May 15 Incident - On May 15, 1932, a coup d'etat was attempted in Japan. It is significant because it effectively ended civilian influence on government in Japan preceding WWII. WWII saw the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and struggle with the United States over territorial control of the Pacific.

Japan's economic condition had increasingly worsened. Japan was still trying to recover from the Great Kanto earthquake when a worldwide depression hit in 1929. Having a lack of natural raw resources, Japan was dependent on imports. Japan had assisted the Allies in seizing Germany's Micronesian colonies in the Pacific during WWI. During the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, the Allies met to set the peace terms for Germany. At the conference, Japan demanded equal status with the Powers, and made a racial equality proposal.

"The equality of nations being a basic principle of the League of Nations, the High Contracting Parties agree to accord as soon as possible to all alien nationals of states, members of the League, equal and just treatment in every respect making no distinction, either in law or in fact, on account of their race or nationality."

However, arrogance and racial discrimination had become the Western policy towards the Japanese. It was the common form of negotiations from the Powers, who were used to strong arming Asia into cooperating with them. Japan, like other Asian countries, had been unable to resist the military pressures from foreign powers and traditionally forced to sign unequal treaties. The meeting in Paris was designed to create a lasting peace throughout the world, and created the League of Nations, and the majority passed the proposal. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, chairman of the meeting, overturned it. Furthermore, the Japanese received less than half the rights of Germany. Unhappy, the Japanese walked out on the negotiations. They reported it widely in their press, and a grudge developed between the Japanese and the United States.

In 1923, the Great Kanto earthquake hit Japan. The death toll, chaos and damage was extensive. Hysteria fueled mass murder of Koreans who were rumored to be committing acts of arson and terror. Because the earthquake hit at lunchtime, when many people were using fires to cook, everything was burning. In 1924, the US passed the Asian Exclusion Act, excluding all immigrants from Asia. The Act had strong congressional support. It included the Japanese in a list of "undesirables".

In the wake of all this, Japan had increasingly become more dependent on it's military to maintain internal order and isolated by the International community. By the 1930's, the Japanese military had established almost complete control over the government. The military helped itself in this by secretly assassinating its political enemies and persecuting them. They could plan easily since their office was independent and completely absent of any civilian oversight or control.

The Japanese military effectively established their control of the public through indoctrination and censorship. Education and the press were used as tools. Use of the government provided the military with all the information they needed to track and monitor any activities. Fear of punishment and retaliation ensured the military's power over government. Military strength was equated with the strength of the nation. This increased public support of the military and secured a generation oriented towards its leadership instead of the fledgling Japanese parliament.

Democracy was not popular. It was equated with the United States. Any dissenters were too afraid to speak out, and could be eliminated. Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi would pay the ultimate price as head of parliament. The May 15 Incident saw his assassination by 11 members of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army. His last words were, "If I spoke, you would understand," to which his killers responded, "Dialogue is useless."

Following the incident, the participants took a taxi and immediately turned themselves in. During their trial, the press was used to provide a running commentary in support of the participants, noting that they were sure to receive light sentences. A petition was circulated around the country, and presented to the court pleading for a lenient sentence. The punishment issued was extremely light, and the rule of law was effectively undermined.

The Japanese military's support among Japan's public steadily grew as it successfully built a perception of itself as a patriotic body strengthening the country in a hostile world existing in uncertain times. Eventually, with the Japanese Emperor Hirohito's support, who was receptive to the will of the people, the military resolved to go to war with the Powers to "endeavor to obtain our objectives supporting a free hand to continue with the conquest of China and Southeast Asia, no increase in US or British military forces in the region, and cooperation by the West in the acquisition of goods needed by our Empire." Japan required raw resources it naturally did not possess and had to seek externally. The Japanese military was perceived as the means by which Japan could effectively turn the tables on a Western imperialism they resented and establish control of materials they desperately needed. Rebuilding a Japanese Empire was their solution to gaining the diplomatic leverage internationally that had to that point eluded them.

The world lost a poet this day in histroy. Emily Dickinson died today in 1886.

Las Vegas is founded, when 110 acres of land situated between Stewart Avenue on the north, Garces Avenue to the south, Main Street to the west, and 5th Street (Las Vegas Boulevard) to the east, are auctioned off.

May 15, 1820 - Slave trade is declared to be piracy, punishable by the death penalty.

Mickey Mouse made his 1st appearance in 1928
https://wikis.otis.edu/modernart/images/8/80/Mickey_Mouse.jpg

May 15, 1957 - Britain exploded its first hydrogen bomb. It was part of series test in the Pacific. According to bbc.co.uk,
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the test was carried out over the was carried out at high altitude over the largely uninhabited Christmas Island to minimise nuclear fall-out.
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Furthremore,
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The tests raised a major debate about the dangers of nuclear weapons and led to the founding in 1958 of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament which pressed for British, and ultimately international, abandonment of nuclear weapons.
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"With the expansion of McDonald's into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life. Its prominence has also made it a frequent topic of public debates about obesity, corporate ethics and consumer responsibility."

I Cant put into words what Mcdonalds represents better than the Quote above. No one in America can say they dont know what Mcdonalds is. Ronald McDonald is more recognized than Jesus.

What can I say There are Mcdonalds in 119 countries and in my twon there are at least 5 locations were i can get MCdonalds right now. McDonalds has affected everyone in one way or another and goes by day by day as if it was a harmless restaurant, but Mcdonalds has also brought us great joy a place were the family would eat and the Kidz would play. In the end maybe there is nothing out there that better represents America than Mcdonalds and maybe in the future there will be nothing in the worlds that will better represent the human race than the Golden arches of the M.

Portugal declared itself bankrupt on this day in 1902

* cnet TV aired on May 15, 2008 "Today in Tech History"

http://cnettv.cnet.com/today-tech-history-may-15-2008/9742-1_53-50002250.html

* I find this website that contain all the archives by dates on events, notable birthdays and important deaths in history: May 15 history archives, you may follow this link http://www.brainyhistory.com/days/may_15.html

On May 15, 1948, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia attacked Israel...without provocation, in zealous attempt to remove the state.

In 1958 Sputnik 3 was launched and same day in 1960 Sputnik 4 was launched.

It doesn't want to embed this one so here's the link...
http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/sputnik-mania/trailer