Introduction Japan/China

Compagnon, Joshua              Introduction

China and Japan are ancient civilizations, each having existed for thousands of years.  They have rich and unique cultures and have a strong sense of national identity.  During World War II, Japan invaded and later occupied China for more than a decade.  During that time, Japanese troops mistreated the Chinese and engaged in terrible crimes.  Document B describes some of the tensions that continue to exist because of that historical period.  Following the war, Japan quickly rebuilt itself into a modern, thriving capitalist economy.  China continued to be self-identified as a communist country and was largely very poor -- most of its people still lived rural lives.  However, with the death of Mao in 1975, China took the “capitalist road” and, beginning just before the dawn of the 21st century, transformed itself into an international economic and military powerhouse.  Following WWII, Japan’s military was limited to self-defense.  Document A illustrates the military tensions that now exist between China and Japan, along with several other Far East nations, primarily over islands off their respective coasts.  Over the past decade, China has increasingly sought to assert its growing military might in the region.  Japan, along with other nations, is trying to resist Chinese military pressure and hold on to various islands (in the China Seas . . . and other bodies of water illustrated by Document A). China is more than a regional power; it has worldwide ambitions while Japan has limited itself to a regional power.  

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