Changes

The world in the early 1930s was suffering from the Great Depression.  This created discontent and encouraged change.  National governments were in place in Italy and Germany, but the people were not happy with them.

The world in the early 1930s was suffering from the Great Depression.  This created discontent and encouraged change.  National governments were in place in Italy and Germany, but the people were not happy with them.

Nationalism had been developing for decades, but it turned into an extreme form known as “[[fascism]]” during this period.  Fascism is defined as a political philosophy that elevates the nation and its ethnicity above the individual, and uses a dictator to impose economic and social regimentation and control.  Often symbols are used for the purpose of mind-control, like the [[swastika]] in Germany.  Special salutes are also required to inculcate complete devotion to the national ruler, such as "''Heil Hitler''"  Mass rallies were common.  All opposition was suppressed.

Nationalism had been developing for decades, but it turned into an extreme form known as “[[fascism]]” during this period.  Fascism is defined as a political philosophy that elevates the nation and its ethnicity above the individual, and uses a dictator to impose economic and social regimentation and control.  Often symbols are used for the purpose of mind-control, like the [[swastika]] in Germany.  Special salutes are also required to inculcate complete devotion to the national ruler, such as "''Heil Hitler''". Mass rallies were common.  All opposition was suppressed.

Fascism is very different from [[communism]], and fascist countries were the mortal enemies of communist countries.  Communism sought a [[worldwide revolution]] that would abolish national identity, while fascism sought exactly to advance their country over the rest of the world.  Communism opposed different social classes, while fascism encouraged it.  Communism hated wealth, while fascism encouraged the creation of wealth to make the nation stronger.  Communism considered everyone to be equal, while fascists thought their nation was the best.  Communism pushed women into the traditionally male roles of industrial workers and even soldiers, while strongly nationalistic countries like Japan imported foreign male workers from Korea and China rather than force women into industrial jobs.  Many say that fascism and communism are opposites, but they did have a few key characteristics in common: both used a dictator and demanded complete allegiance to the state ruler, rather than to God. Both also had a disdain for individual freedom and human rights, and both stressed the collective.

Fascism is very different from [[communism]], and fascist countries were the mortal enemies of communist countries.  Communism sought a [[worldwide revolution]] that would abolish national identity, while fascism sought exactly to advance their country over the rest of the world.  Communism opposed different social classes, while fascism encouraged it.  Communism hated wealth, while fascism encouraged the creation of wealth to make the nation stronger.  Communism considered everyone to be equal, while fascists thought their nation was the best.  Communism pushed women into the traditionally male roles of industrial workers and even soldiers, while strongly nationalistic countries like Japan imported foreign male workers from Korea and China rather than force women into industrial jobs.  Many say that fascism and communism are opposites, but they did have a few key characteristics in common: both used a dictator and demanded complete allegiance to the state ruler, rather than to God. Both also had a disdain for individual freedom and human rights, and both stressed the collective.

Both countries had powerful industrial economies to feed their thirst for power.  In Germany, a leader (Adolf Hitler) had risen to power who had phenomenal public speaking skills, and who could whip the German people into a frenzy with his demagoguery.  In Japan the national religion (Shinto) called on the Japanese to do the emperor’s will as though a god had ordered them to do so.

Both countries had powerful industrial economies to feed their thirst for power.  In Germany, a leader (Adolf Hitler) had risen to power who had phenomenal public speaking skills, and who could whip the German people into a frenzy with his demagoguery.  In Japan the national religion (Shinto) called on the Japanese to do the emperor’s will as though a god had ordered them to do so.

Germany and Japan had no connection with each other, and were located on nearly opposite sides of the globe.  How does one explain that they rose to power and threatened the world at the same time?  Just as we saw unrelated peoples do similar things in ancient times, such as building structures that looked like ziggurats and developing [[feudalism]], we see the coincidence of German and Japan nationalism independently threatening the world at the same time.

Germany and Japan both experienced a rise of nationalism, the rise of an influential, popular dictator, and began to threaten the world at the same time.  Other nations experienced the same rise of nationalism, and dictators coming to power, but did not become as serious of a threat.  Why was it that these two nations independently came to the same conclusions of nationalism and dictatorship, but came from extremely different starting points; one because of religion, the other, due to the lack thereof?  Just as we saw unrelated peoples do similar things in ancient times, such as building structures that looked like ziggurats and developing [[feudalism]], we see the coincidence of German and Japan nationalism independently threatening the world at the same time.  

 

===Aggression in the 1930s===  

===Aggression in the 1930s===  

Japan decided that it could solve its economic problems by expanding.  That would enable it to obtain raw materials for production and new markets for exports.  At least that is what many historians say.  Perhaps the real truth is that the Japanese liked winning wars and no one had beaten them yet.  China was many times bigger than Japan, but was no match for the Japanese military.  Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, attracted in part by the coal and iron deposits there.  This invasion began the Asian phase of World War II.

Japan decided that it could solve its economic problems by expanding.  That would enable it to obtain raw materials for production and new markets for exports.  At least that is what many historians say.  Perhaps the real truth is that the Japanese liked winning wars and no one had beaten them yet.  China was many times bigger than Japan, but was no match for the Japanese military.  Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, attracted in part by the coal and iron deposits there.  This invasion began the Asian phase of World War II.

The League of Nations condemned this invasion but was helpless to stop it.  Japan withdrew from the League in 1933.

