Rise of Militarism

From the opening of Japan's shores to the Tripartite Pact of 1940, the character of Japanese society changed drastically. The military takeover was fed by constantly increasing anti-foreigner sentiment, and that sentiment was built up by over a century of political sanctions from the west and internal struggles in Japan. The rise of militarism was the culmination of culture, politics, and economic turmoil.

31st March 1854

The Convention of Kanagawa

The first of the unequal treaties, the united states made Japan open it's ports under threat of force, ending it's 220 year seclusion.

View on timeline

14th October 1854

The Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty

Japan opens it's ports to British ships under mistranslation and attempted negotiations by the British to keep japan from siding with Russia in the crimean war. the treaty was plagued by mistranslation and vaguely worded.

View on timeline

7th February 1855

The Treaty of Shimoda

Russia's trade agreement with Japan. Though the negotiations were less hostile and the treaty slightly more Balanced, it was still the equal of the Kanagawa model.

View on timeline

29th Jul 1858 - 9th Oct 1858

The Ansei Treaties

The main bulk of the unequal treaties- starting with the Harris treaty in July of 1858 and the last (of the year) being the French/Japanese treaty in October of 1858

View on timeline

26th August 1858

The Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce

The more clearly worded Anglo-Japanese treaty is signed, following the unequal treaty format of more concessions to England then benefits to Japan.

View on timeline

24th March 1860

Sakuradamon Incident

Li Naosuke, Japanese chief minister, is assassinated following the signing of the unequal treaties. The conspirators manifesto was as follows: While fully aware of the necessity for some change in policy since the coming of the Americans at Uraga, it is entirely against the interest of the country and a stain on the national honour to open up commercial relations with foreigners, to admit foreigners into the Castle, to conclude treaties with them, to abolish the established practice of trampling on the picture of Christ, to allow foreigners to build places of worship for the evil religion, and to allow the three Foreign Ministers to reside in the land (...) Therefore, we have consecrated ourselves to be the instruments of Heaven to punish this wicked man, and we have taken on ourselves the duty of ending a serious evil, by killing this atrocious autocrat. — Manifesto of the Sakuradamon conspirators.

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11th March 1863

The Order to Expel Barbarians

In 1863 Emperor Komei broke with the tradition of the Emperor as a spiritual figurehead and spoke out against the foreign presence in Japan. He issued the "Order to Expel Barbarians", an edict calling for foreigners to be thrown out of Japan that resulted in outbreaks of violence both against the shogunate that was actually ruling and not enforcing the emperor's orders and against British and American people and forces stationed in Japan.

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2nd March 1865

The Hamaguri Gate Rebellion

A pro-Emperor and anti-foreigner attempted takeover of the shogunate. Though it ultimately failed, it continued to highlight the immense anti-foreigner sentiment amoung the japanese people.

View on timeline

3rd February 1867

Emperor Meiji takes power

Emperor Meiji's reign began a hugely transformative period known as the Meiji restoration, where the emperor's power was restored and Japan truly began to modernize.

View on timeline

3rd Feb 1867 - 30th Jul 1912

The Meiji Restoration

In an attempt to catch up with western powers with the ascendance of Emperor Meiji Japan undergoes a series of reforms including the centralizing of the government, the introduction of universal male suffrage, a more democratic governmental system, compulsory education, compulsory military conscription, and the establishment of a powerful Navy.

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11th February 1889

The Meiji Constitution is Adopted

Japan adopts the Diet, or a house of representatives elected by vote.

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14th March 1907

The Gentleman's Agreement

An agreement between the United States and Japan that limited Japanese immigration while moving against segregation orders imposed on Japanese schoolchildren in San Francisco.

View on timeline

30th July 1912

Emperor Taisho takes the throne

Unlike his predecessor, emperor Taisho exercised almost no political power and ultimately his reign marks the real beginning of militarism's takeover.

View on timeline

18th January 1919

The Paris Peace Conference

At the post world war 1 paris peace conference Japan submits a Racial Equality Clause to the league of nations charter, in an attempt to lessen the west's treatment. It is unequivocally rejected.

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12th Nov 1921 - 6th Feb 1922

The Washington Naval Conference

Following World War 1 the League of Nations was seeking Naval disarmament, and passed regulations limiting the sizes of it's members Naval forces. Britain and America pushed Japan into the lowest size Naval force it would accept.

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1st September 1923

The Great Kanto Earthquake

The Earthquake and resulting Tsunami obliterated Japan's developing economy and sent the country into a spiraling depression, where most of the citizens were starving and desperate for a government that would bring them some relief, and added fuel to criticisms of western "decadence" that had begun to arise as a result of the wealth in the western trading centers of Japan.

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23rd December 1924

Japanese Depression

From the kanto eathquake to the early 1930s Japan experianced severe economic depression, particularly in it's rural regions. This caused a massive increase in Army membership, as poor rural men enlisted and nationalistic sentiment grew among the poor- as wealth became associated with western decadence.

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25th December 1926

Emperor Hirohito takes the throne

Known also as emperor Showa after the time period, he remained emperor through World War 2 and is not thought to have played much role in government.

