JAPAN IN WORLD WAR I

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JAPAN IN WORLD WAR I

Journal Title: Revista Romana de Studii Eurasiatice - Year 2005, Vol 1, Issue 1

Abstract

Japan’s involvement in World War I aimed at obtaining political and economic advantages at the expense of other belligerents, the German concessions in China in particular. After the easy defeat of the German troops in China and the Pacific, the real intentions of Japan were unveiled by the “22 requests” it handed in to Yuan Shih-K’Ai, President of China, on January 18th, 1915, and by its agreement with the Allies through which the newly conquered positions were circumstantially sanctioned. The earliest objections to Japanese policy were raised by the United States, partisan of the “open gates” policy in China and against the recognition of “predominant interests” required by Japan. Later on, the transitional Russian government demanded the reconsideration of all the treatises concluded by the tsarist government. After the Soviets took power in Russia, the alliance with Japan was declared void. Russia’s withdrawing from the conflict was actually favorable to Japan’s interests in the Far East, since the Entente Cordial powers, the United States included, feared the spread of Bolshevism in the region. Japan took part in the Great Powers’ intervention in the Soviet Union, hoping to make territorial and economic gains in east-Siberia, and maintain its control over the south-eastern segment of the Trans-Siberian and over east-China railway. Simultaneously, Japanese diplomacy did its best to keep China in a subordinate position in international relations, with the United States in particular, the main opponent to Japanese domination in this country. From these positions of force, the Japanese government succeeded in having the main positions it had conquered endorsed by the Paris Peace Conference. It acceded to the Council of Five and the Council of Ten respectively, by using a skilful rhetoric connected to the idea of preserving stability in the area, from which Japan could not be exempted. The Allied Powers reluctantly conceded the decisive argument—Japan’s threat that it would not join the League of Nations, and sacrificed China’s interests. On the other hand, in eastern Siberia, Japan’s aggressive policy failed, as Vladivostok was freed by the Soviets on October 25th, 1922.

Authors and Affiliations

CONSTANTIN BUSE

Keywords

Japan World War I

EP ID EP145051
DOI -
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