Modern Japan

Contact

• 1853- US sent Commodore Perry with several warships convince shogun to open Japanese ports to western countries– Shogun opened ports– Rise of $ economy• Wealthy merchants, poor shoguns

– Restored power to emperor

Restoration

• Meiji Restoration– 1889 Constitution based on western model• Legal code, Diet

– Modern economy• Studied industry abroad• Improved infrastructure

– Social classes• Abolished• Swords, military, education, voting

Empire Building

• As Japanese power grew, it began building an empire– 1895- gained control of Korea– 1905- Manchuria from Russia• Economic depression, militarism

– 1931- invaded China– 1941- attacked Pearl Harbor in Japan

Pearl Harbor

Tora, tora, tora

• Attempt to wipe out American Pacific Fleet• 755 am– Two waves• 183, 170 planes

– 2403 killed• War declared December 8th, 1941

USS Arizona

1,177 killed

Tough Fighting

• Japanese army occupied islands– US Marines, one at a

time

Divine Wind

• Kamikaze pilots• USS Columbia– 13 killed

Decision

• Manhattan Project

• Truman: two options– Mainland invasion– Atomic bomb

Hiroshima

• Japanese rejected unconditional surrender– Fat Man

• Enola Gay

– July 26th, 1945– 80k dead instantly

Nagasaki

• After Hiroshima, Japanese still refused to surrender– 40k

• August 6th, 1945

Post ‘45• General MacArthur

to fix Japan– Punish and

demilitarize– Reform– Leave