View on timeline

22nd April 1930

The London Naval Treaty

The London Naval treaty was meant to be an extension of the one signed in Washington, and limited the size of Japanese forces in terms of the size of american and British forces- worsening tensions.

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13th December 1931

The Manchurian Incident

The Japanese army fakes a railway bombing by "chinese rebels" and without official approval launches an invasion of Manchuria. The lack of repercussions from the main Japanese government or the Emperor effectively gives the military the approval to act independently.

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26th February 1936

The February 26th Incident

Japan's military had always been highly factionalized. Both sides were highly imperialistic, and up to 1936 they kept control of the government by assassinations. However, on February 26th the faction that supported the strict following of Japanese culture and the emperor over the total war goals of the other staged a coup after their division was threatened with a transfer to Manchuria. The Coup failed and it's members largely were executed. The total war faction consolidated it's control on the government and the country moved toward war.

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Rise of Militarism

http://online.wsj.com/ww1/japanese-militarism

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Event

The February 26th Incident

26th February 1936

Japan's military had always been highly factionalized. Both sides were highly imperialistic, and up to 1936 they kept control of the government by...

More
Event

The Manchurian Incident

13th December 1931

The Japanese army fakes a railway bombing by "chinese rebels" and without official approval launches an invasion of Manchuria. The lack of...

More
Event

The London Naval Treaty

22nd April 1930

The London Naval treaty was meant to be an extension of the one signed in Washington, and limited the size of Japanese forces in terms of the size of...

More
Event

Emperor Hirohito takes the throne

25th December 1926

Known also as emperor Showa after the time period, he remained emperor through World War 2 and is not thought to have played much role in government.

More
Event

Japanese Depression

23rd December 1924

From the kanto eathquake to the early 1930s Japan experianced severe economic depression, particularly in it's rural regions. This caused a massive...

More
Event

The Great Kanto Earthquake

1st September 1923

The Earthquake and resulting Tsunami obliterated Japan's developing economy and sent the country into a spiraling depression, where most of the...

More
Event

The Washington Naval Conference

12th Nov 1921 - 6th Feb 1922

Following World War 1 the League of Nations was seeking Naval disarmament, and passed regulations limiting the sizes of it's members Naval forces....

More
Event

The Paris Peace Conference

18th January 1919

At the post world war 1 paris peace conference Japan submits a Racial Equality Clause to the league of nations charter, in an attempt to lessen the...

More
Event

Emperor Taisho takes the throne

30th July 1912

Unlike his predecessor, emperor Taisho exercised almost no political power and ultimately his reign marks the real beginning of militarism's takeover.

More
Event

The Gentleman's Agreement

14th March 1907

An agreement between the United States and Japan that limited Japanese immigration while moving against segregation orders imposed on Japanese...

More
Event

The Meiji Constitution is Adopted

11th February 1889

Japan adopts the Diet, or a house of representatives elected by vote.

More
Event

The Meiji Restoration

3rd Feb 1867 - 30th Jul 1912

In an attempt to catch up with western powers with the ascendance of Emperor Meiji Japan undergoes a series of reforms including the centralizing of...

More
Event

Emperor Meiji takes power

3rd February 1867

Emperor Meiji's reign began a hugely transformative period known as the Meiji restoration, where the emperor's power was restored and Japan truly...

More
Event

The Hamaguri Gate Rebellion

2nd March 1865

A pro-Emperor and anti-foreigner attempted takeover of the shogunate. Though it ultimately failed, it continued to highlight the immense...

More
Event

The Order to Expel Barbarians

11th March 1863

In 1863 Emperor Komei broke with the tradition of the Emperor as a spiritual figurehead and spoke out against the foreign presence in Japan. He issued...

More
Event

Sakuradamon Incident

24th March 1860

Li Naosuke, Japanese chief minister, is assassinated following the signing of the unequal treaties. The conspirators manifesto was as follows: ...

More
Event

The Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce

26th August 1858

The more clearly worded Anglo-Japanese treaty is signed, following the unequal treaty format of more concessions to England then benefits to Japan.

More
Event

The Ansei Treaties

29th Jul 1858 - 9th Oct 1858

The main bulk of the unequal treaties- starting with the Harris treaty in July of 1858 and the last (of the year) being the French/Japanese treaty in...

More
Event

The Treaty of Shimoda

7th February 1855

Russia's trade agreement with Japan. Though the negotiations were less hostile and the treaty slightly more Balanced, it was still the equal of the...

More
Event

The Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty

14th October 1854

Japan opens it's ports to British ships under mistranslation and attempted negotiations by the British to keep japan from siding with Russia in the...

More
Event

The Convention of Kanagawa

31st March 1854

The first of the unequal treaties, the united states made Japan open it's ports under threat of force, ending it's 220 year seclusion.

More
March 1854

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    By christineNova
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    Rise of Militarism

    From the opening of Japan's shores to the Tripartite Pact of 1940, the character of Japanese society changed drastically. The military takeover was fed by constantly increasing anti-foreigner sentiment, and that sentiment was built up by over a century of political sanctions from the west and internal struggles in Japan. The rise of militarism was the culmination of culture, politics, and economic turmoil.

    NaN of 21 stories

    The February 26th Incident
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