The following is a draft response to Jack Owens' posting of 4-12 which
forwarded a request by Japanese historians for suggestions regarding the
appropriate form and content of a proposed Document Center focusing on World
War II origins, with special emphasis on the kind of documentation from
Japanese official files which would be desirable (and has not been too
speedily forthcoming). Net suggestions for additional topics for this
wish-list are herewith solicited.
David Wilkinson
____________________________________________________________________________
Group of Experts Considering the Foundation of the Document Center
of Asian History (tentative)
c/o Cabinet Secretary's Consultative Office of Foreign Policy
Nagata-cho 1-6-1 Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, 100
JAPAN
Sirs:
I enclose a list of suggested topics which should certainly be
documented from Japanese sources in order to allow proper scholarly
research into the origins of the Asian root of the Second World
War. Some are obviously germane; the relevance of others is
subject to dispute. What all have in common is the certainty that
there exist Japanese documents concerning them which ought to be
published, translated, and widely deposited. They are suitable
topics for volumes to be published by, and/or collections to be
researchable at, a Document Center on Asian History that has a
World War II focus. There may be personality, ideological,
regional, factional, institutional, economic, partisan, customary
and traditional roots of that war that need to be explored; none of
these possibilities should be ruled out a priori. Similarly,
small-scale incidents such as assassinations of key figures should
be documented with as much care as large-scale military
undertakings.
Yours very truly,
David Wilkinson
Professor
TOPICS PROPOSED FOR DOCUMENTATION
1. Tokugawa Nariakira and the relationship between joi and sonno
2. Teachings of Yoshida Shoin
3. Assassination of Ii Naosuke, 1860
4. Choshu rebellions, 1863-1866
5. Western clan coup, 1868
6. Military reorganization, 1872
7. Formosa punitive expedition, 1874
8. The western clans and the Meiji bureaucracy
9. The elevation of Shinto and the struggle against Buddhism
10. The Korean demonstration, 1876
11. Annexation of the Ryukyus, 1879
12. Origin of the zaibatsus: Mitsui; Mitsubishi
13. Itagaki Taisuke and the Liberal Party (Jiyuto), 1881
14. Korean coup of 1884
15. Imperial Rescript on Education, 1890
16. Korean intervention and Sino-Japanese War, 1894-1895
17. Murder of Queen Min of Korea, 1895
18. Nishi-Rosen Protocol, 1898
19. Special police law of 1900
20. Ito Hirobumi and the Seiyukai party, 1900
21. Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905
22. Korean treaties, 1904, 1905
23. Residency General of Prince Ito in Korea
24. Annexation of Korea, 1910
25. Russo-Japanese agreement, 1910
26. Challenge to California land laws, 1913
27. 21 Demands on China, 1915
28. Special Rights in Manchuria and Inner Mongolia, 1916-1917
29. Anfu clique agreements, 1918
30. Siberian intervention, 1918
31. Suppression of Korean independence movement, 1919
32. Assassination of Premier Hara, 1921
33. Anti-American movement, 1924
34. The Kwantung Army
35. Shantung intervention, 1927
36. Murder of Chang Tso-lin, 1928
37. Shantung intervention, 1928
38. Anti-dissent law, 1928
39. Kita Ikki's reconstructionist program
40. Politics of the Japanese population explosion
41. Assassination of Premier Hamaguchi, 1930
42. Occupation of Manchuria, 1931
43. Shanghai incident, 1932
44. "Manchukuo," 1932
45. Assassination of Premier Inukai, 1932
46. Actions regarding the Lytton Commission, 1932
47. Occupation of Jehol, 1933
48. Withdrawal from the League, 1933
49. Attempted protectorate over China, 1934
50. Ho-Umezu Agreement, 1935
51. "E. Hopei Autonomous Region," 1935
52. Assassination of Viscount Saito, 1936
53. Kodo-ha and Tosei-ha factions
54. Seven secret demands on China, 1936
55. Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1945
56. Bombing of Chinese cities, 1937
57. Panay incident, 1937
58. Arrest of liberals and radicals, 1937
59. National Mobilization Law, 1938
60. Changkufeng incident, 1938
61. Khalkin-Gol invasion, 1939
62. Invasion of Indo-China, 1940
63. Nanking Government, 1938
64. Imperial Rule Assistance Association, 1940
65. Three-Power Pact, 1940
66. Response to U.S. economic sanctions
67. Tojo Cabinet, 1941
68. The Co-Prosperity Sphere scheme
69. Pearl Harbor, 1941