The History of~Japan (Part 8: Japan Loses)

Japan; the mystical land of "The Rising Sun". Behind the facade of the Megalopolis that is Tokyo, lies a land stained in blood of some of the world's mightiest warriors; the Samurai. A land that has a history of military rulers that at times ruled with an iron hand.

This is Part 8 of this 9-part wiki page series. In this page, we'll cover how Japan went too far and tried their luck against a huge industrial power; the United States of America, and how it caused Japan to lose it's military prestige.

## Japan Loses

At the end of the 19th century, Japan bolstered its industry and even created a modern military which allowed Japan to take on other nations around the world; namely its long time rival, China which hadn't embraced industry as much as Japan did to protect it's new territory in Okinawa, it went to war with China in 1894, and won. Around 10 years later, Japan went to war with Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, and again Japan wins, they also joined the Western Alliance in World War 1 after making an agreement to help the Alliance if the Alliance agrees that Japan gets the islands of Micronesia (owned by Germany) as well as the Chinese port town of Tsing Tao, and they did and go to along with it, Japan becomes a member of the "League of Nations"; an organization which allows the countries to resolve their differences through diplomacy rather than war.

### Going too far, again

Unfortunately, the war as well as the great depression of 1929 would create problems for Japan, not only was their economy was bust (as with all other nations around the world) and Japan was also running out of the necessary resources it needs to keep its military going such as oil, rubber, and wood. In 1931, a Japanese train in the Chinese province of Manchuria was attacked, it's still debatable whether this was staged by the Japanese or the Chinese, but this would give Japan an excuse to once again go to war with China, and they invaded Manchuria and put it under occupation. In the League of Nations, this was a no-no and just a few years later Japan withdraws from the League.

Japan might have been also wanting to take advantage of China which was at this time not just embroiled in a brutal Civil War, but its economy was also weak sue to the Great Depression. In the years following Japan's invasion of Manchuria, they would occasionally bomb some of China's cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Japan would go one step further in 1937 when its military were fighting a battle against the Chinese at the Marco Polo bridge which the Japanese won and invaded Beijing and taking more of China, and putting the Chinese Civil War on hold, thus beginning the Second Sino-Japanese War, 2 years later the Nazis invaded Poland and World War 2 begins, in the same year the Japanese would fight against the Soviets at the Battles of Khalkin Gol, with the Soviets winning that battle and both sides agreed to a non-aggression pact in 1941. Japan would continue its aggressive territorial campaign as Japan would take over more of China as well as taking the European colonies of Hong Kong and Macau, they would also take territories in Southeast Asia such as French Indochina (modern-day Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) Myanmar, and Thailand. That is when the USA had to put its foot down and do something about the aggressive Japan.

### Japan enters the war

In early 1941, and in response to Japan territorial aggression as well as their horrible war crimes, the United States decides to freeze all of Japan's assets and even put an oil embargo on it. Japan was faced with a choice; go to war or concede to the Americans, they decide to go to war. Because they know that they'll be fighting a losing battle against the US, Japan needed to come up with a plan to "level the playing field" so to say. They come up with a plan to try to cripple the US Pacific Fleet which is stationed at Pearl Harbor in the US territory of Hawaii.

### Day of infamy

On December 7, still in 1941, the Japanese would attack the US Pacific Fleet, with just 45 minutes, they take the fleet by surprise and sink as much as 7 US ships and kill over 3,000 US sailors and civilians stationed at the base. This would force America's hand and join the war on the side of the Allies.

What seemed like a Japanese victory at Pearl Harbor was actually a failure. They did sink a few US ships but they didn't destroy the fuel tanks at the base, nor did they destroy the Submarine Pen, more importantly they didn't destroy America's Aircraft Carriers that were not present at the time Japan attacked. Nevertheless, it'll be a while before the US Pacific Feet would get back on its feet.

### More victories

After Pearl Harbor, Japan would go on to take more islands in the Pacific Ocean, even taking the colonies that belonged to either Britain, France, and the USA.

As with the Nazi Blitzkrieg in Europe, Japan's aggressive territorial grab was quite quick and surprising, US General MacArthur and his unit had to evacuate the Philippines in late 1941. Japan was still showing its military prestige, but it won't last long as the US Pacific Fleet recovers it'll be able to take on the Japanese, especially the fact that Japan's naval code has been cracked by the Americans.

### The Ultimate Test

By the summer 1942, and in response to America's first bombing runs on Tokyo, the Japanese Navy decide to attack another US Naval Base, this time on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, "Midway" between Japan and the United States.

