<論説>参戦・二一カ条要求と陸軍

Abstract

第一次世界大戦のさいの参戦外交は加藤高明外相の主導の下に行なわれ、いわゆる対華二一カ条要求も、各方面の要望をもりこんだものの、外相の主導下になされたとされている。しかし、憲政擁護運動で勢力を失墜したとはいえ、こと戦争・対華問題に関する限り、軍部が外相に追随したとは考えられない。本稿は右の点を未公開文書を利用して解明しようとしたものである。

It has been argued that the diplomacy on participation in World War I had been enforced under the leadership of Takaaki Kato, the Foreign Minister, and the Twentyone Demands to China also had been made mainly in his claim, though there had been requests from various interests. But although having lost their influence by the Movement for a Constitutional Government, it was unthinkable that the military authorities allowed the Foreign Minister to take the lead in war and a policy toward China. The purpose of this article is to make these points clear by the use of unpublished documents.