Causes of Militarism and Extreme Nationalism
- The rise of militarism in Japan during the 1930s was driven by economic crisis, political instability, and resentment toward the West.
- The Great Depression (1929) devastated Japan’s export-based economy, leading to unemployment, rural poverty, and social unrest.
- Many Japanese believed that liberal democracy had failed, and only military leadership could restore stability and national pride.
- Military officers saw expansion in Manchuria and China as a solution to Japan’s resource shortages and population pressures.
- Nationalist ideology, emphasizing loyalty to the emperor and sacrifice for the nation, became central to education, media, and politics.
Definition
Militarism
- The belief that the military should dominate politics and national policy, often justified by claims of national destiny.
Definition
Ultranationalism
- An extreme form of nationalism that glorifies the nation and seeks expansion through conquest.
Case study
Causes of the Rise of Militarism
Economic and Political Factors
- The Great Depression cut Japanese exports by half, collapsing silk prices and impoverishing farmers.
- Urban workers faced unemployment and wage cuts, while rural families suffered starvation and sold daughters into servitude.
- Civilian politicians appeared corrupt and ineffective, discrediting party government.
- The army, seen as disciplined and patriotic, gained prestige as the defender of Japan’s honor and stability.
- Nationalists blamed Western powers for racial discrimination and trade restrictions, arguing Japan must build its own empire.
Ideological and Cultural Factors
- The military promoted State Shinto, portraying the emperor as a divine figure and obedience as a moral duty.
- Textbooks and schools emphasized loyalty, self-sacrifice, and anti-Western sentiment, preparing youth for service.
- Writers and intellectuals, such as Kita Ikki, argued for a “Shōwa Restoration”, restoring direct imperial rule and ending party politics.
- The mass media glorified Japan’s imperial mission, celebrating the army’s actions in Manchuria and China.
- This ideological environment allowed militarism to appear as both a moral and patriotic movement.
The Army’s Increasing Role in Politics and the Use of Violence
- The Kwantung Army acted independently of the civilian government, launching the Manchurian Incident (1931)without approval.
- The Emperor and civilian leaders did not punish the officers responsible, signaling that the military could act with impunity.
- By the mid-1930s, army and navy ministers held cabinet positions, allowing them to veto governments by refusing to serve.
- A series of assassinations and coups weakened political parties and promoted the idea of a “national unity” government under military leadership.
- The growing cult of emperor worship and expansionism culminated in full-scale war with China in 1937.
Definition
Kwantung Army
- Japanese military force stationed in Manchuria that initiated the 1931 invasion, defying civilian authority.
Definition
Shōwa Restoration
- A nationalist movement seeking to restore direct imperial rule under Emperor Hirohito and remove corrupt politicians.
Case study
The May 15 Incident (1932)
Causes and the Assassination
- A group of young naval officers, influenced by radical nationalist thinkers such as Kita Ikki, blamed politicians and businessmen for national decline.
- Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi was targeted because he supported diplomacy with the West and sought to limit military expansion.
- On 15 May 1932, eleven officers stormed the prime minister’s residence and assassinated Inukai, ending the last party-based government of the interwar period.
- The conspirators declared that they were acting to “restore the emperor’s rule” and cleanse the nation of corrupt politics.
- The assassins received public sympathy and light sentences, reflecting growing admiration for those who acted in the name of patriotism.
Political and Social Impact
- The murder destroyed public confidence in the parliamentary system; thereafter, no purely civilian cabinet would govern until 1945.
- The incident encouraged the army and navy to believe that violence could achieve political legitimacy.
- Civilian politicians avoided challenging the military, fearful of public backlash.
- Newspapers and nationalist groups praised the assassins as heroes, reinforcing the idea that self-sacrifice for the emperor outweighed law and democracy.
- The event marked the transition from Taisho democracy to military dominance, paving the way for expansion in China.
Common Mistake
- Treating the rise of militarism as solely the result of the Great Depression, rather than including institutional weaknesses and nationalist ideology.
- Overlooking the international context, such as Japan’s withdrawal from the League of Nations and reaction to Western discrimination.
Exam technique
- Focus on specific turning points (1931 Manchurian Incident, 1936 February 26 Incident) to illustrate the transition from democracy to militarism.
- Use key individuals (Hirohito, Kita Ikki, Wakatsuki Reijirō) to show human agency in structural change.
- Link economic hardship to political radicalization, using data (e.g., silk prices dropping by 50 percent).
Theory of Knowledge
- Can economic desperation justify military expansion as a national solution?
- How does political violence become normalized within a society?
- To what extent does propaganda influence public acceptance of authoritarian rule?
Self review
- Assess the significance of the Manchurian Incident (1931) in the rise of militarism and the decline of civilian government in Japan.
- Examine the causes and consequences of the February 26 Incident (1936) for Japanese politics.
- To what extent did economic depression, ideology, and international isolation contribute to the rise of militarism and extreme nationalism in Japan by 1937?
