Second Sino Japanese War Analysis

PURPOSE OF THEORETICAL ANALYSIS
A theory is not merely an idea with a seemingly random origin. More often than not, it arises with the intent of explaining phenomena that have occurred in the world, or that of solving problems that plague it. The theory of idealism in international relations, for instance, was largely intended as a tool to free the world from the evil notions of imperialism that led to the First World War. Meanwhile, realism gained popularity in an attempt to combat the claims of idealism and explain the occurrence of the Second World War, while structural realism sought to explain the balance of power positions that fuelled the Cold War. Thus, analysing a war from the perspective of a theory helps not just in understanding

The official timeframe of the war was 1937-45, and it had its roots in the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894 that saw several regions of the Chinese province being taken over by Japanese troops. In the 19th century, the Meiji Restoration had suddenly propelled Japan into the modern world; Western knowledge gave the Japanese military forces access to modern weapons and transformed the economy into an industrialised one. Fuelled by this newfound power, Japan launched itself into a full-scale imperialistic, expansionary policy, the consequences of which were the first and second Sino-Japanese

1979) In other words, the increase of a nation’s power can pose a threat – security or otherwise – to another nation that might then seek out war in an effort to regain its power position. Additionally, the lack of an overarching authority provides states with the incentive to maximise on their resources to gain more sovereignty by annexing more territory. In the context of the Sino-Japanese wars, this theory can be easily applied as it is evident from the very beginning that it was Japan’s imperialistic outlook and expansionary policies that led to the war. As stated earlier, the Westernisation of the Japanese economy and military in the late 19th century made it easier for Japanese troops to invade and occupy neighbouring Chinese provinces, leading to the First Sino-Japanese War.
Further, the period after the First World War was a stressful one for Japan; increasing output from Chinese textile mills implied extensive exports into Japanese markets, giving China an upper hand in terms of power positions in controlling Japan through its economy. Thus threatened, the Japanese Empire felt the need to re-establish its power position by invading China repeatedly in the 1930s, leading to the Second Sino-Japanese