First Advisor

Kenneth J. Ruoff

Term of Graduation

Spring 2025

Date of Publication

5-30-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.) in History

Department

History

Language

English

Subjects

boycotts, fashion, raw silk, silk stockings, socialism

DOI

10.15760/etd.3978

Physical Description

1 online resource (viii, 87 pages)

Abstract

This study examines the rise and fall of the silk industry in both the United States and Japan in the first half of the twentieth century. While silk had been a valuable commodity for millennia for royalty, aristocrats, and the extremely wealthy, the opening of Japan's ports in 1853 soon made silk more accessible to lower classes around the world.

Consequently, Japan's newfound wealth catapulted her status among other rich and powerful nations. Japan's military might, financed in large part by the silk trade and displayed by her victory over Russia in 1905, earned her even more prestige on the world stage. Japanese politics, society, cultural traditions and way of life were unpredictably changed forever by not only the influx of Western ideas and technology, but also by the expansion of the silk trade.

The United States demanded more and more of what Japan had to offer: silk. There were large markets in the United States for yard goods, silk ties and decorative ribbons. However, the hunger for raw silk was fueled most of all by the need to produce silk stockings, a staple in the world of women's fashion. Once the quality of Japan's raw silk complied with American standards, the United States became Japan's most lucrative customer and provided thousands of people with employment in both countries that directly related to the silk industry.

When Japan began to expand its sphere of influence in 1931, the United States was concerned but opted to maintain neutrality in world conflicts. However, after what has become known as the Rape of Nanking by Japan in 1937, Americans, mostly women, banded together to boycott Japanese raw silk with the goal of slowing down or stopping Japanese aggression in China. There is no evidence to indicate these goals were even partially achieved but we do know that as the possibility of war escalated, government sanctions and trade restrictions were imposed on Japan by the United States and her allies. Nevertheless, the silk boycotts did impact Japan and the United States in many other unforeseen ways and helped shape modern culture and society in both countries.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43949

Included in

Asian History Commons

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