World Events Set Stage for Isolationism

1. What was the Japanese reaction to the Treaty of Versailles? (pgs. 4 - 5)
Some people in Japan believed that their country should engage the great powers and support the international system to obtain the natural resources and markets that Japan's growing economy needed. Others believed that the great powers (especially Britain, France and The U.S.) would never treat Japan with respect. Some worried that the League of Nations would be used to keep Japan as a second tier power. Japan opposed the Treaty and the League. Since the amendment didn't pass, the Japanese turned away from the West and toward a more nationalist stance.

2. Read the pull-out box on page 4 entitled, "Japan Becomes a Great Power." Cite specific evidence Japan was becoming a strong power that rivaled European & American interests. And, why specifically was Japan threatened by U.S. actions?

Japan's economy was rapidly growing and their political and military power were increasing which made it a large financial contributor to the proposed League of Nations. Japan modeled its navy on Britain's, its banking system on the U.S.'s, and its army and constitution on Prussia's. Manufacturing and mining increased and also the goods and services provided by Japan increased. Some people thought that Japan was relying too much on the military and others thought that Japan would need to use its military strength to achieve its goals. When Japan defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, it gained access to parts of Manchuria. Japan annexed Korea in 1910 and then in 1914, Japan declared war against Germany. Japan wanted to expand into China, but Britain and the U.S. thought that this would interfere with their interests. In Japans view, the U.S. was posing a threat to their own plans for expansion when they were increasing their presence in the Pacific.

3. Why was the Washington Naval Conference convened and what was accomplished? (pg. 6) (Note: Japan signs the agreement.)

The conference was called because Japan's growth as a naval power in the Pacific threatened U.S. interests. People at the conference wanted to limit a naval arms race and to discuss issues related to the nations of the Pacific Ocean and the Far East. The parties agreed to limit the size of the naval ships, placed a temporary prohibition on building new battleships, outlawed the use of poison gas, and limited the role of submarines in future wars. The nations signed an agreement affirming China's sovereignty and establishing a policy of open trade with China. They also agreed to address disputes over issues in the Pacific.

4. The Senate's willingness to ratify the Kellogg-Briand Pact relected two strong and widely held sentiments. What were they? (pgs. 6 - 7)
The Pact was a treaty between the U.S. and France that made war between them illegal. Later 62 nations signed it. Americans remembered the deaths of WWI and wanted to avoid being dragged into another European war. Also, policy makers continued to resist the obligations of permanent alliances and wished to preserve the ability to act when and where they wanted.

5. Why did Hitler enjoy popular support in Germany for most of the 1930s? Give three reasons. (pgs. 9 - 10)
He improved the economy and reduced unemployment and restored national pride for Germans that were still humiliated by the defeat in WWI and by how poor they had become. Hitler used his power to pass legislation that enabled him to enact laws without the approval of the president or parliament. He quickly put the Nazi government in control and took away freedoms guaranteed by the German constitution.

6. Japan voiced its intentions to invade China for what two reasons? (pg. 10)

Japanese military leaders voiced intentions to invade China to obtain raw materials and increase Japan's power.

7. Compare the Reichstag fire and the explosion on the Japanese railway in Manchuria. What did they accomplish?

Some people think that the Japans bombed their own railway so they could blame it on the Chinese and use it as an excuse to invade, like the Reichstag fire in Germany.

8. Why was the united States unable to oppose Japan in the early 1930s with a significant military force? (pgs. 11 - 12)

The U.S. had drastically reduced the size of its military since WWI and was not prepared to fight back. Also, Japan began to violate the treaties it had signed.

9. Describe the major similarities and differences among liberal democracy, fascism, and socialism. (pg. 8)

Liberal democracies have a constitution, with elected representatives whose decision making is regulated by a rule of law that emphasizes the rights and freedoms of individuals. Fascism puts the economy under government control and emphasizes the control of state over the individual. Socialism hoped to create a classless society, which included dismantling the capitalist economic system by having the state own land, factories etc. Fascism and socialism are both two extremes of the political spectrum. Liberal democracy is socialism at a lower level.