The Anti-Comintern Pact

The German-Japanese alliance during World War II was made official in September of 1940, a full year after the start of the war in Europe. However, the German Japan relationship dates back to 1936, when Hitler sent Joachim von Ribbentrop to sign the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan. The Anti-Comintern Pact was an agreement between Germany and Japan to thwart the spread of communism. This was the beginning of the Axis alliance, and Italy joined in late 1936. In case of an attack by the Soviet Union against Germany or Japan, these two countries would back each other. Germany ensures that it would have an ally in event of a Soviet attack, and Japan had Germany recognize its puppet regime in Manchuria. Hitler broke the terms of this pact in
Ever since the late 19th century, Japan has been trying to gain territory at the expanse of Russia and China on mainland Asia. It succeeded in gaining influence without ever defeating those two countries and in 1941, tried to do the same in East Asia. Japan's plan was first disarming the US pacific fleet before moving southward and eastward to occupy Malaya, the Netherlands Indies, the Philippines, Wake Island, Guam, the Gilbert Islands, Thailand, and Burma. (Fuller, pg. 235) By occupying these strategic areas, Japan would hope it could create a defensive perimeter that the Allies would not be able to penetrate. This in itself was a strategic mistake as they grossly under estimated the resolve of the Americans. By 1942, the Japanese had established their intended perimeter and was remarkably successful in their military endeavors. However, their attack did not limit the US navy as they had hoped, and had not disheartened the American people. The Allies did not sought peace with the Japanese, but instead fought on a united front. The US created a line of communication from the Pacific to Australia, and bombers from the continent down-under harassed the Japanese base at Rabaul. Once the Allies were able to attack the Japanese perimeter from all sides, Japan could not perform enough means to defend and sustain all the key positions. The key turning point in the Pacific came at the battle of Midway, north of
41) The argument was that Japan was convinced that the United States is becoming more and more supportive of China, and for the China affair was to be won, the US has to be defeated. The Axis pact was a deterrent for the US to become involved in the battle for Asia, as the US would not only receive repercussion from Japan, but also Japan's allies. In March of 1941, Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yosuke visited the Axis capitals to improve the relations between these three nations. The alliance with Germany was very popular in Japan, and many felt that the Axis pact would last forever. This sentiment was not only felt by the populous, but was very widely accepted in intellectual circles as well. This was a direct result of Japanese propaganda, but more astonishingly, of German propaganda. At this time, Germany was making great gains in Europe, and national morale was high. Many Japanese did not want to miss out on the massive gains Germany was making. Japan felt that by establishing an alliance with Germany, it could solve many of its international difficulties. It would gain ally against the Communist Soviet Union, restrain the United States by force, and through that, negotiate an end to the China Affair. In actuality, the pact was a division of the world into three. The Japanese at