The Japanese Invasion of Manchuria 1931-3

1. The Japanese Invasion of Manchuria 1931-3 Jo Schlemper, Carlos Vazquez, Philip Ender, Hanne Koska, Clara Lai, Hannah Rana

2. Motives of Japanese Aggressive Foreign Policies • The Great Depression and the weakness of Japanese Government led to the rise of militarism, protectionism in Japan • Japan was unsatisfied with the war gains and the Crisis could be seen as continuation of Japanese aggressive foreign polices after the defeat of Russia in 1905 • Japan was the main producer of silk and thus led to the Japanese policy of self-sufficiency. • Manchuria was rich in natural resources (minerals, forestry and rich agricultural land) which could support Japanese industrial growth.

3. Background After Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), Japan gained: • Korea • Liaotung Peninsula containing Port Arthur • South Manchurian railway in China Situations in China: • political instability and social and economic problems • Civil war between Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and nationalist Kuomintang KMT weakened the country

4. Map

5. The Mukden Incident 1931 • 8 Sept 1931, bomb exploded near Mukden on the south Manchurian railway • Japanese planted the bomb to cause friction with the Chinese (debatable: as an excuse for invasion) • Japanese forces quickly advanced into areas of Manchuria beyond the railway • As a non- permanent member, China appealed to the League of Nations.

6. Reactions of the LofN • First asked Japan to withdraw its troops back into the railway zone but it was ignored • Then sent a Commission of Enquiry under the command of Lord Lytton (Great Britain) and formed from representatives of the USA, France, Germany and Italy • It took months before the Lytton Commission arrived in the area to investigate the Manchurian incident, and another several months in the region gathering information and interviewing witnesses * Cautious reactions of the LofN and delays worsened the situation for China

7. Japanese reactions • Japanese government seemed willing to help the League, but Japanese Army continued to move across Manchuria • Japanese Army was perceived as independent of Japanese government • By March 1932, Manchuria had become a Japanese puppet state called Manchukuo, with Pu Yi, the last Chinese Emperor, as ruler by name.

8. Picture of Japanese soldiers marching through a gate way in Southern Manchuria near Shengyang city

9. Conclusion of the Lytton Report • Recognised that Japanese had special rights in the region but refused to see Manchuria as an independent state and rejected the Japanese explanations that the Crisis was a result of independence movements in the region • Rejected the use of force by the Japanese and refused to see this as part of ‘police operations to protect Japanese in Manchuria • China was responsible for the deterioration of relations with Japanese as its internal instability had affected Japanese economic interests

10. Recommendations from the report • Japan withdraws its troops and recognise China’s sovereignty over Manchuria • Manchuria adopt self- government while remaining under China’s sovereignty • Japan and China open negotiations

11. Results • Japanese refused to accept the Report and withdrew from the League of Nations Assembly in March 1933 • The League of Nations failed to change the situation in China even with full support from its members and US agreement

12. Impacts • Failure to prevent Japanese expansion in China improved Japanese economic and strategic position • Encouraged Mussolini’s invasion of Abyssinia in 1935

13. Why the league of Nations wasn't effective? • Manchuria was already firmly under Japans control • “... when the eagles fall out” – Britain and France didn’t take action • Question about Manchurias stability because of Civil War

14. Conclusion • This Crisis demonstrated the weaknesses of the league of Nations and other instruments of international diplomacy. • Kellogg-Briand Pact