Mukden Incident -The Beginning of Japanese Imperialism’s Invasion of China

The September 18th Incident, also known as the Fengtian Incident and the Liutiao Lake Incident. On September 18, 1931, the Japanese Kwantung Army stationed in Northeast China suddenly attacked Shenyang and occupied Northeast China by force.September 18th Incident was a war of aggression against China deliberately created and launched by Japan. It was the beginning of Japanese imperialism’s attempt to conquer China by force. It was the starting point of China’s War of Resistance Against Japan. It marked the beginning of China’s partial war of resistance and unveiled the The prelude to the Eastern Front of World War II. After the September 18th Incident, the Chinese people’s local resistance war also marked the starting point of the world’s anti-fascist war.

Time backgroud

After World War I, Japan’s expansion in China was curbed by the British and American powers. China’s Northern Expedition weakened Japan’s interests in China, prompting the Japanese government to adjust its China policy and accelerate the pace of annexing Northeast China; in the early 1930s, the world The Japanese economy suffered a heavy blow, fell into extreme difficulties, and led to a political crisis. Under internal and external difficulties, Japanese fascist forces were determined to break through the constraints of the Washington system on Japan. While Britain and the United States were busy dealing with the crisis, Chiang Kai-shek launched a large-scale “suppression of communism” At this time, he seized the Northeast Chinese background

Chinese background
Huanggutun Incident
The Japanese army once had a cooperative relationship with Northeastern warlord Zhang Zuolin, but gradually, Japan began to regard Zhang Zuolin as an obstacle. In June 1928, the Japanese Kwantung Army launched the Huanggutun Incident and blew up the train Zhang Zuolin was riding. Zhang Zuolin died of serious injuries. Japan hoped to use this incident to cause a leaderless situation in the Northeast and take the opportunity to occupy the Northeast.
In the early morning of December 29, 1928, Zhang Xueliang and others broke through the obstruction of Japanese imperialism and jointly sent a telegram to the whole country, saying: “Inherit the legacy of the late Generalissimo, strive for unification, and implement peace. From now on, we have declared to abide by the Three People’s Principles and obey the National Government. Change the flag.” From that day on, the three northeastern provinces will all fly the blue sky and white sun flag of the Nanjing National Government, which is the change of the Northeast flag. At this point, the history of Beiyang warlords’ rule in China came to an end. The Kuomintang government formally “unified” the country.
Zhang Xueliang further adopted a non-cooperative attitude towards Japan and began to build new railway facilities near the South Manchuria Railway, competing with it through low prices, causing the South Manchuria Railway to fall into an operating crisis. Feeling a sense of crisis, the Kwantung Army continued to protest, but Zhang Xueliang was unwilling to compromise. Therefore, the Japanese troops Ishihara Kanji, Itagaki Seishiro and others decided to launch a war to gain dominance.