British Policy Towards Japan In The Early Stage Of The Sino-Japanese War

At the early stage of the Sino-Japanese War, Britain adopted an appeasement policy towards Japan, tolerating all Japanese expansive encroachment in China. The paper explores the background against this policy, arguing that this reflected the decline of British military strength in the Far East. Through this appeasement policy was morally unjustifiable, it seemed a wishful thinking for the British to avoid the total collapse of their colonial regime in China.The first Section of the essay analyzes the background of the British's appeasement policy, taking into consideration of war situation in Europe and American Far East Policy.Section Two looks back British reaction to Japanese aggressions in China up to 1937. The thesis argues that Britain was inactive towards Japan's military expansion, while also taking steps to safeguard its interest in China.Section Three focuses on British policy during the period of July 1937 to the end of 1938, covering the Lugou Bridge Incident and Japan's attack on Shanghai. Britain's attitude from mild protest to virtually surrender to Japan's aggression was traced.