In the time period of European colonialism, the Japanese made deals to obtain Taiwan without considering the opinions of the Taiwanese people. The West saw China as a wise and culturally significant country, despite Japan's actions towards annexing pieces of China and gaining territorial control.
The podcast host discusses how countries get sucked into the colonial lifestyle as they invest capital in other countries, leading to a dangerous power dynamic and exploitation of local people.
Japan emerges as dominant across the board in World War II, with casualties reaching up to 15 to one ratios, gaining respect and prestige on the world stage in the eyes of the Japanese people and the emperor himself.
After Japan's war with China, three European nations - France, Germany, and Russia - altered the peace treaty and forced China to pay Japan more money than the original deal called for, leaving Japan in an unfavorable position.