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Japan expands into China
The Japanese Army starts to take over China. First taking occupying the eastern half of Charar Province. China agrees to a demilitarisation zone in the Hebei Province. -
Mengjiang
China agrees to remove all troops from Manchuko border and from all Charar Province. China’s military does this due its interest in destroying CCP than resisting Japan. -
Second United Front
By the end of 1936, Kai shek’s policy of apposing the CCP, rather than Japan, was highly unpopular. A former warlord of Manchuria arrests Chiang and forces him to negotiate with the CCP to create a united anti-Japanese front. The new alliance between KMT and CCP was known as the Second United Front. -
Mengjiang
In 1935, Demchugdongrob becomes head of the government of Inner Mongolia. By 1936 this state was made a puppet state and named Mengjiang. -
Marco Polo Bridge Incident
Chinese and Japanese fought on the bridge. Japanese demanded and apology from China however, China refuses. By the end of July, Botha had sent large armies into northern China. This was the only real resistance shown by the Chinese as they try to stop Japanese expansion but fail to do so. -
Start of War
China unable to make an impact the war in the North. Chiang looked for a victory elsewhere, responding by organising a bomber aircraft attack on Shanghai, which was controlled by Japan. Causing them to go to war. -
Shanghai
Hundred of thousands of troops from both China and Japan battled in and around Shanghai for several months. Japanese troops were too strong and Chinese troops were forced to evacuate by the end of October. Chiang redeployed his troops to protect the route to Nanjing. -
Nanjing
The height of Japanese aggression. The Nanjing Massacre. Japan’s emperor Hirohito replaces his uncle as the head of the Central China Area Army. Price Asaka (Hirohito’s uncle) due to his nationalistic vIew. With his order, Japanese troops were given the freedom to loot property of Chinese civilians, rape women and children. Once Nanjing was captured, these crimes were multiplied, the s of thousands of rape victims. People were tortured and burned to death and used for bayonet practice. -
Further Japanese Conquests
Japan continues its conquest of China by invading southern and central China. The main aim was to take over railways, cities and ports. In October 1938, the temporary capital of Wuhan is captured.
By mid 1939, Japan has conquered most of eastern China.
China’s government establishes itself at Changqing in the far west. Japan does try and bomb this area but the attempt goes begging. Therefore they focus on cutting supply lines to Chongqing, leading to conflicts with the USA by 1940.