Incidents, Events, and Aborted Coups
1928-1937

Adapted from: http://www.wpunj.edu/~history/courses/hist365/chrono.htm

1928 Assassination of Zhang Zuolin, warlord of Manchuria, by officers of the Japanese Kwantung Army; his successor was his son, Zhang Xueliang, "the Young Marshal," who immediately hoisted the Nationalist flag over Manchuria. Later staged the Xian Incident in 1936, kidnapping Chiang Kai-shek.

1931 March "The March Incident"‹ Abandoned plot

1931 Sept. "Manchurian (Mukden) Incident"

‹Developed by staff officers in Japan's Kwantung Army, the 10,000-man garrison force, under the cover of defending against "further" Chinese attack on the South Manchurian Railway. Aims to seize the entire northeastern region of China from warlord Zhang Xueliang and Nationalist China creating vast resource area for Japanese "autarky." Manchuria fully occupied and Kwantung Army numbers more than 65,000 by 1.32.

March 18, 1932 "Manchukuo" organized as a Japanese puppet state under Pu Yi, deposed Manchu emperor of China, recognized by Japan 9.15. Pu Yi crowned Kang-te, Emperor of Manchukuo 3.1.34

 

More on the Manchurian Incident In 1931, the Japanese Kwangtung Army attacked Chinese troops in Manchuria that is known as the the Manchurian Incident. This was an attempt by the Japanese Empire to gain control over the whole province, in order to eventually encompass all of East Asia. The Manchurian Incident marked a significant change in Japan's foreign policy, especially towards its colony of Korea. The Japnese wanted to compete in a geopolitical struggle for domination with the United States, the Soviet Union, and much of Europe who had ambitions to hold their colonies in Asia. The invasion of Manchuria and the war mobilization efforts attempted to create a strong imperial empire which could eventual compete with these "world powers." The Japanese government set up a puppet state of Manchukuo after they took over Manchuria. Manchuria was taken in an effort to curb the advancement of Chinese nationalist forces, who were threatening Japanese interests on the Asian continent. Manchuria was also used for their vast natural resources and raw materials which would help further the economic goals of Japan. These incidents in Manchuria and China all lead to the mobilization for war in Japan and the colonies. Korea was the base for Japnese war efforts on the continent because of its close proximity to Japan and the fact that it was on the continent itself. The war effort in Korea included the mobilization of labor, in which the workers could be moved to various parts of the Japnese Empire, all to insure production for the war effort. Koreans worked in factories and mines in Manchuria, northern Korea and Japan. About 4,000,000 Koreans were displaced from their homes and shipped to these factories so that they would be productive in Japan's war efforts. The war mobilization scattered Koreans, as manpower, all over East Asia, in an effort to maximize production for the mother country. Students were not exempt from the trials of war mobilization. In 1944 the Japanese passed a special Student Labor Mobilization Ordinance which turned students into part-time employees of the Japanese government. College students were particularly displaced from their schools and were used not just for labor, but also as participants in the Japanese military. Koreans were also used by the military in Japan especially as the Second World War progressed into its later stages. Korean volunteers were being accepted for the Japanese Imperial Army in 1938. In the past, there had been a few Koreans who were involved in the Japanese military, such as Pak Chong-hui (Park Chung Hee) who later went on to become the president of South Korea in 1963. He was one of a few Koreans who had graduated from the Manchurian Military Academy. Contrary to past actions by the Japanese, in 1938, there was a mass recruitment of Koreans for the Japanese military. This was a result of the war's continuous drain of Japanese soldiers which led to the necessity of Korean manpower for the Japanese war effort. Originally From http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~korea/war2.html

 

1931 Oct. Ketsumeidan or "Blood Brotherhood"/"Blood Pledge Corps Incident" = aborted civilian assassination plot

1932 Jan. Assassination attempt on Emperor Hirohito by Korean nationalist leads to indiscreet comments in Chinese press and demands for apologies spark "First Shanghai Incident"

Armed clash provoked by Imperial Navy with Chinese forces outside International Settlement of Shanghai leads by 1.29 to large-scale fighting as Army bails out naval landing forces (marines) and Navy uses heavy guns. Seen as Navy expansion of Manchurian Incident to Central China.

1932 May 15 "May Incident" (5.15)‹Assassination of Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi by Navy-inspired extremists. Public trials air ultra nationalist views.

1933 Feb.-Mar Japan withdraws from League of Nations 2.23 and Occupation of Jehol province and Inner Mongolia by Army begins 3.4

1933 July "Heaven Sent Soldiers' Unit Incident plot uncovered

1934 Nov. "Military Academy Incident" assassination and coup plot by cadets discovered

1934 Dec. 29 Japan declares Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 no longer acceptable

1935 August General Nagata Tetsuzan cut down by a sword in his office by a young army officer

1936 Feb. "February 26th Incident" (2.26)

led by junior field grade officers in capital area with strong civilian inspiration seize area around Imperial Palace and downtown Tokyo. PM Okada escaped, Grand Chamberlain Suzuki wounded, Lord Privy Seal and former-PM Saitô and Finance Min. Takahashi killed. Collapses after the Emperor demands they be labeled rebels and loyal army units and the navy's big guns are arrayed against them. Most rebels executed without public trial. One consequence of 2-26 Incident was that the radical Kōdō-ha or "Imperial Way" faction lost its influence within the army, the period of "government by assassination" came to a close; and the military increased its control over the civilian government.

1936 Nov. 25 Japan and Germany sign Anti-Comintern Pact to oppose USSR.

1937 July 7 "Marco Polo Bridge Incident" and beginning of the "China Incident," an undeclared war between Japan and China Peking falls by 7.31

1937 Aug. "Second Shanghai Incident" 8.13 leads to strong Chinese Nationalist counterattacks by Chiang's best troops and a General War in China and blockade of China declared by IJN 8.25.

1937 Nov. 11 Chinese before Shanghai finally beaten after amphibious envelopment.

1937 Dec. 12 At 12:12 in this 12th year of Showa, Japanese enter Chinese capital of Nanking. Instead of a Chinese capitulation, the Chinese government withdraws, ultimately to Chungking, while Japanese troops perpetrate the infamous "Rape of Nanking"

Originally from: http://www.wpunj.edu/~history/courses/hist365/chrono.htm