NEW CPP & DEADLINE Topic: An examination of Puyi’s role over the Japanese Invasion war with China. A Friend or an enemy?

Student Tutor Course Date An Examination of Puyi’s Role in the Japanese Invasion War with China. A Friend or an Enemy? Introduction The Japanese invasion of China during the early stages of the 20th century is a concept that is marked with mysteries that demand more analysis. One of the longstanding mysteries of this invasion was the role played by Puyi before, during, and after the invasion. By the early 20th century, Japan had a notable motivation to expand its authority over East Asia. Just before that period (1894-1895), the Japanese had established their imperialist power over Taiwan and Korea (Airlie, 73). Their next vital move constituted expanding their territory to China. An expansion into China would be significant to the Japanese as it would anchor their authority in the region besides giving them access to more resources. However, the Chinese were not ready to surrender to the Japanese. To counter the resistance, the Japanese developed a range of tactics including open-field wars, delineation of the Chinese from vital resources, and convincing some of the Chinese to collaborate. One of the mysteries that stemmed from the above strategies by the Japanese was the implied collaboration by Puyi. Puyi was a renowned figure after having served as the emperor of China. Following the invasion of China, the Japanese established Manchukuo in 1931. Manchukuo was a puppet state created to fuel the Japanese agenda. Puyi was made the emperor of Manchukuo. However, contrasting reports indicate that Puyi was only made a powerless emperor unwillingly (Chang 103). It is further indicated that Puyi’s emperor position was only established to convince more Chinese of the Japanese agenda. Amidst these contradicting versions, there is a growing lack of clarity about the role that Puyi played in the invasion of China. Using a literature review design, this paper intends to explore whether Puyi was a friend or an enemy following his role after the Japanese invasion of China in the early 20th century. To address the above aim, this research will focus on various questions including (1) what historical context surrounded Puyi’s decision to collaborate or not?, (2) What was the nature of Puyi’s alleged collaboration?, (3) what was Puyi’s ambiguous position in his implied collaboration?, and How did Puyi’s actions and decisions affect his legacy? Puyi's role in the Japanese invasion of China was complex and multifaceted, influenced by his status as the last emperor of China and his interactions with Japanese authorities, which warrants a more insightful analysis. Historical Context Puyi remains one of the most notable historical figures in the history of China bearing his role as a political leader. Puyi was born in 1906 in Beijing, China. He was the nephew of the reigning Guangxu emperor by then. In 1908, when Puyi was 3 years old, his emperor uncle died thereby leading to his ascent to become the emperor (Cheng et al. 117). Bearing his age, the power was held primarily by the regents. At the age of 6, in 1912, Puyi was faced with the Xinhai revolution. The revolution was large-scale and accommodated the whole of China. As such, Puyi was overpowered by the revolutionists thereby leading to his abdication. Chui’s decision to relinquish power marked the end of the Qing Dynasty and the imperialism that had dominated China for over 2,000 years. Even after the revolution ended, Puyi was allowed to continue his stay at the palace (Spence 118). He would then adopt a given name, Henry. In the West, he was largely recognized as Henry Puyi. In 1924, Puyi secretly left Beijing to reside in Tianjin. At the time of his exit from Beijing, Tianjin was a concession state or colony of the Japanese. Puyi gained further popularity and was installed as the president in 1932. His relationship with the Japanese would continue considerably following his declaration as the emperor of the Chinese Northeast state, Manchuuria, popularly known as the puppet state. Partly, the challenges that Puyi faced before and after the Japanese invasion of China were enclosed within the geopolitical climate of East Asia at the time. East Asia was marked by notable tensions in the periods before Japan invaded China in 1937 (Cheng et al. 291). Primary among the occurrences at the time was the rise of Japanese militarism at the time. As noted, Japan had developed an interest in controlling East Asia by the end of the 19th century (Spence 76). To achieve that objective, the Japanese indulged in rapid modernization and industrialization at the time. These developments steered the Japanese into having the strongest and most industrially advanced military in the region. Japan’s need for raw materials for the industries and the growing demand to control East Asia influenced some of the key political decisions in the region at the time. The weakening of China and the growth of European colonialism are the other key occurrences before Japan’s invasion and Puyi’s experiences. For over 2,000 years, China has been ruled through imperialism. The Qing Dynasty had a reign of 267 years in China (Hoppens 193). The reign of the Qing dynasty ended with the emergence of the Xinhai Revolution in 1912. The revolution was fostering the elimination of growing nationalism, corruption, and rebellions that had plagued the Qing dynasty. Upon toppling the Qing Dynasty, under the leadership of Puyi, the Xinhai Revolution instigated a new era in China characterized by Factionalism and political instability. The newly founded Republic of China did not have a notable leadership trajectory, which was marked by their struggles to assert control over the territory and unify the nation (Spence 217). As a result of the instability, European nations took advantage to exploit the Chinese resources. However, the Europeans too lacked unity in controlling China. The rise of fascism in Europe at the time largely destabilized their motivation to explore China. Such occurrences opened avenues for the Japanese invasion. Notably, Japan was also strategic in its pursuit of China bearing their insightful understanding of their abilities and the occurrences around East Asia at the time. One of the most strategic moves that the Japanese had undertaken was the acquisition of Manchuria. The Japanese had established their intention to take over Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War between 1904 and 1905 (Hoppens 193). Manchuria was strategically placed for control over the whole nation besides having an abundance of resources. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria and took over its control. However, their takeover attracted resistance across China. As such, Japan wanted to instill legitimacy in their new acquisition, something that they believed they could achieve by making Puyi the emperor of the puppet state. Puyi’s elevation as an emperor was met with mixed reactions. On one side, the move had restored his authority as a leader in China. However, the move was largely viewed as a front by the Japanese to legitimize their invasion of the state. Further, it is widely claimed that Puyi did not have any powers, something that has triggered debates about the nature of his association with the Japanese. Puyi’s Collaboration with the Japanese Puyi’s alleged collaboration with the Japanese is among the most contested debates on the historical grounds. Puyi’s relationship with the Japanese was largely doubted based on his past and his determination as an individual. Primarily, it is notable that Puyi was the last legitimate emperor of the Qing Dynasty (Hoppens 273). As such, he was raised in an environment in which he had to be loy...