Mukden Incident facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Manchurian Incident
Part of Second Sino-Japanese War
Japanese troops entering Shenyang during the Mukden Incident.
Date September 18, 1931 – February 18, 1932 Location Inner Manchuria, Republic of China Result Japanese victory
Belligerents
National Revolutionary Army, Republic of China	Imperial Japanese Army, Empire of Japan
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the Republic of China Army.svg	War flag of the Imperial Japanese Army.svg
Strength
160,000	30,000 – 66,000
Casualties and losses
?	?

The Mukden Incident, also known as the Manchurian Incident, was a planned event in 1931. Japanese soldiers created this event to give themselves a reason to invade Manchuria. Manchuria is a large region in the northern part of China.

On September 18, 1931, a small amount of dynamite exploded. A Japanese soldier set off this explosion. It happened near Japan's South Manchuria Railway, close to the city of Mukden. The explosion was very weak. It barely damaged the railway, which was still usable.

However, the Japanese army quickly blamed the Chinese people for the explosion. They used this as an excuse to fully invade Manchuria. This invasion led to Japan taking control of the region.

Six months later, Japan set up a new country called Manchukuo. This was a "puppet state". A puppet state is a country that seems independent but is actually controlled by another, more powerful country. In this case, Japan controlled Manchukuo.

The world soon learned about the Mukden Incident. Many countries saw it as an act of aggression by Japan. This led to Japan becoming isolated from other nations. Japan eventually left the League of Nations, an international organization that aimed to keep peace.

Why Did the Incident Happen?

Japan had a strong interest in Manchuria. The region had many valuable resources. These included coal, iron, and fertile land. Japan's industries needed these resources.

Japan also wanted to expand its power in Asia. Taking control of Manchuria was a big step in this plan. The Japanese military believed they needed more land and resources to become a stronger empire.

They used the fake incident to justify their invasion. This allowed them to take over Manchuria quickly. They did this without a clear declaration of war.

The World's Reaction

The League of Nations was created after World War I. Its main goal was to prevent future wars. When Japan invaded Manchuria, the League of Nations investigated the event.

The League sent a group called the Lytton Commission to China. This commission studied what happened. They concluded that Japan was wrong to invade Manchuria. They also said that Japan's actions were not self-defense.

The League of Nations asked Japan to leave Manchuria. However, Japan refused to follow the League's requests. Instead, Japan decided to leave the League of Nations in 1933. This showed that the League had limited power to stop aggressive nations.

What Was the Impact?

The Mukden Incident was a major event before World War II. It showed that international agreements could be ignored. It also highlighted the weakness of the League of Nations.

The incident was a step towards the Second Sino-Japanese War. This larger war began in 1937. It was a long and brutal conflict between China and Japan. The Mukden Incident set the stage for years of fighting in Asia.

Images for kids

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  Renault FT tanks captured by the Japanese after the September 18th Incident, September 19, 1931.

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  Japanese soldiers of 29th Regiment on the Mukden West Gate

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  Japanese experts inspect the "sabotaged" South Manchurian Railway.

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  A section of the Liǔtiáo Railway. The caption reads "railway fragment".

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  Chinese delegate addresses the League of Nations after the Mukden Incident in 1932.

See also

In Spanish: Incidente de Mukden para niños