Download chapter 31: japan and the pacific rim

CHAPTER 31: JAPAN AND THE PACIFIC RIM
Pages 752 – 771
I.
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SUMMARY
A. Decades of Turmoil: The World Wars and their Consequences
The first decades of the 20th century brought important changes to east Asia as
China was consumed with internal problems and Japan surged ahead economically
and militarily. Japan’s economic strength showed in its quick rebound from the
Great Depression, but after some experiments with fuller democracy, its political
system moved toward growing militarism.
B. East Asia and the Postwar Settlements
Adjustments at the end of World War II defined the Pacific Rim into the 1950s, as a
zone of reasonably stable noncommunist states developed. Linked to the West, these
states maintained a neo-Confucian emphasis on the importance of conservative
politics and a strong state.
C. Japan, Incorporated
The keynotes of Japanese history from the 1950s onward were a fierce
concentration on economic growth and distinctive political and cultural forms as
the nation proved that industrial success did not depend on a strict Western pattern.
D. The Pacific Rim: New Japans?
Economic and some political developments in several other nations and city-states
on Asia’s Pacific coast mirrored elements in Japan’s 20th century history, although
at a later date. The states of South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore are
called The Four Dragons. Political authoritarianism was characteristic, though
usually with bows to parliamentary forms and with recurrent protests from
dissidents. Government functions extended to careful economic planning and rapid
expansion of the educational system, which emphasized technical training. Group
loyalties promoted diligent labor and a willingness to work hard for low wages.
Economic growth burgeoned, although problems appeared in the 1990s.
E. Conclusion: The Pacific Rim as Exception or Model
The rise of the Pacific Rim nations was based on a combination of several factors.
The nations shared aspects of Confucian cultural and political heritage. The
nations shared some specific contacts with the West through unusually intense
interactions with the British and Americans. And these nations were rocked by 20th
century events, which forced rethinking and massive innovation.
II.
CHAPTER REVIEW
A. Describe Japanese development between 1920 and 1940.
B. What factors led to the growth of militarism in Japan prior to World War II?
C. How did World War II affect the Pacific Rim?
D. How was Korea at the center of the Cold War?
E. Why did the Four Dragons emerge as leaders in the region?
F. What political, economic, and cultural styles developed in post-war Japan?
G. How did Japanese society differ from traditional Western societies?
H. To what extent did the Four Dragons economically, politically, and socially
conform or depart from Japanese or Western counterparts?
I. What has been the American role in the Pacific Rim?
III.
VISUALIZING THE PAST: Pacific Rim Growth: Identifying the Dragons (Page 767)
A. Growth Rates
1. Which nations had the largest growth rates in 1965? 1996?
2. Which nations had the smallest growth rates in 1965? 1996?
3. Why might Filipino and Japanese growth rate be lower than China?
4. Why are the GNP growth rates of these nations difficult statistics to use to
make analyses?
5. If you compare growth rates with all pre-existing industrialized countries,
the U.S., and India, what conclusions can you reach?
B. Social and Economic Data
1. Which nations’ labor force is largely agricultural? Least agricultural?
2. Which nations would have the largest industrial and service sectors?
3. Which nations are largely urbanized? Rural?
4. Why should historians group Japan, Korea, and Malaysia together but
exclude Thailand and China?
IV.
PHOTO ESSAY: The Pacific and the World (752, 756, 757, 759, 761, 763, 765, 769)
What is the military, economic or commercial, and cultural relationship between the
Pacific Rim nations and the wider, especially Western world?
V.
DOCUMENT ANALYSIS: Japan and World War II (Pages 758)
A. Document Analysis
1. Who wrote it? (Attribution includes biographical references)
2. What was the author’s point of view?
3. How reliable is the document? Why?
4. What was the intent or purpose behind the document?
5. Who was the intended audience?
6. What is the document’s tone?
B. Analysis
1. Why did the author accept defeat? Why did he ignore the military?
2. What attitudes and values of the author will help post-war reconstruction?
3. How did Japan and American ways of dealing with issues differ?
4. How do you think the author will view American suggestions and ways?
VI.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. All of these nations are economic powerhouses of the Pacific Rim EXCEPT:
A. Vietnam.
B. Taiwan.
C. Hong Kong.
D. South Korea.
E. Singapore.
2. One economic weakness of the Pacific Rim nations is a(n)
A. vulnerability to economic conditions abroad especially trade fluctuations.
B. large, uneducated force of workers.
C. lack of ports or infrastructure to facilitate trade.
D. inability to compete against Western industries.
E. declining population.
3. During the 1930s in Japan the
A. nation resisted the rising trend towards militarism and nationalism.
B. nation worked closely with the League of Nations to avoid war.
C. government granted Korea and Taiwan its independence.
D. military ignored the elected political authorities and intervened in civilian
government.
