United Kingdom And Japan In China (1925-1931),

In the Great War, the British strength declined and Japan抯 power went up, so the contradiction between the two countries was increasing. After the war, the two countries revised their Far Eastern policy and China policy. At the same time, the Chinese Anti-Imperialism Movement became severed. Under this circumstance, in order to maintain the special right and interest, and to suppress Chinese revolution, Britain and Japan either co-operated or took independent steps in China. This study deals with Anglo-Japanese interaction during the Chinese revolution in 1925?931, and examines how the two countries tried to cope with the growth of Chinese nationalism. The dissertation includes six chapters: Chapter 1 outlines the question of how Britain and Japan worked out their Far Eastern and China policy, and what they were. It argues that Britain wanted to restrained Japan抯 activities in China, but it had to pacify Japan because of its weakness. At the same time Britain began to retreat from the Far East. While Japan attempted to expand in this area, yet it declared to carry out 揷o-operation diplomacy攁nd 搉on-interventionist policy in China? Chapter 2 examines the role of Britain and Japan in the May 30th Massacre. Japan as well as Britain was the maker of this massacre, but it escaped the more attack through double policy, and aimed to commit aggression against China through economic expansion. Britain was very angry at Japan抯 policy, but because it was isolated in the world, it must consider to adjust China policy limitedly. Chapter 3 looks at how Britain and Japan coped with the problem as to the Special Tariff Conference. Britain抯 policy was different from Japan抯, so they conflicted with each other, and it was this very reason that the conference failed. Until in 1930 China enjoyed tariff autonomy. Chapter 4 is a study of Britain抯 reaction to the Northern Expedition in China. At the end of 1926, it announced 揅hristmas Memorandum?and in the early of 1927 retreated from the concessions in Hankow and KiuKiang. But this didn抰 mean that Britain抯 renunciation of gun-policy. During this period, Japan refused to act jointly with Britain but made use of Britain抯 difficult position to expand in China. Chapter 5 is the further study of Japan抯 response to Northern Expedition. Japan thought its interest in the northeast of China was threaten, so it gave up the 揷o-operation diplomacy?and pursued 損ositive diplomacy?which brought out the Tsinan Massacre, moreover, Japan抯 army officer assassinated Chang Tso-lin, the Fengtien clique leader. Thus Japan抯 invasion led to Chinese boycott. And now Japan attempted to co-operate with Britain, which failed at last. Chapter 6 deals with the period after economic depression broke out, when the people in Japan who advocated strong policy threw away the 揷o-operation diplomacy? completely, and created Manchurian Crisis. Facing this incident, Britain took a negative attitude due to the effect of depression and the weakness of defense power in the Far East.