Syllabus:
- The impact of the First World War and the post-war conferences
- Taisho democracy: the growth of liberal values and the two-party system
- Reasons for, and impact of, the rise of militarism and extreme nationalism: increasing influence of the army in politics; political coups and assassinations
- Invasions of Manchuria (1931) and China (1937), and impact on relations with the West; Three Party/Tripartite Pact (1940); US embargo (1940)
- Japan and the Pacific War (1941 -1945): decision to attack Pearl Harbor; initial successes; reasons for defeat
- The US occupation (1945-1952): social, political and cultural changes; the reverse course (1950)
- Reasons for Japan’s ”economic miracle”; social, cultural and economic impact of globalization
IB Wisdom 