HIS 272H,
CULTURAL INTERACTIONS: JAPAN

THE JAPANESE GO TO WAR
(THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011)

The panel will consider how and why the Japanese quest for "civilization and enlightenment" and "a wealthy country and a strong military", adopted as national goals during the Meiji era (1868 - 1912), led instead to the empire's involvement in the Pacific War.

In pursuit of that objective, individual panelists should be prepared to discuss one of the following topics.

• the impact on Japanese thinking brought about by the collapse of Meiji era centrality (as represented in the actions and activities of the genro oligarchy)
• the quest for an expanded overseas empire as championed by the various patriotic societies and their supporters
• the consequences of Japan's experiment with representative government during the 1920's era of Taisho Democracy
• the frustration emerging from being denied a sense of equality in the eyes of the West (evidenced in, among other forums, the debate over the League of Nations' charter, the Versailles Peace Treaty ending WWI, immigration restriction legislation in the United States and Australia, the London Naval Treaty)
• the military actions of the Japanese army in Manchuria and North China during the 1930's
• strategic planning for war (and the justifications thereof) leading to the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941
• reasons behind Japan's willingness to ally with Germany and Italy

Contact the course instructor with your topic choice as soon as possible (list two possibilities) at l.makela@csuohio.edu.

Following short opening presentations on one or more of the above topics, the panel as a whole will consider the following issues:

• How the nature of historical cultural interactions between Japan and the West plays into the Japanese decision for war.
• Ways in which both gesellschaft and gemeinschaft cultural orientations played into the run up to war.
• The multiple factors propelling Japan's towards its attack on the United States naval fleet.
• The lasting impact (up to the present day) of the Pacific War era in both Japan and the United States.