Unsuccessful Attempts of International Order in East-Asia

Jessica Dirkson
Professor Hoey
HIS330
March 8, 2013
Unsuccessful Attempts of International Order in East-Asia
In the beginning of the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912), Western attempts to create a stable international order in East Asia increased tremendously. During this time period, Japan experienced fundamental changes in its view and interactions with the Western Powers. Previously, the Japanese did not have any interest in adopting the international order of the West, and continued on a path of isolationism. Soon, the Japanese realized that the only foreseeable way that they could rise to power and equality with the West while still maintaining some of their social and cultural heritage was to change their foreign and domestic policy to the “Western Way.” The Japanese devotion to this adaptation was remarkable. Within a few decades, the Japanese were soon recognized as an emerging World Power. The rapid rise to power had many effects on Japan’s growing international relationships. As time progressed and Japan’s strength continued to increase, Western Powers began to see their status and interests potentially threatened and decisively took action. The West’s desires to construct a stable international order with their advantage in East Asia resulted in the creation of multiple alliances and treaty systems. Shortly thereafter, Japan began to feel constrained by their subordinate role in the international order, and attempted to create a Japan-centric East Asian Order. With wars and breaking of treaties, the stability of an international order in East Asia implemented by Western powers became a vision of the past by the 1930s, only to re-emerge with the defeat of Japan in 1945 and the United States’ sequential occupation.
Japan’s Re-emergence into International Order: The Anglo-Japanese Alliance
The Anglo-Japanese alliance, created in 1902, was one of the most significant developments in constructing international order in East Asia during the twentieth century.

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