Cultural Diplomacy in U.S.-Japanese Relations, 1919 1941
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Cultural Diplomacy in U.S.-Japanese Relations, 1919 1941 JON THARES DAVIDANN
CULTURAL DIPLOMACY IN U.S.-JAPANESE RELATIONS, 1919 1941 Copyright Jon Thares Davidann, 2007. Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2007 978-1-4039-7532-4 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. First published in 2007 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 and Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS Companies and representatives throughout the world. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-53597-2 ISBN 978-0-230-60973-0 (ebook) DOI 10.1057/978-0-230-60973-0 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Davidann, Jon Thares, 1961 Cultural diplomacy in U.S.-Japanese relations, 1919 1941 / by Jon Thares Davidann. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1 4039 7532 9. (alk paper) 1. United States Relations Japan. 2. Japan Relations United States. 3. United States Foreign public opinion, Japanese. 4. Japan Foreign public opinion, American. 5. United States Foreign relations 20th century. 6. Japan Foreign relations 1912 1945. 7. World War, 1939 1945 Causes. I. Title. II. Title: Cultural diplomacy in United States- Japanese relations, 1919 1941. E183.8.J3D27 2007 303.48 2730520904 dc22 2007010304 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: December 2007 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Mom and Dad who nurtured my love of learning.
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Contents Acknowledgments Note on Chinese and Japanese Names ix xi Introduction: The Seeds of War 1 1. American Perceptions of Japan: Liberal Modernity or Feudal Militarism 11 2. Japanese Response to Orientalism 27 3. War Talk and John Dewey: Tensions concerning China 41 4. The Washington Conference, the Kanto Earthquake and Japanese Public Opinion: Victories for Liberals? 59 5. Immigration Exclusion 81 6. The Liberal Challenge: Responses to Immigration Exclusion 103 7. New Emperor, New Tensions in Manchuria 119 8. Oriental Duplicity or Progress and Order: The Manchurian Incident 133 9. America Is Very Difficult to Get Along with : Anti-Americanism, Japanese Militarism, and Spying, 1934 1937 159 10. A Certain Presentiment of Fatal Danger : The Sino-Japanese War and U.S.-Japanese Relations, 1937 1939 179 11. The March to War 205 Epilogue: Impact on the Postwar World 221 Notes 225 Bibliography 253 Index 257
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Acknowledgments This project has taken longer than I would have imagined when I started it. Nine years ago I began research. Given the length of time that has elapsed, inevitably I have incurred many debts to institutions, colleagues, friends, and my family. My wife Beth and son Eli have borne the greatest burden. The project took time away from them and at times turned me into a crabby, tired professor when I was with them. I appreciate their loving patience. Hawai i Pacific University made this book possible by supporting my work with many Trustees Scholarly Endeavors awards. I would like to thank in particular President Chatt C. Wright and Senior Vice President for Academic Administration John Fleckles for their support and understanding. It is not often when the leadership of an institution so readily embraces and supports the study of history. Writing a historical account can be lonely work. It is mostly individual work. Thus, the listening ear and timely words of encouragement can mean the difference between continuing and abandoning a project. This project was strengthened immensely by the insight and support of many colleagues. I would like to thank professors David Noble, Jerry Bentley, Pat Manning, Emily Rosenberg, Prasenjit Duara, and James Matray for their continuing support of my scholarship and of this particular project. Other scholars read all or parts of the manuscript and improved it through suggestions and comments. Professors Akira Iriye, Dan Headrick, George Oshiro and Associate Professor Paul Barclay took time out of their busy schedules to read the manuscript and suggest improvements. I had excellent support from archivists at the Kautz Family YMCA archives in Minneapolis, the Yale Divinity School Library Archives, the Japanese YMCA Archives, the National Diet Library in Tokyo, the Columbia University Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and Houghton Library at Harvard University. Student assistants contributed in innumerable ways to the completion of this book. Very simply, I would not have finished without their support. Thanks to Marc Gallows, Trevor Tresselle, Stephanie Orr, James Uregen, and Arian Whitley for their hard work and persistence.
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Note on Chinese and Japanese Names Chinese names are given in Wade-Giles form as they appear most often in the sources for the interwar period. Pinyin versions appear in parentheses following the first appearance. Japanese names are given in Japanese name order last name first, except in the notes where they are given as they appear in the sources.