"Japanese troops entering Tsitsihar" by Osaka Mainichi war cameramen - World War II database, original: Japanese troops entering Tsitsihar.. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
SL Case Study: Japanese Expansion in East Asia 1931-41
(also part of HL Unit 11-Japan 1912-1990)
While there are some notes on the syllabus areas below to get you started, the IB Guide expects you to lead your own learning. With this in mind use the notes, links and questions to guide your thinking rather than as a replacement for it.
Tasks (you may want to do these after exploring the questions and links below):
- Identify which of the views in this slideshow are contradictory
- Explain why they are contradictory
- Identify any of the views from the slideshow which fit together
- Explain how they fit together
- Explain which of the views (or combination of views) you agree with the most as an explanation for Japanese expansionism into Manchuria in 1931
Syllabus areas to cover |
Key concepts to guide your inquiry |
Section 1: Causes of expansion
The impact of Japanese nationalism and militarism on foreign policy
Japanese domestic issues
Political and economic issues
Political instability in China
Japan's Quest for Empire 1931-45 -This is an excellent overview and superb intro by Dr Susan Townsend Japan's Military Aggression -Gives a good overview of some causes Japan's Economic Expansion into Manchuria: Part 2: Bibliography -Gives an excellent overall introduction Historiographical overview-Gives very brief overviews of much of the thinking on each of the topics above Japan's Territorial Expansion -Has a nice map Section 2: Events Japanese invasion of Manchuria and northern China (1931)
The Outbreak of war in Asia-Pacific; Pearl Harbor 1941
Links: Events The Sino-Japanese War 1937-45 -From Britannica, has some excellent newsreel footage Japan's Quest for Power and World War II in Asia -From Asia for Educators, has some excellent links and questions The Tripartite Pact -A summary of the text of the pact Pearl Harbour- From Spartacus schoolnet, includes the Tripartite Pact and primary sources Pearl Harbour: A Rude Awakening -An overview essay on the run up to the Pearl Harbour attacks from BBC History Section 3: Responses League of Nations and the Lytton report
Links: Responses The League of Nations and the Japanese invasion of Manchuria-For GCSE students but a useful starting point U.S. reaction to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria -Covers the Stimson Doctrine Primary Source - U.S. Reaction to the Japanese actions -The US ambassador to the Department of State |
The Six Key Concepts and Inquiry Questions derived from them to consider as you study this unit. Even better if you make up your own.
Change
Continuity
Causation
Consequence
Significance
Perspectives
Key TErms
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