In Japan, economic and political turmoil in the 1920’s had led to the rise of militarism, and subsequently to Japanese expansionism. In effect, the state became to a large degree, the servant of the army. By 1940 the country had a totalitarian form of government.
At the beginning of 1940 a new Prime Minister was appointed, Mitsumasa Yonai. He was pro-British and pro-American. He strongly opposed any pact with Nazi Germany. Because of this, the Imperial Japanese Army was dissatisfied with Yonai. The army was preparing to act to force Yonai to resign, when Germany, triumphant in Europe, lost Hitler and renounced Nazism.
All parties in Japan soon detected the new and distinctly cooler attitude towards their country on the part of Germany. The German Foreign Minister had already advised them of German concerns about the continuing Sino-Japanese War.
This strengthened Prime Minister Yonai’s hand and he had been able to retain his position, at least for the time being.
That was one year ago.
The Japanese Army and its supporters continued to undermine Yonai at every opportunity, but now, one year later, August 1941, the tide had turned against them. The stalemate that had previously existed in the war with China had seriously deteriorated. The Chinese Nationalist army had unexpectedly displayed amazing resilience. They had not only defeated their communist rivals, they had recaptured Nanking and other areas along the south east coast that Japan had previously occupied. They had Shanghai surrounded.
The American approach with a request that they talk peace with China was received by Prime Minister Yonai with great personal pleasure. In agreeing to the request after heated discussions with all factions within the government, he had had to overcome intense opposition from the army and its supporters, and in fact would probably have failed if he had not received the personal endorsement of The Emperor.
Initial talks were scheduled for 10 September in Honolulu. The Americans were doing everything they could to be helpful.
In the meantime Generalissimo Chiang had agreed not to attack Japanese positions in China. However, he did not let this agreement stop him from consolidating his forces around Shanghai and his other identified objectives. The ceasefire also gave the technicians and engineers time to repair and service all their equipment. His three armies were also re-supplied and rested.
Japan undertook not to send any further troops from Japan to China until the peace conference ended.
The first meeting between the Chinese and Japanese produced nothing more than both sides setting out their respective positions. China wanted Japan to withdraw from all Chinese territories including Manchukuo, Taiwan and Korea. The Japanese insisted the latter three were officially Japanese possessions. They also claimed the island of Hainan on the south east China coast.
The United States, Britain, Germany, France and Holland had observer status at the conference. The scene was set for much ‘behind the scenes’ manoeuvring.
After four days of claims, counter-claims, accusations and counter-accusations, neither side had moved in the slightest from their first negotiating position. The conference adjourned for few days.
The whole world knew that Japan was the aggressor. The USA gently reminded the Japanese Government of US intentions.
In Japan the squabbling between the militarists and the anti-war factions was violent at times and led to several assassinations and at least one suicide. Prime Minister Yonai had to be guarded at all times as he received constant threats to his life.
The peace delegates returned to Japan for further instructions.
To break the impasse there was a dramatic intervention by a section of Japan’s armed forces. Admiral Isoroko Yamamoto, the highly regarded Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy, had always opposed the invasion of China. He had serious reservations about any action that could bring about war with the USA and European powers. He also had close relations with the Imperial Royal family.
Yamamoto now threw his weight behind the Yonai and the peace faction. He used his influence at court to press the Emperor to indicate that he favoured peace.
Yonai kept his nerve and sent the peace conference delegates back to Honolulu to continue the search for peace.
In Tokyo the inflexible and west-hating General Hideki Tojo of the Imperial Japanese Army, had finalised his plans two weeks earlier. He saw no room for compromise.
He had been the War Minister in the Japanese Government for over a year and was without doubt, Japan’s strongman. A militarist and totalitarian. He had always a great supporter of ties with Nazi Germany. He was virulently opposed to yielding his country’s Chinese acquisitions. His attitude was that they would be Japanese territory for ever! He favoured war with the United States if they imposed their threatened sanctions.
He had influenced a group of young Imperial Japanese Army officers to launch a coup with a view to purging the government and military leadership of all anti-war elements. This was now about to happen.
They achieved complete surprise as they launched their action. Previously targeted leading government officials were assassinated, and the government centre in Tokyo was occupied by them before any of their perceived opposition had any idea what was happening. Chaos and fear spread through the city.
A satisfied General Tojo prepared himself for his appointment as Japan’s new Prime Minister. His first act would be to recall the delegates from the peace conference. His second act would be to order the finalising of the plans to annihilate the US fleet at Pearl Harbour in a surprise attack without a declaration of war. The Imperial Japanese Navy would then be the masters of the Pacific.
He carried on making his plans.
One of the leaders of the young officers came to see him. Tojo was consumed with anger when he was told that they had failed to assassinate the Prime Minister. Neither had they been able to secure control of the Imperial Palace. These two objectives had been considered vital to the success of the coup. The government remained intact. Tojo was not discouraged. He had the army on his side. The coup could not fail!
Unfortunately for the Japanese General, the unexpected happened. There was considerable Imperial anger at the attempted coup. This heightened tensions within the entire Japanese military, and divisions appeared. The result was overwhelming opposition to the coup, and units of the army and navy quickly moved against the mutineers.
The rebels soon surrendered. Later, after a summary trial, many were executed and the rest imprisoned.
General Tojo never became Prime Minister but he at least escaped the humiliation of a trial by committing ritual suicide.
The radical ‘war’ faction had now lost most of its influence. The peace conference continued.
Some progress had been made. The Japanese had conceded that the offshore islands they held, including Hainan but excluding Taiwan, could be returned to China. In turn, China agreed they could renounce any claim to Korea. The issues of Manchukuo and Taiwan had not yet been resolved.
Manchukuo, previously known as Manchuria, had been seized by the Japanese ten years earlier, although they had been active in the region for many years previously. Japanese investment and the states rich natural resources resulted in rapid economic growth. It was now a regional industrial powerhouse.
Following their policy of formally detaching Manchukuo from China, Japan had installed Puyi, the last Emperor of China, as their puppet Head of State of Manchukuo. Puyi had still been a child when he was deposed from the Imperial throne of China.
Few other countries had recognised the new state, but among them were the Soviet Union, Germany, Spain and Italy.