Japan and China after Second World War - Essay Example

Japan and China after WW2 By Rhea Bugarin 12 April 2008 With all the destructions caused by World War 2, a great deal of transformation had occurred to most country and state. Immediately after the turmoil, most country had been devastated. Much is true for Japan, of which had experience vast post-war loss, too much for its attempt to gain economic progress. After the "undeclared war" between Japan and China began in 1937, most Americans sympathized with the Chinese. Furthermore, its plans for expansion in the Far East that led it to attack Pearl Harbor in December 1941 had brought the United States into the war.

Having the United States along with the Allies against it, the country had put itself into a great tribulation. The rest is one dreadful history that had eventually led to Japan's surrender. Its attempt to gain control and independence had caused the loss of its military power and acquired territories as well destruction of its industries (Wars and Battles of the World). Decades after the war, Japan remains struggling with their recovery. United States, with its self-vested interest, had helped it established its Self-Defense Force.

With its continuous effort to revive, Japan's economy flourished resulting to a quick rise of the living standards, changes in society and the stabilization of the ruling position of the Liberal Democratic Party, but also in severe pollution. It's relation with the Soviet Union as well as China had normalized. But then, its economy was again shocked with the oil crisis on 1973 that had led it to developed long-term strategies for entering existing markets by shifting into high technology industry (Smith).

China, when it was just about the route of progression, had endured devastation having blood shed and disgrace as their biggest injury under Japanese invaders. With the United States supporting them towards the war, providing their battle necessities from training to material support, they managed to defeat their aggressor. Despite the win, still the war had caused the country's exhaustion. As it tries to recover, further havoc had successively followed. During the 50's, it has been involved in the Korean War in favor of the North followed by widespread famine due to the attempt to restructure it from agricultural to industrial economy, that had eventually led to power struggle.

Their continuous effort to acquire more territories had caused disputes and protest such as that of Tibet (China). Apart from those, the extension of its struggle can be attributed to its huge population that had been inevitably causing immense diversity making its people difficult to handle and unite. With all its ordeals, it had still managed to keep up with the world's economy, having been able to export their mass produced produces.The residual angst between this two striking land, China and Japan, had somehow reduced their trade opportunity that had put and kept the United State at the top of both of them.

Their people's loyalty and dedication had kept them both an independent realm, but their harshness and lack of respect to other inferior nations has constantly brought them into snag. Nowadays, no matter how great, both countries were never freed from distress, but their continuous effort to rise after every fall had kept its position at the top of World's Largest Economy.Sources:Smith, J.W. "Economic Democracy: The Political Struggle for the 21st Century" InstituteforEconomicDemocracy. 2005.

"Wars and Battles of the World." . "China Defensive" October 03, 2003. "List of Countries by GDP" Wikipedia. "China" Infoplease.