Abstract
For Japan, who took its first steps as a sovereign state during the era of imperialism, a strong military was essential to guarantee national survival in an Asia dominated by Western powers. Establishment of the military became synonymous with the founding of the state and the military became a symbol of modernization. It could perhaps be said that the victories in the Sino-Japanese (1894–1895) and Russo-Japanese (1904–1905) wars were proof that the frenzied push toward modernization that had been ongoing since the Meiji Restoration (1867–1868) had been successful.
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Kusunoki, A. (2017). The Early Years of the Ground Self-Defense Forces, 1945–1960. In: Eldridge, R., Midford, P. (eds) The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55194-8_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55194-8_3
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Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-56531-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-55194-8
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