are many factors that are brought into question when looking specifically at a historical event, especially one that is tied to such brutal emotion. The authors I have chosen each attempt to explain why there has been such a delay in Nanking’s historiography and at the same time attempt to explain what actually occurred there in 1937-38. I selected three books for this paper. The first is The Nanking Atrocity 1937-38 by Bob Tadashi Wakabayashi. The book was released on the 70th anniversary of the fall of the Chinese city of Nanking to the Japanese army. The perspective offered is by majority non-American with the exception being two contributors. Wakabayashi discusses what lies at the core of bitter disputes over history, wartime victimization, and postwar restitution that hinder healthy Sino-Japanese relations to this day. The Nanking Atrocity, which is both history and historiography, offers the most recent scholarship about what actually happened in Nanking and places those findings in the context of how Chinese and Japanese writers have attributed mutually incompatible meanings to the event ever since. Wakabayashi further discusses how...
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...its target. The bomb had hit the forward powder magazine of the USS Arizona. The mighty explosion split the great ship in half, taking only nine minutes for her to sink (A Summary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, 2012). Now that we are out of the box looking in, this is what a Japanese pilot might have felt as he flew his plane on that haunting yet unforgettable mission to that bay at Pearl; for he was on his way of creating history from the destruction of an entire fleet in anchor. This Japanese warrior and his culture of war would not know the consequences of his emperor’s actions; for it would only unite an entire country in a fit of rage from this horrific and unprovoked act initiated by the rising sun nation of Japan. This battle would not only be the beginning of WWII for the United States, but it would be the beginning of the end of a military force in Japan. It was this mission and Japan’s cultural importance of war that would lead to the consequence of these pilots on that eventful day in December, for this mission eventually would only bring fire and a vast amount of immense pain and suffering upon their own people. The once fearless strength and courage of the Japanese warrior who would not face defeat upon their own eyes would be brought to their knees in the disgrace of surrender upon the deck of the USS...
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...Auschwitz Auschwitz was a network of both a concentration and extermination camp built by the Nazis in 1940, during World War II. It consisted of Auschwitz I (the original camp), Auschwitz II–Birkenau (a combination concentration / extermination camp), Auschwitz III–Monowitz (a labor camp to staff an IG Farben factory), and 45 satellite camps. The Germans isolated all the camps and sub-camps from the outside world and surrounded them with barbed wire fencing. All contact with the outside world was forbidden. Auschwitz was the largest of the Nazi's camps and the most streamlined mass killing center ever created. At least 1.1 million prisoners died at Auschwitz, around 90 percent of them Jewish; approximately 1 in 6 Jews killed in the Holocaust died at the camp. The construction of 4 large gas chambers and crematoria began in Birkenau in 1942. They went into operation between March 22 and June 25-26, 1943. The gas chambers at crematoria II and III, like the undressing rooms, were located underground, while those at crematoria IV and V stood at ground level. About 2 thousand people at a time could be put to death in each of them. All Jews classified because of their age or physical condition as unfit for labor were subject to immediate extermination directly after their arrival in the camp, without being registered or assigned a number. Character and Traits | Courage; Type; Page # | Cowardice; Page # | Scout: Adventurous, intelligent, confident, tough | When Atticus decides...
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...Modernistic Views of the Nanjing Atrocity Introduction “Japanese people do not say something appropriate. When Iris Chang published her book ‘The Rape of Nanjing’ in 1997, an American ambassador gave explanation that Japanese is deeply repentant for accepting that they killed hundreds of thousands Chinese people. Did the Japanese representative really mean to take all criticisms without anything to say? Not only the representative of Japan but also we, the Japanese people, have a problem about explaining historical facts in foreign language especially in English. There are the facts, which are not yet lifting the veil in Japanese historical records. We should provide and send those in English translation.” Hiromichi Moteki, the Deputy Chairman for Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact, has given a speech of the Nanjing Massacre history that it should be reexamined and proved there is no evidence that Japanese Imperial army killed 300,000 Nanjing people. Not only Moteki is trying to broaden the historical facts, but also many Japanese historical researchers delve into the matter. Even though Nazi Germany, where there were dreadful massacres during World War II and Millions of people were approached unwilling dead by hunger, heavy laboring, poison gas, human experimentations by soldiers and doctors, they are reexamining own responsibilities and investigates the atrocities without regard for any limitation. Unlike Germany under the Nazi political power, Nanjing incident...
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