East and West (1)

There are centuries of information on this subject, but I’ve done my best to shorten the data, and maintain  the gist of affairs as they occurred:

A lithograph of Cmdr. Perry’s fleet in Japan

Japan’s involvement with the West began early in the 16th century.  The Western missionaries and the contrasting firearms trading caused a disruption of the feudal lord system.  Later on, Dutch trading at Nagasaki became an avenue of scientific and political knowledge.  After which, the US naval mission and “Black Ships” of Commodore Matthew Perry in the mid-1800s basically forced Japan to open its doors.

Commodore Matthew Perry

By the end of the 19th century, the views of the Asian world by the Anglos were of “Manifest Destiny” (global supremacy).  The British Union Jack flew over nearly one-third of the planet and the US wanted in.  But, after teaching the island nation how to conquer territory, the West became annoyed that they had learned so well.  In 1922, the Naval Limitation Treaty forced the Imperial Navy to limit her battleship tonnage to a ration of 60% of the British Royal Navy and US Navy. (This was easy to control being as the Japanese ships were built in British shipyards.  But, in 1937, Japan resigned from this pact.)

Lt.Colonel Ishiwara Kanji

In 1929, Lt.Col. Ishiwara Kanji drafted “A Plan for the Solution of the Manchurian and Mongolian Problems as a Basic Policy to Change Our Country’s Destiny.”  This work was a remarkably close scenario for the Pacific War and by the 1930’s, the Japanese had started the plan by taking control of what the citizens would and would not be told of their agenda.

The great game of “Empire” was on!  Not only did countries vie for a piece of China, but major corporations came into play – Standard Oil, House of Morgan, The Pennsylvania Railroad, Bethlehem Steel and the Roosevelt family fortune founded on the Opium Road. (20% of Great Britain’s income also came from the opium trade.)  While President Hoover was in office, he feared any actions against Japan would lead to war – such as Henry Stimson’s proposed oil and trade embargo.  To Hoover, this resembled “sticking pins in tigers.”  The president felt his Secretary of State was “proving to be more of a warrior than a diplomat.”

Japanese soldiers entering Shenyang, 1931

In the 1930’s, the Japanese government crushed freedom of expression, pacifism and anti-militarism.  Their intent was to keep the public ignorant, but even this was not enough.  In the schools, children were taught a willingness to die for the country in time of war, chukan aikoku, along with a contempt for the Chinese.

Japanese gym class, 1930

During the Russo-Japanese War, school subjects were planned with militarism in mind:  Math classes were occupied with calculations of military matters; Science was information on searchlights, wireless communications, land mines, torpedoes, submarines and explosives; Gym included war games and Music Classes rang out with war songs and pictures of Japanese victories inspired compositions.  A new order for East Asia needed to be instilled; what the Germans called – Lebensraum.

To be continued….

Click on images to enlarge.

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Current news – 

Not all news is bad news_______

Please click on to read.                                                                       Both items were taken from ‘The Week’ magazine

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Political Humor –  (Typical of the times)

From Dr. Seuss

Cartoon is courtesy of Chris @ Muscleheaded, which can be found HERE>

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Farewell Salutes – 

WWII Victory Medal

Louis Amundson – San Diego, CA; US Army, WWII (D-Day), ETO

Charles Corbitt -CA & FL; US Army Air Corps, WWII, navigator

Clarence Frye – Lake Worth, FL; US Army, WWII

John Hardwick – Hartford City, IL; US Army, Korea

Ralph Locher – Nashville, TN; US Army, Korea, 187th RCT, MP

Charles Pine – Taupo, NZ; RNZIR # U50940, WWII

Jack Stewart – Salem, OR; US Navy, WWII

Robert Wallace – Rosalia, WA; US Army, Korea, tank driver

Howard German Jr. – Easton, MD & N.Palm Bch, FL; US Army, 82nd Airborne

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