The seizure of French Indochina

The seizure of French Indochina

The seizure of French Indochina attracted massive sanctions on Japan by the US and Great Britain. Both the US and Great Britain froze Japan’s assets living her on the brink of an economic collapse. US president at that time Franklin Roosevelt seized Japan assets in retaliation of invasion of Japan in Indochina. The US was against the occupation of Japan in French Indochina was aggrieved by the Asian powerhouse at that time by forcefully occupying the French Indochina.

Other countries also followed suit to put Japan in a vulnerable financial position, given that she could not get raw materials supplies for her industries back home. Othe countries such as Dutch Indies that were against Japan’s occupation in French China also froze Japan’s assets in her country. Japan lost many trading international partners due to its invasion in French China in Indo-china that painted the country in a bad light.

Losing three-quarters of her foreign assets and lost a lot of crucial imports for her raw materials. In particular, Japan lost her lost imports as all her trading partners that supply her oil withdrew from exporting oil to Japan. Japan lost roughly 88% of her imported oil, threatening many of its companies that hugely relied on oil for production. At the time Japan’s remaining oil reserves could only last her three years. However, if the country was to go to war, the oil reserves could only last her half a year. The international oil embargo place on Japan strained her economic position for it limited her industrial activities. Japan was put in a vulnerable position and had to act wisely, not to attract further aggression in the international community.

Instead of Japan laying low so that her unpopularity in the international community could fade she went ahead to invade Saigon. The Japanese militarists hoped that if they could retake control of regions in Southeast such as Malaya, she could secure raw materials for her dwindling company. In this respect, the militarists hoped that Japan’s economy could stabilize due to the effects of the oil embargos. The militarists wanted to control Southeast Asia countries such as Malaya because they supplied raw materials to Western countries that had put sanctions on Japan.

The militarists thought that controlling the Asian countries; she could control imports such as tin and Rubber that te country supplied to the West. Doing so, she believed she could have a bargaining chip against the West. By controlling the raw materials, she could force the Western countries that had put sanctions on her to lift them. Japan pushed the Western countries to the wall to lift her oil embargos. She wanted to put a severe blow on the tin and rubber production in the West so that the states could be forced to lift her oil embargos and sanctions. However, the move hugely backfired as Japan further infuriated the West, who opted to go to war with Japan.

Japan’s actions and lack of considering several options to settle her disputes with the West put her at vulnerable positions political. Her further aggression led to the Japanese militarists to be involved in the World 11. Japan suffered dire consequences in the World War 11 with major blow the disastrous atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that left the country on her knees. Japan was later forced to surrender unconditional her involvement in World War 11.

However, Japan’s involvement in World War 11 could have been avoided if militarists had considered several peace resolution options. Japan was hugely exposed and that she was on the brink of economic disintegration after her occupation of French Indochina. Japan’s militarists could have opted for diplomacy with the imperialists and her bitter neighbours. Japan’s military advances had severely hurt the West and her neighbours that had turned against her. Doing so they could have avoided her participation in World War 11.

The militarist could have honoured the Japanese-Soviet Neutrality Pact of 1941 not to try to offend the US. Japan’s failure to acknowledge the Pact further aggrieved the US and West who were capitalist. Her inability to honour the agreement saw the West lose trust in all her actions. The West was bitter for Japan undoing efforts of the pact. Honouring pact could have appealed to West and US who could consider lifting the trading tariffs.

She could also have made peace with her neighbouring countries, such as China, who were aggrieved by her military advances. Her reckless actions and failure to exploit the available peace resolutions options saw her involved in World War 11 and suffered a great deal. Failure by Japan to be remorseful and seek forgiveness as per Christian ethics caused her citizens massive suffering in World War 11. Repenting and asking for forgiveness is the best way to make up for one’s mistakes.