The Manchurian Crisis, 1931
History: Cambridge International GCSE The Twentieth Century (Option B), topic 2.4.2
The Manchurian Crisis, 1931
Japan’s economy collapsed in the Depression as silk exports fell. Lacking raw materials at home, it looked abroad for iron, coal, and farmland—seeing resource-rich Manchuria in China as the answer.
Industry
- Japan already had business in Manchuria in the form of a railway.
- Which made them think it would be easy to invade (this was on the China/Japan border).
- The Japanese thought this would be easy as China’s government was weak and divided.
Invasion
- On 18th September 1931, Japan’s railway in Manchuria was blown up, and they blamed the Chinese (who denied it).
- The Japanese, insisting they had been attacked by the Chinese, took Manchuria over.
- Then, the Japanese publicly celebrated their victory in the streets.
Reaction of the League of Nations
- The League of Nations didn't do much to stop this.
- They felt that because Japan already had industry in Manchuria, it was pretty much their land to take.
- The Japanese were also one of the most powerful countries in the League so the other countries did little to stop them.
- Countries were reluctant to act due to problems the great depression was causing at home.
Actions of the League of Nations
- The crisis happened really far away from the League’s most powerful countries like Britain and France.
- It would be hard for them to intervene, so they didn't.
- The one thing the League of Nations did, was to send Lord Lytton (a British man) to make a judgement on which country was at fault.
- The Lytton Commission took a year to make its report.
- Japan was deemed to be at fault.
- But by the time the report was published they already had taken over more land in China.
Moral condemnation
- The League did try their policy of moral condemnation on Japan.
- But this didn't do anything. Japan didn't care.
- Japan traded with the USA, so the League couldn’t place harsh economic sanctions on Japan.
- As they would be still able to trade with the USA (who weren’t members).
Impact on the League of Nations
- This incident was catastrophic for the League.
- It made them look weak and sent a message to other aggressive dictators that they could get away with what they wanted.
- This incident gave Mussolini and Hitler the confidence that if they acted in a similar way, they were likely to get away with it.
Test yourself on The Manchurian Crisis, 1931
When was the Manchurian Crisis?
Where is Manchuria?
What happened on the 18th September 1931?
Who was sent to Asia by the League to make a judgement on which country was at fault?