Mark Scott Smith's Blog: Enemy in the Mirror, page 133

United States Presidential Election 1940

FDR; Wikimedia Commons

Wendell Wilkie; Wikimedia Commons

FDR’s  run for a third term was a major issue in the 1940 Presidential campaign. The Republican candidate Wendell Willkie claimed FDR failed to end the Depression and was leading the USA into another war. Roosevelt promised not to involve the USA in foreign wars if re-elected. Although Willkie revived Republican strength in some areas of the country, FDR won easily.

Imperial Japanese Army Ranks

Grand Marshal , Dai-Gensui ; Wikimedia Commons

A discussion and illustrations of Imperial japanese military ranks during WWII can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_ranks_of_the_Japanese_Empire_during_World_War_II

There’s No Medicine For Regret

[image error]Wikimedia Commons

While Japan had legalized prostitution (and by extension, comfort stations for its troops), the USA outlawed the oldest profession at home and urged its troops to avoid it overseas as well.

慰安婦 Japanese “Comfort Women “

Comfort women translates in Japanese as Ianfu, a euphemism for shōfu (娼婦) meaning prostitute. The first comfort station, staffed by (legalized) volunteer Japanese prostitutes, was established in 1932 in the Shanghai Japanese concession. However, as Japanese conquests increased throughout Asia, the military began coercing local women into serving in these stations.

1940 Oldsmobile hydramatic

Oldsmobile’s 1940 hydramatic transmission was the first fully-automatic four speed transmission.

 

Western Movies in Japan -1940

Waterloo Bridge; Wikimedia Commons

In 1940, Japanese audiences could still view Western films like this story of a dancer and a British army captain starring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh. Soon Hollywood films would be banned, as Japan turned toward Axis nations for European films.

 

Smith Act – Alien Registration

Smith Committee 1939; Wikimedia Commons

The Alien Registration Act of 1940 (Smith Act) established criminal penalties for advocating the overthrow of the U.S. government and required all adult non-citizen residents to register with the government.

Imperial Japanese Prefectural Natural Parks

Zuihoji Park; Wikimedia Commons

Imperial Japan began to develop national parks in 1934. Initial designated areas were in the Inland Sea, the Japan “Alps” and Hokkaido. At the onset of the Pacific War in December 1941, the development of national parks came to a halt.

via http://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/doc/files/parksystem.pdf

National Parks USA

Rocky Mountain National Park; Wikimedia Commons

Following the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, the U.S. Congress authorized the use of many federal lands for additional parks and monuments.

Tension builds between Japan and USA – 1940

Pearl Harbor mock-up Japan 1941; Wikimedia Commons

After Japan fortified the Marshall Islands in early 1940, FDR ordered the United States Pacific Fleet to move its main Pacific base from California to Pearl Harbor. This show of strength had its risks however: the American Pacific fleet was now within striking distance of the powerful Imperial Japanese Navy.

read more: Increasing tensions between the United States and Japan.