Chapter 5: US containment in Asia

• Emperor Hirihito:

  Head of Japan during nationalism and expansionism in the 1930s

  A symbol of reconciliation, and political and economic recovery after 1945
• General Douglas MacArthur:

  MacArthur's main aim was to rebuild Japan into an independent democracy that would be able to defend itself against communist aggression from China or Russia

  Appointed as Supreme Commander of Allied Powers (SCAP) in August 1942
• Joseph Morell Dodge:

  US economic advisor in Germany and Japan

  Helped control Japan's rising inflation

  Developed economic strategies which fulfilled the US' wider aims
• Reverse Course:

  In 1947 the US begins ‘reverse course’ towards Japan- focusing on economic rehabilitation to achieve democratic political stability

  The US targeted suspected communists and their sympathisers rather than war criminals from WW2
• US Aims in Japan:

  Allying with Japan meant the US had a power base in Eastern Asia, and another country which was less likely to fall to communism

  They also restored key right-wing conservatives into Japanese politics
• US-Japanese Policy : 1949-54

  The US followed 7 criteria to regain Japan's economic stabilisation

  • Increased regulation of foreign exchange
  • A balanced budget
  • Stricter loan lending criteria
  • wage controls
  • More efficient tax system
  • Price controls
  • increased regulation of trade
• External pressures:

  In 1950 Mao Zedong formed a military alliance with the USSR(sino-soviet treaty of friendship), pressuring the US' involvement in Japan, its role as 'global policeman' and its containment policy

  Both states refused to sign the 1951 San Francisco Peace treaty- refusing to enable western power

  The Korean War also 'forced' the US' position within the war, not wanting soviet control and influence in Asia
• Super balanced budget and the GATT:

  The super balanced budget set Japan a target surplus of nearly 157mil yen (around $4mil)- initially leading to increased unemployment due to business closures

  The GATT (general agreement on tariffs and trade) strengthened Japanese trade with the west while preventing trade with communist China from 1950
• Shigeru Yoshida:

  Was a supporter of Japanese Imperialism in the 1930s but was 'rehabilitated' after WW2

  He was focused on Japanese economic recovery and his acceptance of US protection for Japan became known as the Yoshida doctrine- influencing Japanese cold war policies
• John Foster Dulles:

  Saw the USSR as expansionist both strategically and ideologically

  Developed 'rollback' which aimed at taking an offensive stance against communism over containment

  Strong links with Eisenhower's 'new look' policy from '53
• San Francisco Peace treaty 1951:

  Yoshida took advantage of rising tensions in Asia and pushed for the treaty

  The treaty returned Japanese sovereignty and placed no reparations or restrictions upon the country (economic or political)

  It enabled Japanese rearmament, and ignored Japan's responsibility within WW2

  However, the US gained unrestricted use of Japanese military bases, control over Owkinawa, and the right to intervene in Japanese 'disorder' or veto any offers Japan may make regarding military bases to other states
• Japan by 1954: Military capability

  MacArthur ordered a 75,000 National Police Reserve (NPR) to be trained by US military

  By 1952, Japan had 110,000 ground troops and 7600 maritime personnel which made up the National Safety Agency (NSA)

  By 1954, Japan had a 140,000 strong 'Self-defense force' which the US funded $240 million towards
• Jiang Jieshi:

  China's nationalist and anti-communist leader

  Exiled to Taiwan after the civil war in 1949

  Later the leader of the Republic of China in Taiwan
• Mao Zedong:

  Founding member of the Chinese communist party (CCP)

  Established the People's republic of China in 1949

  Hard-line against the capitalist west- saw them as imperial
• Dean G Acheson:

  Secretary of state who secretly supported the KMT in Taiwan (to not threaten China)
• Defensive Perimeter: 1950

  A response to the 1950 Sino-soviet treaty which ensured the military security of the Pacific

  However, it omitted Korea in the defensive cordon, paving the way for the Korean War, despite the US' later backing of South Korea
• NSC-68: 1950

  Stressed US importance of political, economic, and military power:

  • Must increase air, ground, sea strength, and civilian defences to deter war
  • Need military readiness to stop soviet aggression
  • Massive increase of military spending
• Chinese White Paper: 1950

  Document which stressed that China's fall to communism was not the US' fault as US policy was focused on Europe