This week, we’ll discuss America and Japan’s new roles as Great Powers in the 20th century. We’ll discuss the reasons Japan and America came together to support the Allies in World War I, the rationale behind Japanese support for an American-dominated world order after 1918, and the early arms control and peace initiatives supported by Japan and the US.
Asada, Sadao. From Mahan to Pearl Harbor: A History of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Iriye, Akira. The Origins of the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific.
Hotta, Eri. Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy
Pyle, Kenneth. Japan Rising
Images
A young Franklin Roosevelt as Secretary of the Navy in 1913.Saionji Kinmochi during his time as PM in 1912. He would lead the Japanese delegation to Versailles five years later.Konoe Fumimaro, who first came to prominence during the Versailles Conference and would later be the Prime Minister to lead Japan into war.Kato Tomosaburo, the pro-Washington Naval Conference Naval Minister. The effort of getting the treaty accepted literally worked him to death.Kato Kanji, the admiral who fought his superior Kato Tomosaburo every step of the way when it came to arms limitation.Hamaguchi Osachi, the Prime Minister with the dubious distinction of being the last leader to successfully cooperate with the US on a major initiative (the London Naval Conference). For his trouble, an assassin would attempt (and fail) to kill him in 1931.
