Why is 1937 a significant year in Asia?

1937: Japan Invades China This amplified already tense relations in the region, leading to an all-out declaration of war. In July of that year, the Japanese launched their first assault with the Battle of Beijing at Tianjin, before marching to the Battle of Shanghai on August 13.

Was China in the Second World War?

But relatively few will remember a historical fact that underpins the ceremony: China was the first country to enter what would become the Second World War, and it was the ally of the United States and the British empire from just after Pearl Harbor in 1941, to the Japanese surrender in 1945.

Why did Japan feel it was necessary to invade China 1937?

Seeking raw materials to fuel its growing industries, Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria in 1931. By 1937 Japan controlled large sections of China, and accusations of war crimes against the Chinese became commonplace.

What was China’s role in World war 2?

China was the first of the Allies to fight the Axis power in Asia, but they received less credit for the role they played in the Pacific theater than the other allies who joined the war in 1945. The war was the outcome of Japan’s policy of expanding its influence in Asia to access labor, food, and raw materials.

Why did WWII break out in Asia?

Faced with severe shortages of oil and other natural resources and driven by the ambition to displace the United States as the dominant Pacific power, Japan decided to attack the United States and British forces in Asia and seize the resources of Southeast Asia. In response, the United States declared war on Japan.

What is so important about Nanking?

Once one of China’s most prosperous cities and industrial centers, Nanking took decades to recover from the devastation it experienced. Abandoned as the national capital in 1949 for Beijing, it grew into a modern industrial city during the communist period and today is home to many of China’s largest state-owned firms.

Why are Western historians changing their view of China’s role in WW2?

It may also be the reason for the change of attitude among western historians towards China’s role in the war. Frank said more western historians have agreed to consider 1937 as the beginning of World War II, and his book aims to reveal the truth to more people in Europe.

Who did China fight in the Second Sino-Japanese War?

China fought Japan with aid from the Soviet Union and the United States. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the war merged with other conflicts of World War II as a major sector known as the China Burma India Theater. Some scholars consider the start of the full-scale Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937…

Why was Japan’s occupation of China considered a failure?

In occupied China, Japan was unsuccessful in inducing many Chinese to take office in the governments that it endeavoured to set up. Even there, Japan’s control was confined to the cities and the railway lines; outside these it was challenged by guerrilla bands that professed allegiance to the Nationalist government.

What happened to the Chinese in Indochina after WW2?

After the war, 200,000 Chinese troops under General Lu Han were sent by Chiang Kai-shek to northern Indochina (north of the 16th parallel) to accept the surrender of Japanese occupying forces there, and remained in Indochina until 1946, when the French returned.