Military Channel :: Goin' Back: Iwo Jima

Roots of the War

Preface: The attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, was the climax of nearly half a century of rivalry between Japan and the United States in the Far East. This fierce competition, though not always recognized by U.S. policy-makers, was clearly understood by a succession of Japanese civilian and military leaders and became the focal point for Japanese aggression and expansionism.

1894 Sino-Japanese War

When economic rivalry between China and Japan over control of Korea erupted into armed conflict, the Japanese achieved a quick and stunning victory. In less than six months Japan drove the Chinese out of Korea, invaded Manchuria, captured Port Arthur, and obtained its first colony — Formosa. The war showed clearly that Japanese imperialism was a force to be reckoned with — no longer would Western powers have a totally free hand in Asia.

1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERS

HowStuffWorks | TreeHugger | Petfinder | PetVideo | Discovery Education

Visit the Discovery Store: Toys & Games | Telescopes | DVD Sets | Planet Earth DVD | Gift Ideas

By visiting this site, you agree to the terms and conditions
of our Visitor Agreement. Please read. Privacy Policy.
ATTENTION! We recently updated our privacy policy. The changes are effective as of September 10, 2008.
To see the new policy, click here. Questions? See the policy for the contact information.

Copyright © 2010 Discovery Communications, LLC.

The leading global real-world media and entertainment company.