The League of Nations condemned this invasion but chose not to stop it, from fear that any opposition would spark another war like the one they had just suffered through.  They held onto the hope that if left alone, the invasions would stop.  Japan withdrew from the League in 1933, and, along with Germany, played off of the fears of the League of Nations.

In 1937, Japan invaded northern and central China.  It sacked the Chinese capital of Nanjing, killing thousands of soldiers and civilians.  Jiang Jieshi fled to the west while Mao Zedong’s guerrilla fighters stayed to combat the Japanese.

In 1937, Japan invaded northern and central China.  It sacked the Chinese capital of Nanjing, killing thousands of soldiers and civilians.  Jiang Jieshi fled to the west while Mao Zedong’s guerrilla fighters stayed to combat the Japanese.

But perhaps Billy Mitchell’s warnings did make a difference.  In 1942 the United States sent Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle to bomb Tokyo and other Japanese cities, largely for symbolic purposes.  In May 1942, a fleet of American and Australian ships intercepted a Japanese strike force and stopped Japanese advances at the Battle of Coral Sea.  This was the first battle in world history in which both sides fought in aircraft based on aircraft carriers.

But perhaps Billy Mitchell’s warnings did make a difference.  In 1942 the United States sent Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle to bomb Tokyo and other Japanese cities, largely for symbolic purposes.  In May 1942, a fleet of American and Australian ships intercepted a Japanese strike force and stopped Japanese advances at the Battle of Coral Sea.  This was the first battle in world history in which both sides fought in aircraft based on aircraft carriers.

Perhaps Providence helped too.  In June 1942, the Japanese brought together the largest naval force in the world near Midway Island in the Pacific.  One soldier with superb vision noticed some dots on the horizon during a routine surveillance flight in the Pacific, and discovered the massive Japanese fleet.  Alerting his aircraft carrier of the find, Admiral Chester Nimitz, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, launched an attack and won the Battle of Midway, which was the turning point in the war against the Japanese. General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the Allied land forces in the Pacific, then embarked on a strategy of island-hopping to capture strategic islands surrounding Japanese positions.  The Japanese, who were trained not to surrender, fought tenaciously for months before succumbing to American and Australian forces in the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

In June 1942, the Japanese brought together the largest naval force in the world near Midway Island in the Pacific.  The American cryptographers had by this time deciphered enough of the Japanese messages to know that there was going to be an attack on Midway, and they knew roughly when the attack would occur.  When the Japanese did attack, there was an American force waiting for them. The Americans had home field advantage and surprise on their side, as the Japanese were not expecting the Americans to be ready. General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the Allied land forces in the Pacific, then embarked on a strategy of island-hopping to capture strategic islands surrounding Japanese positions.  The Japanese, who were trained not to surrender, fought tenaciously for months before succumbing to American and Australian forces in the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

With the help of Americans, the Allies began to win victories against the Axis Powers in Europe.  In late 1942, the Allies won the Battle of El Alamein, and in May 1943 General Dwight Eisenhower led the Allies to a victory against the feared Afrika Korps.  Russia continued to hold its own in Stalingrad against the German army.  

With the help of Americans, the Allies began to win victories against the Axis Powers in Europe.  In late 1942, the Allies won the Battle of El Alamein, and in May 1943 General Dwight Eisenhower led the Allies to a victory against the feared Afrika Korps.  Russia continued to hold its own in Stalingrad against the German army.  

In September 1950, General MacArthur used an idea he had months earlier, but which all his advisors had rejected as too risky:  an amphibious maneuver known as the “Inchon landing.”  He turned North Korean aggression against itself by having his soldiers secretly flee on boats and then land, with reinforcements from other sources, north of the enemy to cut off their supply lines on a peninsula (see map).

In September 1950, General MacArthur used an idea he had months earlier, but which all his advisors had rejected as too risky:  an amphibious maneuver known as the “Inchon landing.”  He turned North Korean aggression against itself by having his soldiers secretly flee on boats and then land, with reinforcements from other sources, north of the enemy to cut off their supply lines on a peninsula (see map).

That single maneuver turned certain defeat into certain victory, as the North Korean army was then stuck without supplies.  But a month later communist Chinese began flooding into North Korea by the hundreds of thousands to help the fellow communists. General MacArthur wanted to defeat them also, but President Truman refused and fired MacArthur.  In July 1953, a ceasefire was signed reestablishing the 38th parallel as the dividing line.  A demilitarized zone on both sides exists to this day.

That single maneuver turned certain defeat into certain victory, as the North Korean army was then stuck without supplies.  But a month later communist Chinese began flooding into North Korea by the hundreds of thousands to help the fellow communists.   General MacArthur wanted to defeat them also, but President Truman refused and fired MacArthur for his subordination.  MacArthur had disobeyed orders  from his commander-in-chief, and faced consequences for that.  In July 1953, a ceasefire was signed reestablishing the 38th parallel as the dividing line.  A demilitarized zone on both sides exists to this day.

The North Korean dictator, Kim Il Sung, ruled the country for decades and was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong Il, who recently alarmed the world by saying he has nuclear weapons.  South Korea, meanwhile, has grown, with capitalism, far stronger than North Korea.  South Korea had its first free elections in 1987.

The North Korean dictator, Kim Il Sung, ruled the country for decades and was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong Il, who recently alarmed the world by saying he has nuclear weapons.  South Korea, meanwhile, has grown, with capitalism, far stronger than North Korea.  South Korea had its first free elections in 1987.