Unit 3: Paper 1 — The Move to Global War

Topic 3.1: Japanese expansion in East Asia (1931–1941) Questions

Practice 20 exam-style questions for IB History Topic 3.1. Review the question stems below, then unlock the full Question Bank to access markschemes, model answers, and AI grading.

1Choose1 mark
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Which event is usually taken as the start of Japan's military expansion in East Asia in the 1930s?
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2Choose1 mark
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Which 1936 event pressured Chiang Kai-shek to halt the civil war and turn to resist Japan?
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3Choose1 mark
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Which event in July 1937 escalated into the full Second Sino-Japanese War?
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4Discuss9 marks
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Using the sources and your own knowledge, discuss the extent to which the United States' response to Japanese expansion was effective before 1941.
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5Choose1 mark
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Which of the following best describes the international opportunity that made Japanese expansion into Manchuria easier?
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6Choose1 mark
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Why was Japan's civilian government unable to control the army in the early 1930s?
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7Choose1 mark
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With which two countries did Japan sign the Tripartite Pact in September 1940?
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8Identify2 marks
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Identify two things the cartoon suggests about the international response to expansion.
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9Choose1 mark
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Which two great powers were NOT members of the League of Nations during the Manchurian crisis, weakening its response?
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10Choose1 mark
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What US economic action in 1941 pushed Japan toward attacking Pearl Harbor?
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11Choose1 mark
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How did the Great Depression of 1929 contribute to Japanese expansion?
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12Choose1 mark
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In which year did Japan withdraw from the League of Nations after being condemned over Manchuria?
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13Choose1 mark
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Which staged event did Japan use as an excuse to invade Manchuria in September 1931?
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14Choose1 mark
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What did the Stimson Doctrine of 1932 commit the United States to?
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15Choose1 mark
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Which body did the League of Nations send to investigate who was to blame for events in Manchuria?
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16Choose1 mark
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What does the term 'autarky' mean in the context of Japanese expansion?
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17Choose1 mark
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What was Manchukuo, established by Japan in 1932?
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18State3 marks
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According to Source B, state three ways in which the army had weakened or controlled the civilian government.
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19Identify3 marks
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According to Source A, identify three reasons the officer gives for why Japan should take Manchuria.
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20Compare and contrast6 marks
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Compare and contrast what Sources A and C reveal about why the responses to Japanese expansion were ineffective.
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