1. TOTALITARIAN
JAPAN
FASCISM IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN

2. INDUSTRIALISM IN JAPAN AND
THE DEPRESSION
At the dawn of the Great Depression, Japan
was still a relative newcomer to
industrialism.
It was dependent of exports (selling things
to other countries) to make money. But
could countries afford to buy things?
The creation of artificial silk hurt the
Japanese economy and made them distrust
Western countries.

3. THE MILITARY PROPOSES A
SOLUTION
In addition to the economic
problems of the Depression, a bad
harvest hit many Japanese
communities.
The military began suggesting
expanding (conquering) nearby
places as a way to get the
resources they needed.
They pointed to their successes in
previous wars with China and
Russia.

4. SO THE MILITARY STEPPED IN
The military soon
took over Japan,
creating a military
dictatorship.
The Emperor
Hirohito became
little more than a
figurehead.
High School Girls Training to Shoot

5. TO MANCHURIA….AND
BEYOND!
Japan’s first big
attack was on
Manchuria in 1931
Manchuria was a
rich area between
Russia and China.

6. THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
RESPONDS!
The League of Nations (who were they?)
responded by….telling the Japanese this was
not cool!
So Japan quit the league.

7. CHINA WAS NEXT!
Today Manchuria is part of
China, but back then, it
was not. So the Chinese
didn’t worry.
Meanwhile, the Chinese
were busy in a civil war.
Japan invaded Nanking,
China’s capital, in 1937.
The Chinese stopped
fighting each other to
focus on Japan.