JAPANESE IMPERIALISM AS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE JAPANESE EMPIRE

Japonski imperializem se prične leta 1868 z obdobjem Meidži in številnimi reformami na vseh področjih japonske države in družbe. Spremeni se način vladanja: šogunat zamenja cesarstvo. V tem obdobju se Japonska spopade s Kitajsko in Rusijo ter v obeh vojnah prepričljivo zmaga. Predvsem pomembna je zmaga nad carsko Rusijo, saj se odpre prosta pot za teritorialno širitev japonskega cesarstva – izvedena je bila priključitev Koreje. Leta 1912 sledi doba Taišo, imenovana tudi demokracija Taišo, ki je Japonsko umestila v tabor zmagovalcev velike vojne. Prelomnica se zgodi leta 1926, ko na oblast pride cesar Hirohito in obdobje svojega vladanja preimenuje v Šova. V tem času oblast prevzamejo militaristi in oživijo državni šintoizem z božansko osebnostjo cesarja. Leta 1932 zavzamejo Mandžurijo, ki jo kasneje leta 1934 pod imenom Mandžukuo spremenijo v marionetno državo. Po tem zgledu so nadaljevali z osvajanjem ozemelj v drugi kitajsko-japonski vojni leta 1937, kjer so zavzeli vsa ključna kitajska pristanišča in industrijska središča. Po podpisu trojnega pakta sta Nemčija in Italija priznavali in spoštovali vodstvo Japonske pri vzpostavitvi novega reda v vzhodni Aziji. Z napadom na Pearl Harbor 7. 12. 1941 je Japonska vstopila v vojno z ZDA. Po napadu je Japonska v manj kot pol leta postala gospodar nad območjem Pacifika. Vendar pa so jo porazi v nekaj ključnih pomorskih bitkah prisilili v defenzivno vojno in po prvi uporabi atomskega orožja v kapitulacijo.Japanese imperialism began in 1868 with the Meiji era, with reforms in all areas. Shogunat is replaced by the empire. During this period, Japan clashed with China and Russia, and won both wars without major problems. After the victory over Russia, a free path opens up for the annexation of Korea. In 1912 follows the Taisho period also called the Taisho democracy. In World War I, they were on the side of the victors. The turning point will come in 1926, when Hirohito becomes an Emperor and renames the period to Showa. During this time, militarists in the region take over and revive Shintoism with the divine personality of the emperor. In 1932, they occupied Manchuria, which was later made a puppet state in 1934 under the name of Manchukuo. Following this example, they continued in the second Chinese - Japanese war of 1937, where they occupied every key Chinese port and industrial center. Following the signing of the Tripartite Pact, Germany and Italy recognized and respected Japan’s leadership in establishing a new order in East Asia. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, they entered the war with the United States. In less than half a year after the attack, they became masters of the Pacific. However, they were thus defeated in a few key naval battles, turned into a defensive war, and capitulated after the first use of atomic weapons