The time period in which this essay deals is the dawn of many ideas that led to World War 1 and 2. Expansionism is not new. Ever since the Tower of Babylon nations have fought each other for domination. Rome rationalized its conquests with "might makes right." Such Roman ideas carried on into World Wars 1 and 2.

Herbert Spencer authored a modern view similar to the Roman "might makes right." When Darwin published his theories Spencer quickly added the natural selection doctrine of "Survival of the fittest" to his ethical theories. Spencer then applied his ethics to the realm of nations. Colonialism was not wrong at all, reasoned Spencer, because natural selection works when the people with better genes conquer, thus Social Darwinian ethics justified oppressing and seizing lands from the "unfit" to encourage the spread and evolution of the "fit". The horrible applications of these ideas can be seen in the Nazi eugenics program.¹

Following Commodore Matthew Perry's 1854 visit to force open trade relations, the first step towards an imperialistic Japan was in 1868 when the feudalist Tokowaga forces surrendered to the combined "royalists" forces that ushered in the Meiji era and ended Japanese feudalism. Ending feudalism created the united Japan that was necessary for imperialistic movement. This was a time of experimentation, where rapid changes in government took place in Japan.² Herbert Spencer's Social Darwinist ethics became popular in Japan. The "survival of the fittest" created kill or be killed mentality. A country was either an imperialist nation with colonies, or the colonizers oppressed it. Japan wanted to succeed, so it became imperialistic.³

Japanese brutality in its expansionism is explained by their religious beliefs. They believed they were unable to do any wrong because they were direct descendants of the gods and were mandated to master the world. The emperor was their chief god on earth. This racist attitude towards the rest of the world created the hatred necessary for massive war, and the perceived inability to do wrong allowed Japanese to commit atrocities without a thought to guilt. To surrender to the enemy was the greatest disgrace and would have great consequences when the Japanese soldier joined his ancestor's. The greatest honor was to die for the emperor.⁴ The indoctrination of Japanese soldier with these ideas created the zealous self-sacrifice that fueled Japanese kamikazes and brutality.

". . . The Japanese soldier was taught during his first year of service that his mundane life was already forfeited to the Emperor; that to die for the Emperor was his greatest glory, to surrender his greatest disgrace. But during his second year, he was taught that merely to commit suicide and die before killing the enemy was also a disgrace; and that he should follow the Samurai code, which taught that even when the head had been chopped off, the head should still jump up and sink its teeth into the throat of the enemy. And this teaching, inculcated into an unreasoning mind accustomed to depend for guidance an authoritative precepts, were further drilled into him by a grueling training in peace-time and licensed savagery in war-time" Tokyo Record, p. 156 ⁵

The former Japanese zeal for imperialism belittles the American "manifest destiny" expansion. John L. O'Sullivan, a New York editer, coined this phrase in 1845, saying "It was the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly expanding millions." "Manifest destiny" comprises a belief that God had given all the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the U.S. government to conquer.⁶ By the 1890's most of the land was settled.⁷ The imperialism performed by the Japanese requires a racist mentality to inspire hatred against the enemy. American expansion was to spread an "empire of liberty", as Thomas Jefferson said, not to conquer the world. This was not to say that American expansionism in the West was free of flaws and mistreatments at the hands of wicked men. But even in the resettlement of Native Americans, the best desire was for them to come to know Jesus in whom true freedom and peace is found.

During the Spanish-American war America began to show the signs of imperialism. Evolution taught that Anglo-Saxons were more highly "evolved" then other humans, and so it was their duty to help the less evolved countries.⁸ Senator Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana said in 1898, "We are Anglo-Saxons, and must obey our blood and occupy new markets, and if necessary new lands… We go forth to fight for humanity….In the name of the mighty minds of every party and of every English-speaking land…, we welcome the golden dawn of the republic's full-grown manhood. . ." The U.S. is accused of taking colonies during the Spanish-American war. When the ship the Maine was destroyed, the U.S. accused Spain of blowing it up, and declared war.⁹ The war happened also because the people wanted to help Cuban independence fighters.¹⁰ In the one-sided war the U.S. absorbed Spain's former colonies like Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Although the extent of this imperialism is questionable, Spanish colonies were seized to set them free, not to exploit them.

Japanese expansionism was so terrible because it deviated from Biblical principals. Expansionism can only be rationalized by ideas like Darwinism and Shinto's teaching that Japan's emporer descended from the sun godess. These ideas exalt man to the status of God, and attempt to dethrone the true God. When a nation does not follow Biblical principles it results in terrible events like the Japanese rape of China. However, God is still on the throne. Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor pulled the USA into a devastating war against Japanese aggressions which had risen from their false religion. God used the USA to demystify the emperor and allow Japan the freedom to choose Christianity.

1.What does Herbert Spencer have to do with Expansionism
HINT:
He rationalized colonialism and expansionism with Social Darwinist ethics.
He gave secrets to the Japanese
Herbert Spencer created the first U.S. colonies.

2. What is Manifest Destiny?
HINT:
A new age eastern religion
The belief that God had given America all the land from the pacific to Atlantic
A destiny that leads you to a festered man.

3. What were Japanese soldiers taught?
HINT:
To respect the enemy and love their enemy.
to bite the throat of their enemies even as their heads were cut off.
There is no honor in death, capture is better because one may still fight again.
respect enemy soldiers and civilians at all costs to prevent the encouragement of more war.

3. According to their beliefs, who were the Japanese ancestors?
HINT:
Sailors from China who first founded Japan
Adam and Eve
They were the descendants of the gods and could therefore do no wrong.