What was Japans role in World War 2?

Question

To an answer below. This is to help me with my History homework from school. Im not asking a offending question, as it is a simple enough question asking for the role in the WW2?

Sorry if ive offended, but i wanted help, on homework

Would now like to thank those of you, who have replyed sensibly and gave me helpful information!

Thanks for the good answers

Answer 1

The Japanese spent the 20's and 30's carving out and expanding an Empire in Asia. When they began encroaching on British and French (as well as American) interests in the area we began sanctions against them, robbing them of vital natural resources. When WWII began in Europe the British and French had their hands full and the Japanese realized their only remaining obstacle to a free hand in Asia was the US Navy. They thought a surprise attack would prove a fatal blow crippling the Navy for several years. Ironically, the admiral who led the attack was also the one who realized just what they had done by attacking Pearl Harbor. He had traveled the US and knew its industrial might and said all the Japanese had done was to "awaken the sleeping dragon". He was right and six months later at the Battle of Midway it was the Imperial Japanese Navy that was crippled and put Japan on the defensive for the rest of the war. So to shorten a very long answer to a simple question: Japan's role in WWII was to pick a fight it had no possibility to win, to dash its hope of Empire, and help secure the United States as a dominant world power.

Answer 2

Japan was part of the Axis forces along with Germany, Italy and Bulgaria and the like.

There was the manchiran crisis before the war, where Emperor Hiro Hito invaded Manchuria, and the League of nations did nothing to stop it (Hiro Hito lied about a Manchurian terrosit threat to the trans-siberian railway, sound familier?).

Japan is an Island with very little in the way of it's own resources and relies heavilly on imports.

When the second world war started, the Japanese sought to take advantage of the British and French being pre-occupied with the theat to their homeland and conquered all the eastern colonies, which were rich in raw materials.

Japan then decided to expand further into the Pacific, but were scared that the far superior US fleet based at Pearl Habour would intervene. To stop this, the Japansese destroyed the US Pacific fleet in december 1941, and continued with rapid expansion.

The US after loads of stalling decided to rebuild their fleet and go after the Japanese aggessors. The american industrial machine was so efficent, they bulit a new battleship every 12 days.

The US adopted the policy of Island hopping, liberating the Pacific Islands one be one. This was difficult because of the Japanses belief in "Bushido", fight to the death, no surrender.

The USA pressed on to Okinawa, but suffered extreme casualties to Kamakazi piolits, and Bushido warriors.

The US wanted to invaded Japan and remove the Emperor for satarting the war, however, miltary planers estimated an invasion would cost over 1 Million US casualties, and people were stating to suffer from war fatigue.

The US decided instead it would save more lives to use their new weapon, the Atomic Bomb.

The Allies, Britain, France, USA, and USSR, met at Potsdam and declared that Japan should surrender or face the "Utter destruction of the homeland". Japan refused, the USSR liberated Manchuria. The USAF plane Enola Gay flew over the cities of Hiroshima and droped the first Atomic bomb, thousands died in the blast but that was nothing compared to the radiation sickness.

3 Days later the second bomb was droped on Nagasaki, after weather reports rule out the main target city (Can't remeber what it was called, changed its name since). Japan final made unconditional surrender on board USS Misuri.

The leaders of Japan all commited Seppkuk (ritual suicide) for failing to lead their nation to victory.

Answer 3

Japan was allied with Italy and Germany in the Second World War. Japan was enemy to Canada, England, India and any country ruled by Britian at that time including Australia and New Zealand, The United States of America.

Answer 4

Japan was an ally of Germany and technically went to war when Germany went to war against the Allies. Japan brought the USA into the war by attacking Pearl Harbour. Japan surrendered following the dropping of the A bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

Answer 5

Japan role in world war 2. they were allied with Germany and Italy and Japan is the reason the united states entered the war

Answer 6

Can't belive some of the above answers!!!

Completely p*ssed me off
Anyway mate try www.bbc.co.uk/history
This won't let me paste the complete link but there is a section on the Japanese Empire, its build up and role in WW2.

Answer 7

unfortunately they sided with Germany. they went on to fight the war in the pacific that continued until well after the allies won the war in Europe.
the Japanese rulers only surrendered after Hiroshima. (but the us did not tell the japs about radiation, and exactly what they had done until the 1960s).

Answer 8

Occupy entire Asia.

Answer 9

DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT MILLIONS OF OUR BOYS GAVE THEIR LIVES so that you can be free and ask supid questions like this , have you been walking around with your head up your a-- dont they teach you anything at school ?

Answer 10

Extreme outfield.