History 2605E

2nd Source Document Assignment

Choose and answer one of the following questions in a 3-6 page essay. No outside
research is required, except for the introductory sections of the chapters in Modern
Japan: A History in Documents. Please refer to the documents and use examples to
substantiate your positions. This assignment is a formal essay and needs to include
proper referencing in the form of footnotes/endnotes. Please refer to the book review
assignment which is on Sakai for hints on format and footnoting. This essay is due on
Wednesday, March 30.
Although background is important, please focus most of your essay and analysis on the
actual words or images of the historical actors involved. The introductions and
comments before the documents should serve to set the context for the actual documents,
but should not be the main focus of your assignment. Please try to concentrate on themes
of the collection of documents and see how the documents bring out these themes, rather
than trying to make a summary of each one (which is difficult to do with the restricted
assignment length).
Please hand in an electronic copy through the Course OWL site to Turnitin.com through
the Assignments folder and a paper copy in class at the due date.
1. What do the documents in Chapter 4 (p. 73-95) reveal about the last years of the Meiji
period? How did rising nationalism and the search for empire affect Japanese politics
and foreign policy? What do the documents reveal about changing lifestyles as a result of
economic and social changes?
2. What do the documents in Chapter 5 (p. 97-119) reveal about the Taish period? How
did social and political changes reflect themselves in culture and the media? What was
the impact on Japanese politics from the growth of democracy? What were some of the
tensions inherent in the interaction of growing democracy and the continuation of
imperialism?
3. What do the documents in Chapter 6 (p. 121-147) reveal about the effects of the rise
of militarism in Japan in the 1930s and 1940s? How did the militarists justify their rise
to power domestically in Japan and further imperial expansion in the 1930s? How did
they try and influence popular opinion? How did these processes lead to the Pacific
theatre of World War II and what impact did this have on Japan and the wider AsiaPacific region?
4. What do the documents in Chapter 7 (p. 149-173) reveal about social and economic
reconstruction after the Second World War? How did the US occupation affect Japanese
society and politics? What contributed to Japans successful economic development after
the Occupation? How did this affect the lives of Japanese people?

5. What do the documents in Chapter 8 (p. 175-199) reveal about life in Japan after
1970? What challenges did Japan face in this period? How did it cope with a growing
economy in the 1980s and decline in the 1990s? What were some of the chief subjects
of debate in Japanese politics and society?