World-Power Competition in Asia...

1. Wor ld-Power
Competition
i n
Easter n Asia,
1890-1945.

2. Wars have inevitably been fought to win
p o s s e s s i o n o f r e s o u r c e s
( m i n e r a l , a g r i c u l t u r a l , h u m a n ) .

3. C. 1900, world-power competition sharply
increased amongst industrializing nations
which rapaciously eyed Asia--(especially
China)--for resource oppor tunities.

4. T h e a n c i e n t
state of China
p o s s e s s e d a
v e n e r a b l e
civilization, large
population, and
a b u n d a n t
resources; yet, due
t o g r o s s
mismanagement,
d e c a d e n c e a n d
c o r r u p t i o n , t h e
Chinese state was
w e a k a n d
v u l n e r a b l e .

5. Nearby Japan
t o o h a d a n
ancient culture
plus traditions
o f m a r t i a l
p r o w e s s .

6. Japan & Russia
had an especially keen
interest in
Korea & China
due to geographic
proximity and
geo-strategic
considerations of
national security.

7. Thus, despite
C h i n a ’ s
v o c i f e r o u s
o b j e c t i o n s ,
B r i t a i n ,
G e r m a n y ,
R u s s i a ,
France, and
J a p a n
s o u g h t t o
cut up the rich
Chinese pie.

8. For Japan, control
o f K o r e a w a s
a critical first step
t o w a r d s
g e o - s t r a t e g i c
security (vis-à-vis
Russia and China).
A f t e r K o r e a ,
M a n c h u r i a
would be the next
target. To wit was
launched the First
Sino-Japanese War
(1894-95) wherein
Japan captured
Korea (and Formosa).

9. In A.D.1900, in exchange with Britain
(t h e n ove r ex t e n d e d i n t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n
W a r ), Japan received 1 million £ for
militar y assistance in China to
suppress the “Boxer” Rebellion.

10. I n 1 9 0 2 ,
Britain and
J a p a n
s t r u c k a n
A ng l o-Ja panese
Tr eaty (expir ed
1 9 2 1 ) w h i c h
tremendously
b e n e f i t t e d
J a p a n ’ s
w o r l d
power status.

11. In 1904, Japan bested Russia
over Korea a n d Manchuria.

12. The chaos of China at that time virtually
beggars description: civil war, foreign invasion,
disease, flood, famine, unemployment, addiction,
crime, corruption, and revolution; then, in 1911, the
last dynasty (Qing) fell in total disintegration.

13. D u r i n g W W I , J a p a n o c c u p i e d G e r m a n
positions in China (1915), then, after the
c o m m u n i s t r e v o l u t i o n i n R u s s i a
( 1 9 1 7 ) , i n v a d e d S i b e r i a .
Incredibly, Japan had aspirations to entirely
s e v e r e a s t e r n S i b e r i a f r o m R u s s i a .
The task, however, proved too much even for the
canny Japanese, and finally in 1922 the project
w a s a b a n d o n e d ; h o w e v e r ,
a n t i - c o m m u n i s t s e n t i m e n t s r e m a i n e d
s t r o n g i n J a p a n e s e c o n s c i o u s n e s s .

14. Fr o m t h i s t i m e o n
( 1 9 2 0 s & ’ 3 0 s ) ,
Japan’s goals for
K o r e a a n d
M a n c h u r i a
(Manchukuo) included
rationalization and
m o d e r n i z a t i o n t o
facilitate some degree
o f c o ö p e r a t i o n ,
c o e r c i o n a n d
m a n i p u l a t i o n f o r
e x p l o i t a t i o n ,
expr opriati on, and
d o m i n a t i o n .

15. S e e i n g
communism
a menace in
Asia, in 1936
J a p a n
s i g n e d a n
a n t i -
c o m m u n i s t
alliance with
P r u s s i a
(Germany) in
o r d e r t o
c o n t a i n
R u s s i a .

16. In 1937, Japan inaugurated full-scale war on
China (Second Sino-Japanese War): like a
degenerate gambler, Japan doubled-down on its
l o s s e s o f t r a d e , b l o o d , a n d t r e a s u r e .

17. In 1939, Japan found
i t s e l f o n c e a g a i n i n
combat with Russia;
and by 1941, Japan
w a s i n g l o b a l
w a r w i t h C h i n a ,
B r it ain , a n d USA.

18. © T u l l y A t k i n s o n , 2 0 1 9