The first and perhaps most permeating aspect of the book is the focus on military power and the relationships it formed between China and Japan. To do so, Iriye first delves into the historical role of military in both countries. China is presented as a country that, while not unfamiliar to military, has founded a civilization on the belief that military is more of a necessary evil while civilization itself, mixed with culture and the accompanying tassels are what truly defined a historical China and established the mind set of the Chinese elite as they entered the modern setting. In fact, the groundwork of the modern army that was established in the latter half of the 19th century had a focus

Individual cultural ties began as well. Several Japanese were traveling in China, looking into Chinese Culture. Also, followers of the May Fourth Movement met with shishi of the Taisho Democracy period to discuss ideas and beliefs. Iriye does not discuss why cultural ties failed to stem Japanese aggression in the 1930's. He does however touch on the “cultural” propoganda that Japan spread throughout occupied Chinese Territory.

One disturbing difference between our class and the book was the focus on Chinese communism. While our class talked extensively about it, dedicating two full chapters and two full days, Iriye mentioned it in passing and only spent a few words talking about the relationships between China and Russia. This is a disturbing fact since one source is intently focused on this issue while another virtually ignores it. Should I focus on it or not?

Around the time of the first World War, Japan and China began industrializing their economies from their agricultural roots. Both countries were forces to produce goods which had stopped being imported from Europe during the war. Iriye goes on to say that if Japan had not been so blatantly aggressive to China for such an extended period of time, the economic ties that might have developed might have resulted in a much different balance of power both between the countries and between the countries and the rest of the world. Another point he discusses is that while the Japanese occupied Manchuria in 1895, Japan was one of the few countries that was indeed looking at Chinese culture with an untainted glance. Iriye concludes this section of the book with a comment that while Japan was militarily superior to China, China was by far much more of an economic power during the majority of the time period discussed.

Another issue which seemed to be covered intensely in class but virtually ignored by Iriye was the imperialist forces in 19th century China. Granted, the book missed much the century, but it seems like the imperialism was the kick-start which propelled China and Japan into their desire for modernization and westernization. I would think that more emphasis would be put on it. On a related note, the internal rebellions which dramatically both China and Japan were ignored except for a brief mention of “civil war” and the Taiping Rebellion.

Some topics in this essay:
China Japan, Taisho Democracy, Japan China, Japan Iriye, San Francisco, Taiping Rebellion, Japan’s USA, Cold War, Japan Korean, Chinese Territory, china japan, economic ties, iriye’s book, domestic issues, section book, international issues, japan china, cultural ties, internal issues, ties countries, section book focuses, economic ties countries, ties countries japan, looking chinese culture,