SS_RF_2-3, Level 8

Lesson 2

Cause and Effect

Lesson 2

Japan WWI Notes

Lesson 3

WWII Events Notes

Our pre-class checklist:

Are you sitting at a desk in a well lit room?

Are you in a quiet room?

Do you have your bina materials?

Are you saving food for after class?

Did you arrive a few minutes early?

Are we ready and focused?

Lesson 2

Social Studies WW1 - Japan's Role and Territorial Expansion

Lesson goals

• I can explain why Japan joined WWI on Allied side
• I can identify territories Japan gained from WWI
• I can understand how WWI increased Japan's military influence and set stage for future expansion

Materials:

• Writing surface (Paper or whiteboard preferred)
• Greylead pencil or pen
• Colouring tools (crayons/markers/colour pencils)

Japan

Key Vocabulary

Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

Part 1 - WWI

Global War (1914-1918)

Started: 1914 in Europe (assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand)Two sides:

• Allies: Britain, France, Russia, later United States (1917)
• Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire

Where fought: Mostly Europe (Western Front trenches, Eastern Front), some Africa, Middle East, sea battles New technology: Machine guns, tanks, airplanes, chemical weapons (made war deadlier)

Where fought: Result: Allies won (1918), ~17 million deaths globally, empires collapsed, map of Europe redrawn.

Part 2: Japan Joins the Allies

Japan's Gains from WWI

What Japan Did

Why Japan Joined (1914)

Part 3: Between the Wars (1918-1930s) - Bridge to WWII

1920s

1930s

1940s

1930s

Economic problems

Military Influence Grows

The Path to WWII

International Tensions

Group Activity Cause and Effect Chain Analysis

WWI Victory (1918) ↓ Japan gains territory + military prestige ↓ Military gains influence in government ↓ Economic depression (1920s-1930s) ↓ Military pushes expansion as solution ↓ Invade Manchuria (1931), China (1937) ↓ International condemnation, embargo ↓ Need for resources (oil, metal) ↓ Conflict with Western powers ↓ Decision to attack Pearl Harbor (1941)

In groups, discuss the following questions:

• How did WWI's outcome influence Japan's later actions?
• Could this chain have been broken? Where?
• What role did economic problems play in military expansion?

Lesson 2

Cause and Effect

Independent Activity

Add new learning to your Japan Project Notes

Lesson 2

Japan WWI Notes

Wrap Up

Preview L3: Next: How did Japan enter WWII? What were major events in Pacific War? What happened to civilians?

Exit ticket: How did WWI set stage for WWII for Japan?

Our pre-class checklist:

Are you sitting at a desk in a well lit room?

Are you in a quiet room?

Do you have your bina materials?

Are you saving food for after class?

Did you arrive a few minutes early?

Are we ready and focused?

Lesson 3

Materials:

• Writing surface (Paper or whiteboard preferred)
• Greylead pencil or pen
• Colouring tools (crayons/markers/colour pencils)

Social Studies WWII -Japan Enters the War & the Pacific Conflict

Lesson goals

• I can explain why Japan entered World War II.
• I can identify major events of the Pacific War.
• I can describe how WWII affected Japan and other nations.

Why would Japan attack the United States?

Why Japan Entered WWII

Write one sentence explaining Japan’s decision

Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941)

The Pacific War

Japan’s Early Success (1942)

Turning Points

Guadalcanal

Island Hopping Strategy

War's Human Cost

Group Discussion

Why did Pearl Harbor change the war? How did WWII differ from WWI?

Independent Activity

Add new learning to your Japan Project Notes

Lesson 3

WWII Events Notes

Wrap Up

Preview L4: Next: Civilian impact & atomic bombs

Key Vocabulary:

• World War I
• Allies,
• Central Powers
• territory

• expansion,
• military prestige,
• League of Nations

Why Japan Joined (1914):

• Alliance with Britain: Japan-Britain treaty since 1902 (partners)
• Opportunity: Germany had colonies in Pacific and China - Japan wanted them
• Military prestige: Show Japan as modern military power
• Strategic thinking: "While Europe is distracted fighting each other, we can expand in Asia"

What Japan Did:

• Naval power: Japanese navy attacked German bases in Pacific

Seized German territories:

• Pacific islands (Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, Caroline Islands - today's Micronesia region)
• German-leased territory in China (Shandong Peninsula)
• Sent some ships to Mediterranean to help Allies (but main action in Pacific)

Japan's Gains from WWI

Territorial Gains:

• League of Nations mandate: After war, Japan officially controlled former German Pacific islands
• Expanded empire: Now controlled Korea (since 1910), Taiwan (since 1895), Pacific islands, influence in China
• Strategic position: Controlled key Pacific territories

Military Prestige:

• Japan seen as major military power (strong navy)
• Invited to Paris Peace Conference (1919) as one of "Big Five" powers
• Founding member of League of Nations
• Japan's status: From isolated nation (pre-1850s) to major world power in just 60 years!

Economic Problems:

Great Depression (1929): Hit Japan hard (exports dropped, unemployment rose) Social unrest: People struggling economically, blamed government

Military Influence Grows

Military leaders gained power in government (not full democracy anymore) Ultranationalism: Belief that Japan should dominate Asia Expansion begins: 1931: Japan invades Manchuria (northeast China) - rich in resources 1937: Full-scale war with China begins

International Tensions

• League of Nations condemned Japan's Manchuria invasion (1933)
• Japan withdraws from League (essentially saying "we don't care about international rules")
• Western powers worried: US, Britain concerned about Japan's aggression
• Resources conflict: Japan needed oil, metal, rubber - mostly came from Western-controlled territories (Dutch East Indies, Philippines, British Malaya)

The Path to WWII:

Alliances forming:

• 1940: Japan joins Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan)
• Shared goal: Challenge existing world order dominated by Britain, France, US

US responds: 1940-1941, US puts embargo on oil to Japan (trying to stop aggression)Result: Planning for Pearl Harbor attack

Japan Expands Quickly

• Japan built a huge empire across Southeast Asia and the Pacific
• Threatened supply routes to Australia
• The war spread across many countries and islands

👉 By early 1942, Japan seemed unstoppable.

The War Begins to Change

• Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942) → Japan’s advance slowed
• Battle of Midway (June 1942) → US destroyed 4 Japanese aircraft carriers
• Midway was a major turning point

👉 After Midway, the Allies began attacking instead of defending.

First Major Counterattack

• August 1942: First big US island landing
• Fierce fighting on land, sea, and air
• Allies secured an important airfield
• Protected supply routes to Australia

👉 This was the first step in pushing Japan back.

A New Strategy

• Instead of attacking every island…
• Allies skipped heavily defended islands
• Captured weaker islands to build airfields and bases
• Cut off Japanese troops from supplies

👉 This strategy helped the Allies move closer to Japan.