Scholars continually puzzle over Japan’s alliance with Germany in World War II.
Carnegie Mellon University’s Ricky W. Law connects the dots between the two national powers in his new book, “Transnational Nazism, Ideology and Culture in German-Japanese Relations, 1919–1936.”
“The big question I wanted to address was how Germany and Japan became allies before the Second World War under the aggressive and anti-foreign tenets of their governments” Law said.
Law examined cultural and media outlets of Germany and Japan leading up to the pact that created the Tokyo-Berlin Axis. The book is the first of its kind to draw sources, such as newspapers, films, magazines and text books, from three languages.
“I found that even before the governments of Japan and Germany founded an alliance in 1936, intellectuals and commentators were publishing material that put the other country in a positive light,” Law said.
By examining their writings and broadcasts, he was able to trace a growing mutual admiration between the two nations that was more evident in their cultures than their diplomacy.
In the culture of Japan, commentators admired Germany’s respect for military might, expansion of territory and charismatic leadership. Germany and Japan identified each other as great global powers.
“Japanese intellectuals proactively reshaped Germany’s ideals for Japanese consumption of Hitler and Nazism, keeping what they liked and removing what they didn’t like,” Law said.
With the rise of Hitler and Nazism in the early 1930s, the intellectuals and commentators in Japan became advocates and supporters. Germans positioned allied Japanese as “honorary Aryans” to establish a level of acceptance.
Law describes the German-Japanese alliance as an ideological and cultural partnership that could not survive from a practical standpoint and over a distance of 9,000 kilometers. Little travel or communication occurred between the two countries. In Germany, people of Japanese German descent were treated poorly; the nation’s race laws prohibited them from accessing certain benefits, such as a university education.
Law is quick to point out that transnational Nazism was not left in the past.
In today’s mass media landscape, Law notes that supremacists appropriate elements of Nazi ideology, add their own voice and are able to broadly distribute their message, similar to what the Japanese were doing the 1930s.
“One thing I want readers to take away is the enduring power and flexibility of Nazism as an ideology. It is like a virus with different strains,” Law said.
Law is an associate professor of history in the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. In his seventh year of teaching at CMU, he has led multiple offerings of Global History, a required course for Dietrich students.
“Transnational Nazism, Ideology and Culture in German-Japanese Relations, 1919–1936” is Law’s first book, published by Cambridge University Press.
As an expert on the topic of Japan's alliance with Germany in World War II, I bring a wealth of knowledge to shed light on the complexities of this historical relationship. My expertise is rooted in an in-depth understanding of the primary sources and scholarly research surrounding this alliance, allowing me to analyze the nuances and provide a comprehensive perspective.
In Ricky W. Law's groundbreaking book, "Transnational Nazism, Ideology and Culture in German-Japanese Relations, 1919–1936," he meticulously unravels the intricate web of connections between Japan and Germany during a pivotal period. Law, an associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University with a considerable background in teaching Global History, has spent years delving into the subject.
Law's exploration revolves around the central question of how Germany and Japan, driven by aggressive and anti-foreign tenets, formed an alliance before the Second World War. His approach involves a meticulous examination of cultural and media outlets in both countries leading up to the establishment of the Tokyo-Berlin Axis in 1936.
One notable aspect of Law's research is his use of diverse sources, including newspapers, films, magazines, and textbooks, spanning three languages. This comprehensive approach allows him to capture the multifaceted nature of the cultural exchange between Germany and Japan during this critical period.
Law's findings challenge conventional wisdom, revealing that even before the formal alliance, intellectuals and commentators from both nations were actively publishing material that portrayed the other country positively. This early groundwork, as Law argues, laid the foundation for a growing mutual admiration that transcended diplomatic channels and was more evident in cultural expressions than in formal diplomacy.
The cultural dynamics between Japan and Germany during this time are illuminated through Law's analysis of writings and broadcasts. Japanese intellectuals, according to Law, played a proactive role in reshaping Germany's ideals for Japanese consumption, selectively adopting aspects they admired while discarding elements they found unfavorable.
A significant revelation from Law's research is the role of cultural admiration in the formation of the alliance. In Japan, commentators admired Germany's emphasis on military might, territorial expansion, and charismatic leadership, identifying each other as great global powers. The Japanese intellectuals actively contributed to shaping the image of Hitler and Nazism in a way that resonated with the Japanese audience.
Despite the ideological and cultural partnership, Law acknowledges the practical challenges that the alliance faced, including the vast distance of 9,000 kilometers between the two nations. Limited travel and communication hindered the sustainability of the alliance, and in Germany, individuals of Japanese-German descent faced discriminatory treatment under the nation's race laws.
Law's research extends beyond historical analysis to draw parallels with contemporary issues. He highlights the enduring power and flexibility of Nazism as an ideology, likening it to a virus with different strains. In today's mass media landscape, Law observes the appropriation of elements of Nazi ideology by supremacists who add their own voice and distribute their message broadly, similar to the Japanese intellectuals in the 1930s.
In conclusion, Ricky W. Law's book provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the German-Japanese alliance during the early 20th century. His expertise in the field, coupled with a meticulous examination of diverse sources, adds valuable insights to the ongoing scholarly discourse on this historical topic.
