Imperialism China & Japan

A. Japan

B. China

A. Japan

• Westerners became interested in gaining access to Japan in the early 1800’s

• Japan initially refused to let Westerners into their nation

• Very isolated and happy

• Under threat of military force by the United States, Japan allowed the Westerners into their nation

• Japan doesn’t want Westerners to dominate them

• They will modernize and copy the ways of the Europeans and Americans

• Japan will eventually want it’s own territories to establish an empire to show its growing strength

• Two wars fought by Japan to gain territory: – Sino-Japanese 1894-1895 (against the Chinese) – Russo-Japanese 1904-1905 (against the Russians) – Japan will win both wars and now have control of Korea

B. China• China was self-sufficient and had little contact with

the west before the new era of Imperialism

• Europeans only allowed in certain port cities

• During the era of Imperialism, Europeans and Americans want more access to China

• China will be divided into spheres of influence

• Europeans will have the right to trade in their areas of China

• China not controlled politically

• China can not oppose Westerners because they do not have the technology and are not organized militarily

• The U.S. does not have a sphere of influence

• Wants access to China• The U.S. creates the

Open Door Policy– all nations have equal

trade rights in China – no one country controlled any area in China.

Chinese will resent the Europeans & Americans for:

1. Making the Chinese addicted to opium

2. Not obeying Chinese laws

3. Forcing China to open its ports to Westerners

• Resentment leads to growth of nationalist feelings and many rebellions

• Boxer Rebellion (1900): – a secret society will

attack the foreigners– Will not be

successful in ousting them