Teaching World War I in the 21st Century 1 | Page 11

Japan was on a far different trajectory at that point.

In September 1914, Japan attacked Shandong

its influence with the annexation of Korea in 1910.

influence in China. Japan hoped to establish de facto

After successes in the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)
and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Japan was
a growing power in the region, further expanding

Japan saw World War I as an opportunity to advance

its interests in the region while the European nations
were preoccupied with events thousands of miles

away. An ally of the British since 1902, Japan declared
war on Germany on August 23, 1914, quickly moving
against German-held areas in China and the Pacific.

While this undoubtedly worked into the Allied strategy
against German power worldwide, an added benefit

for the Japanese was that it advanced Japan’s territorial
interests in China.

(Shant V