What events triggered the manchurian crisis?
The Great Depression was one major factor that led to the Japanese’ invasion of the north-east state of China, soon to become known as Manchukuo – an independent puppet-run state by the Japenese army. For Japan, its economy was shattered by the collapse of the American market and the subsequent trade tarrif increases by its neighbouring countries, China and the USA. This meant Japan was unable to export any of its goods. In 1931 an incident in Manchuria gave the Japanese army leaders the opportunity they had been looking for to expand its Japanese empire. Manchuria already had a section of Japan-built railway through Manchuria which army leaders claim the Chinese had sabotaged. The occupation of the state was met with little resistance as the Japanese army clearly orchestrated the attack well which suggests today that the incident was pre-empted. The civil government in Tokoyo called for the army to withdraw, but instructions were ignored. This made it clear that it was the army and no