The fleet was led by Japanese Naval Admiral "Chuihi Nagumo" and spearheaded the attack on Midway Island as his Zero Squadron was bombing the fleet. In the morning of June 4, a Japanese reconnaissance plane detects the US Fleet inbound to the protect the island.

The Battle of Midway was absolutely crucial for both sides, every second, every decision were the arbiters of either victory, or defeat. When Nagumo gets word of the US Fleet, he tries to decide what to do next; either continue to bomb Midway, or attack the Fleet. There was a brief pause while Nagumo was trying to come up with a decision and the US takes this moment to strike, but most of the US small bombers were shot down by either Japanese Zeros or Japanese anti-aircraft guns. For 3 days both sides would fight valiantly and the Japanese would sink a few of US' ships; the USS Yorktown and the USS Hamman, until the Japanese request to stop so they can rest and eat. Again, the US would take this moment to strike, and this time with little to no defense. This would be a major defeat for Japan, and a defeat that Japan would never recover since they lost 4 Carriers (including Nagumo's Flag ship; the Akagi) along with the deaths of 350 elite Japanese pilots. Japan will now being to lose its military prestige as they'll be forced on the defensive for the rest of the Pacific War

### Another crushing defeat

For the next 2 years, Japan would begin to lose more territory, in the Summer of 1944, the US Army would make their first land invasion against Japan on June 15 when they landed on the island of Saipan as the US would begin their Island-Hopping campaign to penetrate deep into Japanese waters. Despite another crushing defeat for Japan, there soldiers would result to "suicidal" tactics as they would use either Japanese daggers, Katanas, or even Bamboo Spears and literally charge at the American forces, this is called the "Banzai Charge", sometimes Japanese soldiers would use satchel explosives and slide underneath Sherman tanks to disable them, in the end there fate was sealed and the US would take Saipan.

This suicidal fervor wasn't just exclusive to the Japanese soldier however, Japanese civilians on the island would also commit suicide, even mothers would go as far as killing their own babies and children (before killing themselves). Japan's defeat at Saipan would also open a highway for the US Air Force to bomb Japan to submission.

### Japan on Fire

From the summer of 1944, the US Air Force would use the air bases they captured from the Japanese, leaving Japan vulnerable to air raids, and soon after the US took Saipan the bombing raids began. Virtually every Japanese city was effected, cities like Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, and Okayama were targeted as US Bombers dropped incendiary bombs on these cities, leaving most of the cities in ruins. The Japanese city that was hit the worst, was it's own capital city; Tokyo. The death and destruction were immense, the majority of the city laid in ruins, the Japanese would call the time Tokyo was fire-bombed; "The Night of The Black Snow". Tokyo being fire-bombed was devastating, but the USAF were far from done.

### Surrender

By Spring of 1945, Japan's Axis members; Nazi Germany and Italy surrendered to the Allies, meaning that Japan stands alone against an overwhelming Allied tide. To make matters worse for Japan, they would lose more islands, namely Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. But what the Japanese won't know is what and how the Allies plan to win the war.

The USA was working on a special bomb, the likes that the world has never seen before; the Atomic Bomb, by the summer of 1945, the US developed 2 Atomic Bombs; Little Boy and Fat Man.

These bombs were a total mystery to the Japanese, they still believe that America is going to invade their country on the ground. In preparation, the Japanese military was recalled to defend Japan's main islands, the military went to extent of training civilians by using Katanas and Bamboo Spears to bolster defenses.

Early in the morning on August 6, 1945 a B-29 Bomber named Enola Gay leaves the US occupied Mariana Islands en route to the first target of the Atomic Bomb; Hiroshima, 50,000 people died the instant Little Boy detonated on the city, 10 miles of the city was gone. The US command has chosen Kokura to the target for Fat Man, but bad weather delayed the bombing run, and changed the target, instead of Kokura it would be nearby Nagasaki, a one time important trade port. Another B-29 bomber named Bockscar drops Fat Man on Nagasaki, destroying the city and killing 80,000 people.

The day before Nagasaki was bombed, the Soviet Union which was in a non-aggression pact with Japan declares war on the nation, and Soviet forces invade Japanese occupied Manchuria.

With this, Emperor Hirohito informed of the Japanese people of the bombings in a radio broadcast, and as he said that Japan has lost the hope to win, the Japanese people were in shock and disbelief to hear that their "God" Emperor would surrender to a foreign power.

On September 1, 1945, an American battleship; USS Missouri came into Tokyo with General Douglas MacArthur prepared to accept Japan's surrender, with this the war was over.

With the war over, the world was finally at peace, but Japan is now left with a bruised ego that it got before the war, and it's now under US Military occupation.

That'll do it for this part. In the last part (click here), we will talk about Japan prospered after the war it's boom, it's bust, and its disasters it endured. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.