THE MAKING OF A NATION 190 - US/Japan Relations Before World

THE MAKING OF A NATION - April 25, 2002: US/Japan Relations Before World War Two

By David Jarmul
VOICE 1:

THE MAKING OF A NATION -- a program in Special English on the Voice of America.

(Theme)

We have seen in recent programs how the rise of Fascist¹ leaders in Europe threatened American neutrality in the
nineteen-thirties. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi² party in Germany created the most obvious threat.

But there was also Benito Mussolini in Italy and Francisco Franco in Spain. These leaders challenged both the
idea of democracy and the security of some of America's closest allies.

Hitler's invasion of Poland and the beginning of general war in Europe in nineteen-thirty-nine made Americans
wonder if they could remain neutral much longer.

The United States would finally go to war against Hitler and the other axis³ nations. But its first battle would not
be in Europe at all. Instead, Washington would enter World War Two following a direct attack by Japan.

VOICE 2:

Relations between the United States and Japan had grown steadily⁴ worse throughout the nineteen-thirties. Both
nations were important industrial powers. But they had very different ideas about the economic and political
future of eastern Asia, especially China.

Until the late eighteen-hundreds, Japan had been a nation with ancient political traditions and little contact with
the Western world.

Visits by Commodore Matthew Perry and American warships⁵ helped open Japan to trade with the United States
and other nations in the eighteen -fifties. And in the years that followed, Japan took giant steps toward becoming a
modern industrial nation.

By the nineteen-twenties and thirties, Japan was a strong country. But it lacked oil,
rubber, and other natural materials of its own. For this reason, Japanese leaders
looked with envy at the Dutch colonies in Indonesia, French colonies in Indochina,
and British colonies in Malaya and Burma. And Japanese businessmen saw huge
markets for their products in such nearby countries as Korea and China.

VOICE 1:

Japan's desire to use eastern Asia to gain natural materials and
sell manufactured products was in direct conflict with American plans for Asia. This was
especially true concerning China. Washington was the creator of the "Open Door" policy
toward China. It wanted to keep China's natural materials and markets free from control by
Japan or any other foreign nation.

For this reason, Americans were very concerned when Japanese forces invaded the Manchuria
area of China in nineteen-thirty-one. And they watched with great interest the efforts of Matthew Perry
Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek to oppose the Japanese invaders⁶.

The United States was also very concerned about protecting its imports of oil, tin, and natural rubber from
southeast Asia. This area of the world was a major supplier of these natural materials in the nineteen-thirties. The
Middle East had not yet become a leading producer of oil.

Commodore Perry meets
the imperial commissioners⁷
at Yokohama

In these ways, the United States and Japan were competing for the same natural materials and Asian markets.
However, there also was a good deal of trade between the two nations. In fact, Japan depended on the United
States for most of its metal, copper⁸, and oil.

VOICE 2:

This trade with Tokyo became a major concern for President Franklin Roosevelt and the Congress in nineteen-
thirty-seven.

In the summer of that year, more Japanese troops moved into China. They quickly captured much of the Chinese
coast.

Much of the metal, oil, and other materials that Japan used for its war effort in China came from the United
States. Americans did not like selling Japan materials to use against China. But the trade was legal because of a
nineteen-eleven agreement between Tokyo and Washington.

However, the American government told Japan in nineteen-thirty-nine that it would end the earlier agreement. It
would no longer sell Japan materials that could be used for war.

VOICE 1:

Washington's decision made the Japanese government think again about its expansionist plans. And the
announcement a month later of the peace treaty between Germany and the soviet⁹ union gave Tokyo even more
cause for concern. The soviet union could be a major opponent of Japanese expansion in eastern Asia. And it
appeared free from the threat of war in Europe.

These two events helped moderates in the Japanese government to gain more influence over foreign policy. A
moderate government took power in January, nineteen-forty.

VOICE 2:

However, this period of moderation in Tokyo did not last long. In the spring of nineteen-forty, Germany launched
its lightning invasion of Europe. The nazis¹⁰ captured Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg,
and finally France.

Extremists in the Japanese government saw the German victory as their chance to launch their own attack on
European colonies in Asia. They quickly began negotiations¹¹ with Hitler to form a new alliance. And within
months, militant¹² leaders overthrew¹³ the moderate government in Tokyo.