E. government recognized the Communist states in Russia and China.
4. Between 1910 and 1945 Korea
A. Allied with the United States to resist Japanese aggression.
B. was invaded and occupied by China.
C. remained neutral and isolated from outside influences.
D. experienced an economic boom.
E. was ruled by Japan, which suppressed indigenous institutions and culture.
5. The chief stimulus for the collapse of Western colonial rule and influence in the
Pacific Rim was due to the
A. communist victory in the Chinese civil war in 1945.
B. British grant of independence to India in 1947.
C. initial Japanese defeat of the Western colonial powers.
D. American insistence during World War II that Europe grant its colonies
independence.
E. Russian invasion of Asian colonial territories in World War II.
6. Before 1950, the American role in Asia and the Pacific Rim is BEST described as
A. largely colonial – the U.S. had obtained a large colonial empire.
B. isolationist – the U.S. retreated to its prewar boundaries.
C. interventionist – U.S. troops landed in China to support the Nationalists.
D. militarily critical for Japan, the Philippines, and the Pacific islands with a
temporarily waning influence on the Asian mainland.
E. tolerant of colonialism and revival of the Japanese Empire.
7. Japan’s postwar government is BEST characterized as a
A. communist people’s democracy.
B. traditional monarchy with a hereditary emperor and little popular
sovereignty.
C. democracy dominated by a political and economic oligarchy.
D. democratic republic with an unstable party system.
E. militaristic state.
8. The chief tension within postwar Japan has been
A. the lack of social mobility.
B. a large non-Japanese ethnic minority deprived of any rights.
C. limited rights for women and minorities.
D. severe demographic dislocation due to rapid industrialization.
E. a conflict between indigenous traditions or values, and Western influences.
9. Postwar Korean development has been largely determined by the
A. occupation of the country by China and the Soviet Union.
B. division of the peninsula between pro-Soviet and pro-capitalist states.
C. long and autocratic rule by the Korean king.
D. extreme hunger and poverty of the Korean peoples.
E. devastation caused by World War II.
10. Following its defeat on mainland China, the Kuomintang or Nationalist Party
led by Chiang Kai-shek
A. collapsed.
B. fled to Korea.
C. fled to the island of Formosa and established a government.
D. sought support from the U.S.S.R. for a prolonged fight against Mao’s
communists.
E. joined with the Chinese Communist Party to form the People’s Republic of
China.
11. As a modern culture, the Japanese people most value
A. stability.
B. tradition.
C. innovation.
D. Western-style institutions.
E. social equality.
12. The relationship between business and government in Japan, Korea, and
Taiwan in the later half of the 20th century is BEST described as
A. a communist style command economy.
B. a socialist-capitalist mix of private property and public welfare.
C. separated by American style constitutions.
D. cooperative – the government encourages and protects businesses in an
almost mercantilist manner.
E. antagonistic towards each other.
13. In contemporary Japan and Taiwan,
A. Christianity replaced the older Shinto and Confucian belief systems.
B. both have military alliances with the United States.
C. individualism and competitiveness are valued.
D. populations are increasingly abandoning traditional ways and values.
E. group consensus and collective decision making are most highly valued.
14. The second largely Christian country in the Pacific Rim (after the Philippines) is
A. Taiwan.
B. South Korea.
C. Singapore.
D. Japan.
E. Hong Kong.
15. The Pacific Rim nation that has recently emerged as an economic giant and
whose industries and products have challenged Japan, the United States, and
Western Europe is
A. North Korea.
B. Taiwan.
C. Hong Kong.
D. South Korea.
E. Singapore.
16. The chief concern and worry of contemporary Taiwan is
A. its relationship to the communist regime in China, which claims to rule the
island.
B. its military alliance with the United States.
C. its declining industrial base.
D. widespread pollution caused by industry.
E. the lack of democracy.
17. All of these problems are shared by the contemporary Pacific Rim nations
EXCEPT:
A. falling growth rates.
B. a rise in unemployment.
C. antagonisms between the United States and China, which threaten war.
D. declining power of their national currencies.
E. popular pressures for change in traditional political practices.
VII.
ESSAY QUESTIONS
A. Compare and contrast modern Japanese and Korean society with Western
consumer culture.
B. How has Japan changed from 1800 to 2000?
C. How has Confucianism changed from the 5th century BCE to the contemporary
age?
D. Compare and contrast the Pacific Rim’s relationship to the U.S. today with the
tributary relationship to China in the past.
E. Compare and contrast Pacific Rim politics and structures or economics and
commercial structures with their Western-style counterparts.
F. Compare and contrast the American role in Pacific Asia with the American role
in Latin America.
G. Compare and contrast the Japanese reaction to the Great Depression with the
American or German reaction.