Second Sino-Japanese War

Definition

The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict that took place between 1937 and 1945 involving China and Japan. It was a major theater of World War II and had significant impacts on the geopolitical landscape of Asia and the global balance of power.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Second Sino-Japanese War was the largest Asian war of the 20th century, resulting in the deaths of over 20 million Chinese civilians and soldiers.
2. The war began in 1937 when Japan launched a full-scale invasion of China following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, seeking to expand its empire and control more territory in Asia.
3. The United States initially adopted a policy of neutrality towards the conflict, but later provided aid and support to China as tensions escalated and the war became intertwined with World War II.
4. The war ended in 1945 with Japan's surrender after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to the collapse of the Japanese Empire and the rise of communist power in China.
5. The atrocities committed by Japanese troops during the war, such as the Nanking Massacre, have had lasting impacts on Sino-Japanese relations and continue to be a source of tension between the two countries.

Review Questions

• Describe the key events that led to the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
  • The Second Sino-Japanese War began in 1937 when a skirmish between Chinese and Japanese troops near the Marco Polo Bridge sparked a full-scale invasion of China by Japan. Japan sought to expand its empire and control more territory in Asia, leading to a prolonged military conflict with China that became a major theater of World War II. The Marco Polo Bridge Incident, which was a relatively minor event, ultimately served as the catalyst for the outbreak of this devastating war.
• Analyze the role of the United States in the Second Sino-Japanese War and how it evolved over the course of the conflict.
  • Initially, the United States adopted a policy of neutrality towards the Second Sino-Japanese War, seeking to avoid direct involvement in the conflict. However, as the war escalated and became intertwined with World War II, the U.S. gradually shifted its stance, providing aid and support to China. This shift was driven by a desire to counter Japanese aggression and influence in the region, as well as to protect American economic and strategic interests. The U.S. involvement in the war ultimately contributed to Japan's defeat and the collapse of the Japanese Empire, paving the way for the rise of communist power in China.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of the atrocities committed by Japanese troops during the Second Sino-Japanese War, such as the Nanking Massacre, on Sino-Japanese relations.
  • The widespread atrocities committed by Japanese troops during the Second Sino-Japanese War, most notably the Nanking Massacre, have had a lasting and profound impact on Sino-Japanese relations. These horrific events, which involved the systematic killing, rape, and torture of Chinese civilians, have left deep scars and resentment within the Chinese population. The memory of these atrocities continues to be a source of tension and mistrust between China and Japan, hampering efforts to improve diplomatic and economic ties. The legacy of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Nanking Massacre remains a significant obstacle to reconciliation and the normalization of relations between the two countries, even decades after the conflict ended.

Related terms

Marco Polo Bridge Incident: The incident that sparked the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, when a skirmish between Chinese and Japanese troops near the Marco Polo Bridge led to a full-scale invasion of China by Japan.

Nanking Massacre: Also known as the Rape of Nanking, this was a horrific event during the Second Sino-Japanese War where Japanese troops committed widespread atrocities against the civilian population of Nanking (now Nanjing), China.

Kuomintang (KMT): The Chinese Nationalist Party, which was the ruling political party of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War and engaged in a civil war with the Communist Party of China.