After world war one East Asia and North America responded similarly to economic growth and social structure, while taking opposite decisions concerning politics and international relations. Both countries grew economically due to industrialism and their standard living improved by opting for western lifestyle. But japan was involved in war and with no thoughts of stopping while the United States was remaining out of it. To start with, United States and japan had similar ideas regarding their social structure. As the united stated was evolving in improving standard living, japan was moving towards western cultural values.
In the United States woman’s rights and labor was beginning to be a normal idea and even birth control comes into the picture. While in japan gender equality, freedom of expression and dignity of the individual where being embraced. All of this because allot of men had to fight in war and people where needed to do work, women took a step and did it becoming not only efficient for working but also economically independent.
In other words countries standard living was rising with more people being comfortable with their way of living and not rebelling because of having more rights.
Moreover United States and japan had their difference regarding their international political position. While japan gets involved in war, the United States opts for isolationism. Although world war was over and japan had seen the deaths and devastation they decided to invade Manchuria a city in china and one year later invades Shanghai because of a minor conflict but also because Japanese where waiting for an excuse to conquer china for resources, after the battle of Shanghai 22 major battles followed.
Meanwhile the United States stayed in their side provoking little problems. Not forgetting to mention that Japan and war one. Like that the United States and japan where in opposite sides of the war after The Great War, japan inside and the united states outside. In addition United States and japan both grew economically after world war one because their industrialism. Both of them got involved in the war very late that gave them more advantage because they had more weapons. Also their industry grew allot making more weapons to export and also they had more manufacturing.
As well the United States was giving out loans to countries that where in a bad shape after war. These made both countries economically grow and become economically superior from other countries. In conclusion the United States and japan where similar regarding social structure and economics, they had their differences in their decisions to enter war again. Even more important is what would happened next and that despite their similarities they would end up as rivals and fighting against each other. Was that really the right choice?