JAPAN INVADES MANCHURIA

Japan after World War 1

• Japan emerges as a great power in international politics sits at the top table at the Treaty of Versailles

• Gains control over Shandong in north east China, and Germany’s Pacific territories such as Palau, Micronesia the Marshall Islands

• Like most countries they were hit hard by the depression of the 1930s and become militaristic

• The Japanese army then looked to expansion overseas to cure their depression at home

A MILITARY SOLUTION TO AN

ECONOMIC PROBLEM

Manchuria

Bordering Mongolia and USSR, just over the ditch from Japan

Rich mineral and coal reserves

Japan already owns industries (legacy of 1904-5 war with Russia) here and have a naval base at Port Arthur

The military have a major influence over the Japanese government and they believe they should secure their interests

INVASION!

In 1931 Japanese troops blow up a section of the Japanese-owned railway and blame it on the Chinese.

They then use this as an excuse to invade Manchuria, accusing the Chinese of not being able to maintain order

They would later spread their forces into other parts of China

International Reaction

• China appealed to the League of Nations for help• League sets up Lytton Commission who condemn the invasion, but do little else• The League orders Japan to evacuate Manchuria, but no other actions are taken, no sanctions are imposed and no one was prepared to use force against Japan• Japan leave the League on March 27, 1933

Consequences• Much like Hitler, Japan have tested the waters and found League lack any guts to do anything • The League of Nations is undermined and embarrassed again• Japan gain confidence and start looking at other places to expand• 1936 Anti-Comintern Pact with Nazis which was effectively the start of ‘the Axis’