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Defeat of russia in 1905 had seen Japan gain lease on the South Manchurian Railway and the right to protect it with 15,000 troops. These concessions were threatened by turmoil caused by Chinese Civil War (1927). Failure of Japanese gov to dela with depression convince Japanese officers that they would have to act decisively and occupy the whole of Manchuria.
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A bomb went off in the South Manchurian Railway just outside of Mukden were both Chinese and Japanese troops were stationed. This was blamed on china and provided Japan with the excuse to occupy not only Mukden but also Manchuria. 'False flag incident' since it was Japan that caused the explosion. -
- Br was weak it had recently face a mutiny at Invergordon (due to a cut in sailors' wages) and Britain was forced off the gold standard five days later Gov. + Powerful financial interests in London supported Japan. Commercial interests in China meant that Br preferred a stable China.
- USA still recovering from the Great Depression was unwilling to do more than denounce Japanese aggression. President Hoover, for instance, argued that economic sanctions would be like 'sticking pins in a tiger'.
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China immediately appealed to the league of nations but the council responded cautiously. It asked Japan to retreat its troops to the railway and when this was ignored a commission under the chairmanship of Lord Lytton.
Japan completed its occupation of Manchuria and turned it into the satellite state of Manchukuo while the commission carried out a leisurely fact-finding operation in the spring 1932. -
It observed that " without a declaration of war a large area of what was indisputably Chinese had been forcibly seized and occupied by the armed forces of japan and has in consequence of this operation been separated from and declared independent of the rest of China". It proposed that Japanese should withdraw back into the railway zone and negotiate a treaty that:
- Guaranteed japan's right in Manchuria
- Included a non-aggression pact
- Included a trade agreement -
Balance of power in the pacific shifted. Japan seen to be breaking away from LoN restraints and Washington Conference resolution. Japan had guaranteed its access to coal and iron ores. Good strategic position to invade China. -
Japan-Germany Pact later joined by Italy -
July 7th 1937- Marco Polo bridge incident between Japanese and Nationalist Chinese troops marks the start of the war
By 1941 the most fertile part of China taken over by Japan aswell as Nanking and Beijing.
General Chang Kai-shek forced to retreat and negotiate alliance with the chinese communists.
Territories Japan held onto puppet govs were established. By 1940 Japan had spread itself too thing and had now close to a million troops in China tied down. -
armed clashes lasting two weeks in Lake Khason. May 1939 major confrontation in river Khalkin-Gol involving aircraft and tanks. -
USA
Equally reluctant to intervene militarily. But did allow President Roosevelt to align himself with democracies opposing the Berlin-Rome axis and Japan. Congress. wanted the US to remain neutral. USSR
Stalin didn't want to be involved and rejected Chiang kai-shek's request that the soviet army invade Manchukuo in part because still very weak Red Army from purges and fearing Hitler might take advantage. Stalin wanted to retain Mongolia so supported Chinese with weapons and aircraft -
New Nazi Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop urged Hitler to create what he called a world triangle (alliances with J&It). Japan welcomed this in the hope it would discourage Russian and American intervention in Sino-Japanese war.
Nazi government called off all aid to Chiang Kai-shek and recognised Manchukuo. Encouraged Japan to take over French and Dutch colonies in the Far east -
America wanted to be able to invest freely in China , they actually supported economically Chiang Kai-shek. And with every advance of the Japanese they build up their naval forces but also restricted exports of potential war materials to Japan
Hitler's victories in 1940 strengthened the hawks postion in japanese gov and a more anti-western gov took over (Konoe Fumimaro). Washington suspended exports of vital aviation fuel and lubricant oil. In response Japan sought the tripartite pact -
Germany-Italy-Japan defensive military alliance -
Japanese gov was confronted with either being paralysed by lack of oil or launching a pre-emptive strike.
Japan was reassured by Ribbentrop that if Japan attacked the US the germans would also declare war
Dawn 7th of december Japanese forces launched their attack on Pearl Harbour (hawaii).
11th Dec Ger declaration of war on US, japan locks US down in pacific so it can't aid Britain and France in the Atlantic so Hitler as a symbol of solidarity declares war.