-
The Wall Street Crash
In 1929, the US Stock Market crashed, affecting the majority of nations. It appears that the cycle created by the Dawes Plan contributed to the Crash. France and Britain had received loans from the US during the Great War, and afterwards, used German reparations to pay off these loans, which, in turn, would go from the US to Germany as part of the Dawes Plan. -
Japan's Population Problem...
The Wall Street Crash affected several nations, and Japan suffered particularly. By 1931, her population had been growing at the rapid rate of 1 million; A large amount for a small island nation, and as a result, it became difficult to feed the population. To combat this, the Japanese would usually export Silk to pay for imported resources, but with the global depression, she couldn't sell these assets as most trading nations closed exports to protect their industries. (To be continued...) -
The Kwantung Army invades Manchuria
For Japan, Manchuria seemed to provide an answer to her problem. North of the Great Wall, and in the North East of China, Manchuria was agriculturally rich. Japan had commercial rights via her railway, and this proved vital in the invasion. On September 18, the Kwantung Army, a paramilitary group, staged an attack on the railway. They blamed the Chinese, and used this to invade Manchuria. Soon the region was renamed Manchukuo, a puppet state controlled by Japan. -
Japan's reasons and justifications for the Invasion
Japan justified her invasion in several ways. Firstly, there was the obvious crisis she faced regarding her starving population. Secondly, the Japanese made the case that, -with Manchuria being a chaotic region, fought for control by numerous Lords and Shoguns- she could provide some much needed order; The invasion was mutually beneficial, or so was reasoned by the Japanese. The League dispatched the Earl of Lytton to confront the problem. The League's decision was to condemn the invasion. -
The Kwantung Army's motivations
The Kwantung Army, a paramilitary group, had a few reasons for the invasion. Firstly was the obvious population in Japan. Second was in the interest of self-preservation. A small island nation, the KA weren't needed much, and with the crisis, they might've been laid off. If Japan needed to invade Manchuria, and sustain the effort, they would need the Kwantung Army.