Appeasment And Road To War #4: The Manchurian Crisis

Question 1

What were the two ways Japan was facing an economic crisis?

Answer 1

• By 1932, silk was worth 1/5th of what it had been in 1920’s
• Production and employment had fallen 30% in 1931

Question 2

What were 2 ways Japan could benefit from invading Manchuria?

Answer 2

• The NE Chinese region of Manchuria was known as an important industrial area and Japan had factories there.
• Japan were facing a political crisis as the liberal government was threatened by aggressive neo-fascist nationalism.

Question 3

What was the Mukden Incident?

Answer 3

• The Japanese army, which dominated the government, wanted to invade Manchuria, but they
  needed an excuse to do so
• 18 Sept 1931, there was an explosion on Japan’s southern Manchurian Railway
• They blamed China, even though Japan did it themselves
• The Kwangtung army invaded Manchuria in retaliation
• The Japanese government wasn’t happy, but the invasion was popular with the people
• Manchuria renamed Manchukuo
• They put a former Chinese emperor, Pu Yi, in charge as a puppet ruler

Question 4

How did the League react to the Manchurian Crisis?

Answer 4

• China appealed for help
• The league sent Lord Lytton to Manchuria, but the journey was long
• So Lytton report was only published in Oct 1932

Question 5

What was the Lytton Report?

Answer 5

It was a detailed report stating Japan was one the wrong and the League imposed moral condemnation

Question 6

How to Japan react to the League?

Answer 6

• They left in February 1933
• They saw no actual damage behind the economic sanctions because the USA (their largest trading partner) would still trade as they weren’t part of the LoN
• The League never made any decision in fear of war breaking out

Question 7

When did Japan start a full-scale invasion of China?

Answer 7

1937