How Imperial Japan turned to the sardine to help build a war machine

historyanalysisThe Conversation1931–1945 · Japan

How Imperial Japan turned to the sardine to help build a war machine

the gist

Imperial Japan built part of its war industry on sardines. Sardine oil, a byproduct of fertiliser production, was hydrogenated into a solid fat and used to make nitroglycerin, the main ingredient of dynamite. Japan's catch grew after expansion into Korea, which was annexed in 1910, and by 1931 the empire's total harvest was roughly 44% of the global total. Sardines were a key raw material for the Hungnam chemical complex in colonial Korea, which supplied explosives for operations in Manchuria.

how it works

Sardine oil was originally exported to Europe as a fertiliser byproduct. Hydrogenation turned the smelly oil into a solid, odourless fat. That fat was then processed into nitroglycerin, which is the explosive core of dynamite.

so what

The case shows how a common food resource became strategic in early 20th-century imperialism, tying territorial expansion to industrial supply chains. It is a striking example of how everyday resources can shape the logic of empire.

Illustrative photo · Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

source: The Conversation ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