The new Japanese government was headed by a moderate, Prince Konoye. But its minister of war was an
expansionist, General Tojo. Tokyo wasted no time in taking action. It forced France to give Japan permission to
occupy northern Indochina. And Tokyo also demanded that Britain close the Burma road to the Chinese city of
Chungking [Chongqing].

VOICE 1:

These events caused relations between Tokyo and Washington to become even worse.

In the second half of nineteen-forty, President Roosevelt banned the export of metal and oil products to Japan.
His administration also lent money to China. And American representatives quietly began to Meet with British
and Dutch officials to discuss joint¹⁴ defense¹⁵ plans for possible Japanese attacks in the western Pacific.

Washington and Tokyo held long negotiations in nineteen-forty-one. The American officials hoped the
negotiations might delay Japan from launching an attack to the south. They also thought that a delay might give
more moderate leaders in Japan a chance to gain more influence. And for a time, the American plan worked.
Japan did not make new acts of aggression¹⁶.

VOICE 2:

Again, events in Europe caused this situation to change. Nazi Germany attacked the soviet union in the middle of


nineteen-forty-one. This prevented Moscow from doing any fighting on its eastern borders. So, Japanese troops
were free to invade southern Indochina.

President Roosevelt reacted to Japan's invasion of Indochina by taking three major steps. First, he took control of
all Japanese money in the United States. Second, he brought the armed forces of the Philippines under American
command. And third, he closed the Panama canal to Japanese shipping¹⁷.

Once again, a conflict developed between moderates and extremists in the Japanese government.

More moderate leaders such as Prime Minister Konoye urged one more effort to reach an agreement with the
United States. But the Japanese army and navy believed that the time had come to go to war to end American and
European power in eastern Asia forever.

VOICE 1:

Negotiations between Japan and the United States continued through the final months of nineteen-forty-one. But
the two nations were on the edge of war. They were as close to hostilities¹⁸ as Washington was with the nazi
government in Berlin.

American military officials captured secret messages from Japan during this time. They learned that Tokyo was
planning an attack of some kind unless the United States suddenly changed its policies. However, the American
officials could not discover exactly where or how the attack would be made.

Almost everyone in Washington expected that the Japanese would attack south of Japan. They were wrong. The
military leaders in Tokyo were planning a surprise attack on America's main pacific military base, the huge naval¹⁹
center at pearl harbor, Hawaii. That will be our story next week.

(Theme)

VOICE 2:

You have been listening to THE MAKING OF A NATION, a program in Special English. Our program was
narrated²⁰ by Harry²¹ Monroe and Rich Kleinfeldt. It was written by David Jarmul. The Voice of America invites
you to listen again next week to THE MAKING OF A NATION.

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1 fascist   

adj.法西斯主义的；法西斯党的；n.法西斯主义者，法西斯分子

参考例句：

• The strikers were roughed up by the fascist cops.罢工工人遭到法西斯警察的殴打。
• They succeeded in overthrowing the fascist dictatorship.他们成功推翻了法西斯独裁统治。

2 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

3 axis   

n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线

参考例句：

• The earth's axis is the line between the North and South Poles.地轴是南北极之间的线。
• The axis of a circle is its diameter.圆的轴线是其直径。

4 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

5 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

6 invaders   

入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They prepared to repel the invaders. 他们准备赶走侵略军。
• The family has traced its ancestry to the Norman invaders. 这个家族将自己的世系追溯到诺曼征服者。

7 commissioners   

n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官

参考例句：

• The Commissioners of Inland Revenue control British national taxes. 国家税收委员管理英国全国的税收。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The SEC has five commissioners who are appointed by the president. 证券交易委员会有５名委员，是由总统任命的。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

8 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

9 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

10 Nazis   

n.（德国的）纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 )；纳粹主义

参考例句：

• The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

12 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

13 overthrew   

overthrow的过去式

参考例句：

• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime. 人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。
• They overthrew their King. 他们推翻了国王。

14 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

15 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

16 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

17 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

18 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

19 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

20 narrated   

v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Some of the story was narrated in the film. 该电影叙述了这个故事的部分情节。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Defoe skilfully narrated the adventures of Robinson Crusoe on his desert island. 笛福生动地叙述了鲁滨逊·克鲁索在荒岛上的冒险故事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

21 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。