The Japanese Shock the Asian Empires

• The Europeans and Americans underestimated the skill and fanatacism of the Japanese army.

• Racist ideas also assumed that non-Europeans could not match the skill of Europeans

• The Japanese launched a series of attacks in December 1941 that would see a collapse of control throughout Asia.

• Pearl Harbour
• Philippines
• Indo-China
• Malaya

• As they headed towards the oilfields of the Dutch East Indies